Reception: 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. | Presentation: 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
This event is free and open to the public. Register today to join us in person or to view the event online.

Join us in conversation with Jan Davis, author of Air Born: Two Generations in Flight and its companion, Air Born: Artistic Musings of a WWII Pilot and POW, which explore the parallel stories of Davis, a NASA astronaut, and her father, a WWII B-17 pilot. These books offer a unique perspective on bravery, innovation, and the unbreakable bond between a father and daughter—united by family, flight, and a passion for storytelling.

A reception from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. will precede the event, and Davis will sign copies of her book following the presentation. Preorder your copies of Air Born: Two Generations in Flight and Air Born: Artistic Musings of a WWII Pilot and POW from the Museum Store.

For additional information, please email Connie Gentry, Conference and Programs Manager, at connie.gentry@nationalww2museum.org.

About Air Born

Shot down over Holland in July 1943, B-17 pilot Ben Smotherman was imprisoned at Stalag Luft III, chronicling his experiences in a wartime log filled with stunning artistic and written reflections. When his daughter, Jan Davis, discovered the log decades later, it revealed powerful connections between his perilous combat missions and her own experiences as a Space Shuttle astronaut. In Air Born: Two Generations in Flight and its companion, Air Born: Artistic Musings of a WWII Pilot and POW, Davis brings readers on a journey through the intense training of both aviators, the perils of war and space, and the resilience required to push past fear and adversity with never-before-seen artwork, personal reflections, and historical insights.

About the Author

Jan Davis was born at Patrick Air Force Base and raised in Huntsville, Alabama. She has been surrounded by aviation and space her entire life. Davis followed up her biomedical engineering degree from Georgia Institute of Technology with a mechanical engineering degree from Auburn University and a PhD from the University of Alabama in Huntsville. During her career, she worked for Texaco and NASA before being selected as an astronaut in 1987. Davis flew on three Space Shuttle missions and continued her NASA career in the Senior Executive Service. After her retirement, she went on to become an industry executive. Now a consultant and speaker, Davis also enjoys traveling, quilting, exploring the outdoors, and working with her nonprofit organization, AstraFemina, to encourage girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and math.