Susan Campbell, co-founder and board chair of CampV, shows retired Major General Paul Landers book "Delta Fac: A Piolet's War in the Mekong Delta" to the crowd during the Rose City AirFest VIP reception at the Historic Aviation Memorial Museum Thursday.  

Attendees of the second annual Rose City AirFest were ready to watch high-flying vintage war planes soar through the sky Friday.

Attendee Eddie Graham said he had been to airshows at Pensacola Beach and in West Texas, but this was his family’s first in Tyler. Before the airshow Friday evening, he was “anxious” to see it get started all afternoon.

“The kids love airplanes and I love airplanes. We’re ready to see the A-10s,” Graham said. “A-10s are my favorite ones and I’m ready to see them in action.”

Two more attendees particularly looking forward to watching the A-10s were Valen Powell and her daughter.

“We came last year and really enjoyed it,” Powell said.

Thousands gathered at the Historic Aviation Memorial Museum at Tyler Pounds Regional Airport to watch this year’s airshow, which is put on in honor of veterans.

The featured performer was B-29 Superfortress “Doc,” one of the two only B-29s flying in the country and the same type of plane as the Enola Gay that carried the atomic bomb.

Other aerial performers this year included the A-10 Thunderbolt, MiG-17’s, the AeroShell Aerobatic Team and more.

While the Rose City AirFest offers a day of fun for families, Susan Campbell, co-founder and board chair of CampV, said “the purpose of this whole airshow is to raise money and support CampV.” All money raised at the event goes to CampV (Community Assisting Military Personnel and Veterans).

CampV helps East Texas veterans get their benefits and find employment information, support groups, mental health resources, connections and more.

Travis Gladhill, CampV executive director, said during a Rose City AirFest VIP reception at HAMM on Thursday night, that a survey done in 2017 by Texas State University showed East Texas has the second largest veteran population in the state, yet the least amount of resources.

On top of this, East Texas has the third highest veteran suicide rate and fifth highest homeless veterans rate in the state.

These statistics did not “add up with me,” Gladhill said.

The idea for CampV came about in 2017 when Jim Snow and Campbell “put their heads together,” Gladhill said. In 2019 the organization opened its doors to veterans.

In the first year, CampV serviced 309 veterans. Today it services about 341 veterans a month, Gladhill said.

This year’s Rose City AirFest is also honored two East Texas veterans, World War II veteran James Krodel and retired Major General Paul Landers.

Krodel, who was a private marine, enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1944 at the age of 17. Upon enlistment, he was deployed to Hiroshima.

Campbell read about Krodel’s service mentioning a time in Hiroshima when his convoy went ashore and was pinned down in a fox hole for 36 hours where they were continually shot at.

At the age of 18, Krodel realized he had served “for 45 days in a near continuous bloody and savage battle against the Japanese,” Campbell said.

“He was happy to serve his country and we are so grateful,” Campbell said.

Landers flew more than 375 missions, directed hundreds of airstrikes, helped downed aircrew and saved outposts under attack.

Landers remembers just about every mission he’s done but there were five or six that stand out. He talks about them in his book, ”Delta Fac: A Pilot’s War in the Mekong Delta.”

Landers was the fourth class to graduate from the Air Force Academy in 1962. He then went on to pilot training and stayed there as a jet instructor. Later he went through fighter training and went to Vietnam as a forward air controller. Landers said his service in Vietnam is one of his greatest accomplishments.