307th Bomb Wing heritage reunion
R.T. Boykin (at microphone), the 307th Bomb Wing B-47/KC-97 Association secretary, presents the N.V. Meeks, Jr. Memorial Trophy to U.S. Air Force Col. Jonathan Ellis, 307th Bomb Wing commander, during a reunion dinner, April 26, 2014, Bossier City, La. The trophy was created in 1963 in honor of Maj. Meeks, who was a B-47 bomber pilot killed when the jet he was flying caught fire and he was unable to eject, but kept it under control long enough for the remaining crew to safely get out of the doomed aircraft and steer the jet to an unpopulated area before impacting the ground. Also pictured left to right are Col. Trey Morriss, 93rd Bomb Squadron commander, Roger Beamer and Tony Minnick. Boykin and and Beamer were part of the only B-47 crew to ever win the trophy. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Greg Steele/Released)