The Mission

Leon J. DeLisle is on a mission with his film project:
“AN AIRMAN’S STORY”

The inspiration of Flight
“If the Birds can glide for long periods of time...then why can't I?”
- Orville Wright

DeLisle’s current work in progress is a detailed account of the legacies of the airmen from all eras of military aviation. All of his adult life he was blessed, to have the unique opportunity, to know and associate with countless veterans.

His home and office are the history of military aviation in America, framed signed photographs with Delisle, and the pioneers of aviation.

“An Airman’s Story” as of this date, is comprised of more than one thousand hours of taped interviews. It’s an extraordinary record in which they tell their own story, unrehearsed and unscripted, in their own homes. These are their individual stories. The brave men and women of America’s Air Forces. The early dreams of General William “Billy” Mitchell, the WWI visionary of American Air Power, were fulfilled and implemented by General H.H. “Hap” Arnold during WWII. To this day, every American aviator is part of this proud Legacy.

These stories have captured the Arc of the Human Spirit. From children, they were fascinated and inspired by flight. They built models from wood scraps, to later years becoming airmen. This is their journey, told as never before. Their sacrifices has enabled the world to live free of tyranny and oppression. Our current men and women who serve in America’s Air Forces are the new Greatest Generation. Noble and courageous in every way.

Delisle has known personally and developed the support of over 800,000 veterans and organizations from the U.S. and worldwide, with prior first hand experiences, sanctioned by the Department of Defense WWII Commemorative Committee. With DeLisle’s vast matrix of experience in this venue, he is able to bring to the viewers the adventures of flight; from Props to Jets, and into the Space Age.

The medium of film presents to the viewers, the opportunity to share in the dream of flight, as no other venue presents this platform, to share in these veterans experiences, their true sense of pride, honor, patriotism and their tears of tenuous times flow freely. These powerful memories have been locked away into the deep recesses of their minds until you see the years quickly roll away, gripping you with the steel glaze in their eyes called; “Thousand yard stare” as they share their chilling stories on film in...“An Airman’s Story.”

“For me...it‘s always been about the people, and giving back, recognition to such courageous souls, but so humble and understanding.” - Leon

These powerful and poignant stories will be provided to schools, colleges, and military academies to provide teachers, scholars, and historians an active forum for discussion and debate. My mission is to encourage an educational platform to create a better understanding of the valiant sacrifices of the courageous men and women who have served in America’s Air Forces. This will be accomplished by utilizing the latest technology from the multimedia industry.

At the age of five, Leon DeLisle was lifted into the cockpit of a jet fighter by his father, a distinguished World War II bomber crew member. He can still remember the smells, a mix of sweat and aging leather, the intrigue of the control panel, the silent hint of an existence so removed from that of his own, yet instantly fascinating to the young boy. That early experience would define who he would become. His life’s path had been determined.

“I clearly remember as a little boy....My mother was very active in the war effort in San Francisco working USO events. She used to show me pictures of their friends in uniform that she knew from San Francisco and Marin who were lost in action. She would sadly ponder over these pictures spread out over the bed and tell me stories of all of these people, how she knew them, where the picture was taken, their jobs and ranks, where they were stationed, how they were killed in action. Perhaps the images of those soldiers and her acknowledging their service and sacrifices really set the stage for me. …It lit a fire in me that still hasn’t gone out.” - Leon

This would lead him on a life long journey of discovery deep into the past, into the soul and spirit of the American Airman of the Second World War, Korea and South East Asia, into the Middle East of today. This epic journey is the complete anthology of air power in first person accounts. A world that his father had been a part of years earlier.

His relentless quest for knowledge, and his deep commitment to preserving these untold stories in the format he feels they deserve to be told, has earned him acceptance and sincere respect from the world fraternity of military aviation. Along the way, he has had the unique privilege of gaining the friendship of many prestigious heroes from WWII and beyond.

The journey of these veterans’ stories is one of dedicated service and sacrifice that will literally bring you to tears. These valiant veterans are your grandfathers; they are also the young boy or girl who used to live next door to you. They now are fighting terrorism all over the world for all Americans. This epoch collection of stories is not the glorification of war in any shape or form. It is the glorification of the human spirit, the will and character to press on in extraordinary circumstances with indomitable purpose.

History of the Stage Door Canteen in World War II

*S/Sgt. Leon A. DeLisle USAAF 8th AF.

My Journey with the Greatest Generation - Leaders of Character.
There is great nobility in the American Spirit.

My father’s B-17 Bomber. “In Triumph We Fly”
535BS / 381 BG. 42-31990 MS: R 138
113 Combat Missions
Scrapped Kingman, AZ. 26th Feb. 1946

“I used to tell the troops, ‘Look, you don’t have to have stars or bars on your shoulders to be a leader. You can start at any level. Being a leader is a state of mind. The essence of leadership is to understand your vision and role. The troops will forgive nearly anything in a leader, except the failure to lead.”

- Gen. Ronald R. Fogleman, CSUSAF [Ret.]