By: Nicole Falco
The Valley Stream resident has no plans to sell that piece of World War II memorabilia or, for that matter, any of the dozens of artifacts he has in his collection. It includes uniforms and helmets from different branches of the military, a German gas mask canister, a Japanese canteen, Life magazines from the war years and a knife used by his uncle when he fought in the war.
"Once I collect something, it's there for me to keep," Gotard said. "I never sell anything or trade anything, because to me [each artifact] becomes a priceless piece of history. I'll eventually donate them to the museum."
Gotard's dedication to preserving WWII history was inherited from his father, Bob. While Bob was too young to fight in the war, the war years made a lasting impression on him. "It had such an impact on him, and he was always a historian of that period, so at a young age I was introduced to it through all the books and magazines he collected," Gotard said.
Besides working as a law-enforcement officer, Gotard is one of the many historical re-enactors who volunteer at the American Airpower Museum at Republic Airport. He wears a replica of a uniform worn by a soldier on D-Day, complete with military jacket, parachute harness and helmet, as well as a replica of an identification card carried by a WWII serviceman.
Re-enactors assist "civilians" who participate in the Airborne flight experience offered at the museum. By making tax-deductible $250 museum donations, patrons can participate in the 45-minute flight experience, during which they are provided with replica uniforms like those worn by re-enactors, and the identities of troopers who flew the D-Day mission.
Participants are briefed about their "mission," and are then instructed to board a C-47 transport aircraft, the same craft used on D-Day. The aircraft takes off. While participants never actually parachute onto Long Island's beaches, re-enactors recreate the tense, chaotic atmosphere the soldiers experienced that day. The aircraft returns safely to the museum hangar at the airport, and participants learn whether or not the paratroopers they've been portraying survived the battle.
"This is a profoundly moving experience ... just struggling into the gear and hoisting yourself on board the plane provides you with a sense of what it must have been like," Gotard explained. "But, more importantly, we look to engage each 'civilian' so that they get a genuine feel for what it must have been like, including those bonds of brotherhood that existed among the troops."
Besides the flight experience, the museum offers an up-close view of WWII planes, including a B-17 Flying Fortress, a Grumman Avenger torpedo bomber and a P-40 Warhawk, as well as more traditional museum displays, including one dedicated to the female pilots who flew the P-47 Thunderbolt fighters built at the airport during the war. The female pilots flew the aircraft to a Navy or Air Force base, and from there they were flown into battle.
Gotard and the 50 or so other volunteers belong to the Allied Heritage Group, which is dedicated to preserving WWII history. The group participates in local parades as well as a re-enactment of the Battle of the Bulge every January in Pennsylvania, and speaks at local elementary and high schools. Prior to moving to Republic Airport three years ago, when the museum opened, the group worked out of the Intrepid Museum in Manhattan and Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn.
"We're trying to bridge the generation gap, because in a few years the guys who were in WWII won't be around anymore," Gotard said.
Those interesteded in participating in a flight experience at the museum can log on to www.airpowermuseum.com.
