Air Force Museum Foundation Receives Gift From Pittman Estate
Dayton, Ohio – Nov 17, 2023 — The Air Force Museum Foundation, Inc., recently received a gift from the estate of Col. Wayne Pittman, USAF (Ret), and his wife Karen Pittman. The $415,000 bequest will support educational programs, exhibits, acquisitions, and improvements at the National Museum of the U.S. Air ForceTM. The Foundation is the non-profit organization that raises funds and awareness in support of the Museum.
"We are deeply grateful to Wayne and Karen Pittman for their remarkable generosity and foresight," said Rorie Cartier, CEO of the Air Force Museum Foundation. "Their bequest will have a significant impact on our ongoing efforts to educate and inspire visitors from around the world about the extraordinary history of the U.S. Air Force."
Colonel Pittman and Karen were active nationally and locally in preserving aviation history. They were both volunteers at the Museum for many years, and Colonel Pittman also worked for the Foundation as the Membership Manager in the 1990s.
Chris Adkins-Lamb, CDO of the Foundation said “Throughout their lives, the Pittmans dedicated themselves to supporting the Museum and actively preserving aviation history in many ways. Wayne was a founding member of the B-52 Stratofortress Association, and Karen contributed her expertise as an archivist at esteemed institutions such as the Special Collections and Archives at Wright State University and the Archives at Carillon Park in Dayton, Ohio. Their combined efforts have left an indelible mark on the aviation community through their decades of passion and service. Their gift continues their inspiring legacy of support.”
About the Air Force Museum Foundation
The Air Force Museum Foundation, Inc., is a Section 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization incorporated in 1960 with the mission of supporting the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force™. Over the years the Foundation has provided over $100 million in total financial support, including funding 94% of the one-million-square-foot Museum campus. The Foundation is not part of the Department of Defense or any of its components, and it has no government status. The use of the Roundel image in the Foundation's logo is with the permission of the U.S. Air Force; endorsement by the Department of Defense or the U.S. Air Force in fundraising activities of the Foundation is not intended nor implied pursuant to DoDI 5535.12. For more information on the Foundation, visit afmuseum.com.
About the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force
The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio, is the world’s largest military aviation museum. With free admission and parking, the museum features more than 350 aerospace vehicles and thousands of artifacts amid more than 19 acres of indoor exhibit space. Each year about one million visitors from around the world come to the museum. For more information, visit www.nationalmuseum.af.mil.
