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Official Website of the 389th Bombardment Group (H) |
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A SALUTE TO Gene Hartley
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Gene Hartley, a 567th Squadron pilot in the war, was the first and only editor of the 389th newsletter from its first issue in 1988, until his sudden death Christmas Day 2005. That’s 17 years of service – an impressive commitment. Simply put, Gene and his quarterly newsletter were the glue that held together a group of more than 600 389th veterans and over 100 Next Generation members like me, the current newsletter editor.
When the 389th Bomb Group members of the Second Air Division decided it was time to more formally organize themselves, a quarterly newsletter seemed the best way to start. Gene agreed to take on the responsibilities of publishing.
A former high school teacher and administrator, Gene did what all good intellectuals do when faced with a new challenge – he hit the books. Gene realized that the right way to do a newsletter in the 1980s was with a computer, so he took courses in how to use a computer and classes in the necessary software. And he didn’t fool around with the kiddie stuff. Gene did his homework and learned that he should be using the desktop publishing programs that the professionals used, and he set about learning how to use software that was not meant for beginners. But he mastered it and the personal computer in no time. It wasn’t long before the newsletter subscribers were eagerly watching their mailboxes at the end of every quarter.
Gene and his wife Nancy did all the work themselves. Every quarter they copied, folded, addressed, stamped, and carried every single issue to the post office themselves.
From the beginning, the letters to the editor in every issue leave no doubt that the readers were very impressed with Gene’s professionalism and his commitment to preserving the 389th history and keeping the 389th veterans in touch. As the years went by, those letters took on a tone of gratitude to Gene for his service, and pride in the fact that not every Eighth Air Force unit had a newsletter, let alone one as top-notch as Gene’s.
Gene’s newsletter was purely an historical journal, concentrating on interesting war-time stories and “remember whens” that all readers could enjoy and/or relate to. Gene was a class act. He was very careful to exclude irrelevant and potentially divisive material such as politics, religion, and current events.
One of the most significant compliments that can be paid to Gene’s newsletter is this. From the beginning there were no membership dues or subscription fees for the newsletter. Every nickel collected to pay for the printing and postage was a voluntary donation. Gene always wrote in the newsletter that he would stop publishing whenever the day came that there was not enough money to pay for it. And in all the years that Gene published the newsletter, he never missed putting out an issue - it arrived at the end of every single quarter. That’s the kind of loyalty that Gene inspired. And that loyalty continues to this day. The number of 389th veterans has sadly dropped in the past few years, but they their donations still have never fallen short of the cost of the quarterly newsletter that Gene Hartley began.
My deepest gratitude goes to Gene. He was a hero and an inspiration. If it wasn’t for his newsletter and unflagging devotion to the men of the 389th, it is doubtful I would have ever become so passionate about preserving the 389th Bomb Group’s history, or so deeply involved personally with 389th veterans. It’s been the best thing that ever happened to me in my life. Thanks Gene. You are missed.
Kelsey McMillan
389th Bomb Group Official Historian and
Editor, 389th NEWS
Copyright © 2009 389th Bombardment Group. All rights reserved.