Spirit of '44 reflects back on a time that changed the world. My Grandfather, Glenn Harley, was in the 69th Infantry. He entered combat during the last few months of the war. I grew up hearing his stories and became fascinated with WWII history. He also happened to be an avid aviation enthusiast, along with just about my whole family.

 During late 2002 I started volunteering with the Collings Foundation. I quickly worked into a flying slot on "the bombers", as they are affectionately known. Over the course of several years I became rated in the B-25, B-17, B-24 and the Mustang. Flying those aircraft opened a door to a new perspective of what those guys saw, and to a certain extent, felt.

Over the years I've had the chance to meet and talk with hundreds of men and women the lived that era. It was an amazing time in American history. The generation that emerged from the 1940's are our most treasured and most humble of people. They came together with the Allies to literally save the world from tyranny.

The artwork presented here is a small piece of Americana that should never be forgotten. It was a time of camaraderie, the likes of which we will probable never see again. It is to you that I offer this recreation of history.

Jim Harley