| M any fly the flag to show their patriotism on July Fourth.
Frank Lett shows his colors 365 days a year - sometimes to the amazement of those who
drive the streets near Lett's home. Lett, 77, has transformed his 1993 Ford Escort LX into a rolling monument to Old Glorty and his former Army unit, the Screaming Eagles of the 101st Airborne. "I get so many oohs and ahs in that car," he said of other motorists. Traveling across country, he's had drivers catch up to him to snap photographs. The car seems to strike a special chord with other veterans and those on active duty. "A one-star general in the Air Force, he just made one star, he came and had his picture made with the car," Lett said the incident that happened about two months ago. Lett and his car have been in a couple of Veterans Day parades. Today, he plans to simply drive around town. Lett paid $14,300 for the car in 1993. Since then, he's spend more than $5,000 customizing it. The result: a red, white, and blue paint job, a 24-carat gold plated eagle hood ornament, wheel rims, eight tail pipes and brake light ornaments. The interior is tiger-striped in red, white, and black, and the car's horn is from a Ford Model T. To finish the car, Lett installed 300 pink neon lights on the undercarriage. "I float along on a pink cloud," Lett said. Lett customized the car for a number of reason: He's proud of his service in the airborne, he's patriotic, and it makes him unusual. "Most guys 77 do not drive a car of this caliber," he said. It also gives him something to do. "It's a hobby. Instead of stealing hubcaps, I do this." Lett has more reason than most to be patriotic. He's a 25-year Army veteran who jumped with the 101st Airborne during the D-Day invasion of Normandy, France, in World War II. But something went wrong, and Lett landed well off-course and almost in the English Channel. "I was 200 yards from the beach," he said. It took him 14 days and a gunshot wound to the leg, to get back to Allied lines. He was awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star. Lett retired from the Army as a sergeant first class in 1966 and has been customizing cars ever since. His first red, white, and blue tribute to the 101st was a 1966 Volkswagen Beetle he drove to unit reunions throughout the country. In 1993, he bought and transformed the Escort. With its gold plate and other features, the car could be a tempting target for thieves. Lett isn't worried. "I got a gun in there (his house) and I got mace," he said before describing in his own colorful and unprintable way exactly what he'd do to anyone who tampered with his work of art. As for what to do with the car when he's gone to the great drop zone in the sky, Lett has a plan. "Everybody wants it when I'm gone," he said. "I'll will a hubcap to one, a steering wheel to another." Picture #1 Left rear view of Frank's car Webmaster's Note: Frank is one of the original members of our Rocky Mountain Eagles Chapter, and a dear friend to all of us. He's always got a story to tell, and keeps us laughing. Frank has had his car to a lot of our functions, and we've marched with it in the Denver Veteran's Day parade. We call Frank "Our Chapter's Killer and Lover." |
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