Hay Bale Salute to A-10 Pilots

"I have a huge respect for these guys." - Henry Diehl

KSAL News
Wed 05:00 PM 10/22/2008
by Jeff Garretson



Add a new line on Henry Diehl's resume ...Hay Bale Artist!

KSAL's Storm Chaser - Henry Diehl, who is a member of Fire District No.3 also farms and ranches in the Northeast corner of Ellsworth County, recently made a big splash in his field by arranging round hay bales to salute the A-10 Thunderbolt pilots. "I've had three fly overs since I put the sign up, which is cool," he said. Diehl's sign caught the attention of some of the visiting A-10 crews that were in Salina last week for the Hawgsmoke 2008 competition.

Diehl is no stranger to having A-10's buzz by his farmstead. According to Henry, he made his first hay bale salute to the Thunderbolts back in 1985 when the pilots were training nearby for a "Gunsmoke" now (Hawgsmoke) competition. Diehl tells KSAL News, "They'd come down pretty low and make a buzz or rock their wings as they went by. It was great fun back then."

While Diehl was on standby with his fire truck at this years Hawgsmoke competition held at the Smoky Hills Bombing Range, he got a chance to meet one of the old pilots who flew over his farm. "Turns out the 'Top Gun' that year (1985) was Lt. Colonel Roger Disrude, who saw my sign and won," he said. Diehl and the retired Lt. Colonel had a chance to relive the story of those training days and competition while current day pilots listened in at Hawgsmoke 2008.

Original caption: Diehl's sign caught the attention of some of the visiting A-10 crews that were in Salina last week for the Hawgsmoke 2008 Competition (Photo courtesy of Henry Diehl)

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