A new exhibit has recently opened at the Northwest Montana History Museum in Kalispell that honors Lieutenant Norbert William Herriges. He was from Whitefish and a fighter pilot in World War II who gave his life to protect a village in France.
The title of the exhibit is “The Airman They Never Forgot” and commemorates his courage and his ties to the people of Pourrières, France. In August 1944 on his 35th mission, Herriges shot down two German bombers headed towards the village. In the battle, his own plane was hit and was killed in action. The people of Pourrières have honored and remembered him for saving the town from being destroyed.
On display are a letter of appreciation from the village, and photographs of Herriges, a handcrafted sculpture from the people of Pourrières, and a model of a P-47 Thunderbolt, which was the plane which Herriges flew.
The opening of such special exhibits can be promoted throughout a region with flyer printing.
The Northwest Montana History Museum is a brick and stone building that is one of the few examples remaining of classic Richardsonian Romanesque architecture. The city of Kalispell purchased the building in the early 1990s and renovated it a cost of $2.4 million. The Northwest Montana Historical Society has leased it since late 1999 and uses it for community meetings, performances, and exhibits.
The museum is open weekdays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
