Wenatchee Valley Museum to Pay Tribute to Miss Veedol Landing

Almost 93 years ago to the day, the world's first nonstop trans-Pacific flight touched down in what is now Wenatchee. To commemorate the occasion, the Wenatchee Valley Museum will present a slate of films and historical reenactments.

There is no admission fee; all ages are welcome to this solemn but celebratory event (Friday, Oct. 4, 5 to 7 p.m.).

Our airport's namesake is Clyde Pangborn, who, along with Hugh Herndon, commandeered the momentous 1931 flight aboard the Miss Veedol. This sparked a diplomatic relationship between Misawa, the pilots' starting destination, and Wenatchee/East Wenatchee. (Misawa is an aviation hub in Northeast Japan. There was no Sister Cities program in the interwar world; it wasn't until 1981 that Misawa, Wenatchee and East Wenatchee ratified their Sister Cities agreement.)

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Upon touching down stateside, the pilots were greeted as conquering heroes of the skies. The museum on Friday will screen a short film capturing their crash-landing as well as the exultant reaction from parade-goers in Seattle.

After the short comes a longer film called Miss Veedol: Spirit of Wenatchee. The film is a Voortex Productions original; based in Cashmere, Voortex specializes in vérité-style indie cinema.

If that weren't enough, Tim Bovee and Jake Lodato, both volunteers with the reverent nonprofit Spirit of Wenatchee, will deliver rousing monologues in the style of Pangborn.

Oh, and look out for an impeccably lifelike replica of the Miss Veedol - it'll be hovering over Wenatchee and East Wenatchee on Friday afternoon. According to a museum press release, the aircraft was built in 2003 for a pomp-filled national celebration of 100 years of motor-powered flight.