How the F-86L Sabre jet came to the Village of Monroe

| 21 Feb 2012 | 02:20

Editor’s note: The following is a letter from former Monroe Village Mayor Jay L. Stahl III, who now makes his home in Chatham, Mass, to Monroe Village Police Lt. Alex Melchiorre. He read about the village’s plans to restore the F-86L Sabre jet in Crane Park. Melchiorre, Village Trustees Steven Maneri and Charles Lesser and community volunteers have been researching details about this aircraft and soliciting funds for its restoration. According to the Airplane Park Renovation Committee’s Web page (www.restoreairplanepark.org), the first F-86 Sabre flew in October 1947 and in April 1948 it became the first American fighter to break the sound barrier. Stahl’s letter recounts the fighter jet’s journey from the Korea to Rome, N.Y., and then to Monroe. A very dear friend of mine in Monroe, Sam Barash, just sent me a copy of the May 5, 2007, Times Herald-Record article about the F-86L Sabre Jet that graces the Ford Dally Park. (The reporter) writes that “few can remember a time before (it) came to town.” Being very familiar with the event, I thought it would be fun to reconstruct a bit of history for your files while wishing you well with your project. Shortly after my election as Mayor of Monroe in March of 1963 (my term began April 1) I was approached at my new desk one evening by Master Sgt. Ford Dally, assigned to West Point, with an idea for a new park in Monroe. He also gave me the copy of an announcement he had seen at West Point about the availability of Korean Conflict surplus aircraft that could be given to municipalities on request. He had the idea of an airplane in a park setting. I was employed in Sterling Forest at the time, a 32-year old father of four children, poring over the historical minutes of Monroe to understand the role of mayor, but Ford’s enthusiasm was contagious. I agreed to try out the suggestion, wondering if my four Trustees, men in their fifties and sixties, would think I was out of my mind. (I’m sure they were still trying to adjust to my election). In any case, I wrote to a TSU Unit in Tucson, Arizona, making the request for an airplane and I guess we were all surprised when, some months later, I received in reply a letter stating that an F-86L Sabre Jet was ours and “all we had to do was pick it up” at Rome, N.Y., Air Force Base. Ford’s energy only needed the support of others and soon he had a truck cab and driver lined up from Marcus Trucking (Buddy Marcus was a milk transporter), a muddy trailer bed borrowed from a building contractor, plus a couple of helpers. All this at no cost to the Town. I confirmed a date with Rome AFB and on a Friday morning about 2:30 a.m. the truck left for Rome. I drove my Rambler station wagon and four of us departed Monroe at 3:30 a.m. The newspaper article said we were a “former mayor, Orange County meter reader and a mechanic” and, of course, Ford Dally. Bill Coddington might still be in town. He was the “meter guy” as I recall. The name of the fourth escapes me, I’m sorry to say. We passed our truck, as planned, en route so I could be at the gate in advance to present our authorization to the military policeman at the gate before the truck’s arrival. (I doubt that a milk truck and dirty flatbed would make it through a gate today no matter what my papers said). Sadly, times have changed. The team at Rome was very receptive and cooperative. By the time morning ended, the wings had been unbolted from the fuselage, they were secured on edge by chains and lashed to the side of the plane’s body, all of this then chained to the flatbed. The nose cone, still attached, faced the rear. I remember it well since I stared at it while following it nonstop from Rome to Monroe, about a five-hour drive. I still recall the surprised look on the face of the MP at the gate when this ragtag entourage departed Rome AFB. We arrived at Monroe in the dark and left the flatbed and plane at the site that was to become a park. Ford Dally had already arranged the next step. On Saturday morning a crew from Stewart AFB came to Monroe and as a “training assignment” we were told, put the wings back on the plane, put down the landing gear and by that evening a jet plane sat at the end of the ponds. (For many weeks thereafter, there were constant reports about the sighting of “a plane down in Monroe”). The fun began immediately. On Sunday morning I received phone calls: “Mayor, the children are on the airplane and tipping it up and down.” Ford and I quickly learned that if enough children congregated on the tail end of a Sabre Jet the nose wheel comes up off the ground. Or if they all stood on one wing, the plane tipped on its side. Liabilities galore but quickly fixed. The cement bases and steel posts you see under the trail and wings were installed or arranged by Ford Dally. We also found the ability of children to crawl through the entire plane a liability so the ends were sealed off. Over the years Ford did constant maintenance on the plane’s body and safety features. Henry and Harry Spitler of Monroe Tube, the VFW and other organizations pitched in with slides, swings, merry-go-rounds, other playground equipment and fencing, making the area a complete park. I came and went and moved to Monroe on three separate occasions, leaving it finally in 1981. During my time away some public-spirited people had the good idea to dedicate the park to Ford Dally, a much-deserved recognition. Fortunately, I believe he was there at the time but, unfortunately, he is no longer around to do his thing there. However, efforts made to preserving our original F-86L Sabre Jet in his memory would be a nice move. If you start a campaign for restoration, preservation or whatever, count me in for a $1,000 contribution. Best wishes for your success and regards, Jay L. Stahl