European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 30, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                An empty staircase seems to climb into the Clouds. Rust and corrosion have taken Over where once there was gleaming paint or shiny Metal. Control Tower right and operations buildings wait in vain for the return of the 487th. Lavenham Airfield is located one mile North of the town of Lavenham just off the a-1141 Bury St. Edmunds Road. Driving North out of Lavenham take the first left turn after the water Tower. The sign says Quot to Smithwood Green  follow the winding Road until you reach a Quot to Quot Junction. Turn left and you will be on the Orbital taxiway. The control Tower half Way around the taxiway and support buildings Are All painted  Are easy to locate. The Lavenham tourist information Center located in the old Guild Hall in downtown Lavenham Sells a map. Of the Airfield for 20 Pence about 35 cents that shows the layout of the buildings and runways. The Airfield is not a tourist attraction in the usual sense of the phrase. Located on John Pawsey s farm it is not advertised and there is no fee involved. Visitors Are free a to wander among the old buildings and drive around the taxiway. However since there is noway to control the flow of visitors to the Field people Are asked to Telephone Pawsey s answering machine in Advance of the visit at 0284-828226, and leave their name the make and color a of automobile License number and approximate time of visit. That Avyay Pawsey can account for the unidentified vehicles that traverse his farm. Pawsey a Grandfather David Alston was the owner of the farm when the 487th bomb group set up operations there in the Spring of 1 944, Quot my Grandfather continued his farming right in the Middle of the Airfield while the War was going on Quot Pawsey said Quot and my. Mother always talked about How Nice the yanks were when she was a Little girl when they gave her Candy and chewing  because his family was so personally involved with the Airfield Pawsey has tried to preserve it for sentimental if not for historical reasons. But the expense and Effort As Well As the loss of Good tillable land make it difficult. When visitors arrive at the Airfield Pawsey sometimes takes a break from farm duties to give them a Little personalized background about the Field. Quot a few of the remaining members of the old 487th still come Back for one More look at the place Quot said Pawsey. Quot one fellow even offered to buy the control Tower dismantle it ship it Back to the states and re assemble it there. But i really. Don t know what to do i d really like to keep it Here in its original . One former b-24 Pilot told me about the time his bomber ran off the end of the runway and my Grandfather pulled him out of the mud with his tractor Quot Pawsey said. Quot invited him up to the farmhouse to look through a Box of old photographs and the first picture we pulled out of the Box showed his bomber sitting in the mud at the end of the . A the number of 487th veterans visiting the Airfield. Dwindles each year Pawsey says but he Hopes to keep the interest in the Field alive by locating an organization that might be willing to Quot take it under it s Wing Quot and help restore it. Quot it would be a shame to just let it die Quot he says. A Dave Didio stripes Magazine May 30, 1991