Join in on a flight through history as retired astronaut Jan Davis relates her father’s heroic service in WWII and draws connections between his combat missions and her own spaceflights.
Author and retired astronaut Jan Davis will discuss her book, Air Born: Two Generations in Flight, which connects her time spent as an astronaut to her father's service during World War II. Davis' father, Ben Smotherman, was a B-17 pilot who was shot down and taken as a POW in 1943. Years later, Davis read through her father's wartime log, finding surprising connections between their lives. As a Space Shuttle astronaut, Davis went through extensive training, flew NASA jets and completed three spaceflights, spending over 673 hours in orbit. The inspiring story highlights the intersection of two completely different yet uniquely connected worlds brought together by a common link of flight and family.
The recently published companion novel, Air Born: Artistic Musings of a WWII Pilot and POW showcases the art of B-17 pilot Ben Smotherman, Davis' father, created during his time as a POW in World War II. His art includes watercolor paintings, pencil drawings and a comic strip entitled PENNY.
Buy the Books
Air Born: Two Generations in Flight
Air Born: Artistic Musings of a WWII Pilot and POW
Event Details
Date: Saturday December 7, 2024
Time: 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
Location: William M. Allen Theater
FREE with Membership and included with general admission.
