My four-star sister-in-law knew I had an interest in visiting the famous Willow Run bomber plant west of Detroit.

Industrial ruins fascinate me. But this massive B-24 assembly complex almost certainly produced some of the planes my father flew in. It was not just another "arsenal of democracy" abandoned hulk to me.

So, last week while I was visiting family in Michigan, she drove me over to the site, near Ypsilanti.

But the plant is gone. Apparently it finally got demolished a year or so ago.

There's a museum near the site now. We enjoyed that. And I tried to keep not seeing the plant in perspective.

It served its purpose long ago. And if you search "Willow Run bomber plant" there are all sorts of images online.

Buildings don't last forever, but sometimes our collective memories do. At least that's what I'd like to believe.

 

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