Enjoyment of the whispering winds, the zephyrs,
the airstreams of the Sierra Nevada and Great Basin areas of the
United States in a recreational vehicle.
The Early Days of WBCCI – Wally Byam Foundation
Dale (Pee Wee) Schwamborn
The Wally Byam Foundation was a wonderful tool for international
goodwill. It was also a high visibility instrument promoting RV
travel and Airstream. This is one achievement area that Airstream and
the Club seems to have forgotten. It was a great program. Caravan
America and Open House USA are icons for Airstream, and the Club.
Caravanner's participated with the guests and may have gotten more
from the various trips than the guests. During the Foundation's
tenure from 1962 to 1976 the guiding group had the cohesiveness to
make it happen. Their dedication was part of it. But they all knew
Wally
The Wally Byam
Foundation and their undertakings, Caravan America, and Open House
USA, were highly structured. The arrival of the guests going on their
tours, WBCCI members, automobiles, linens, dishes, training of how-to
tow, use the trailers and so much more.
Programs and activities of the Wally Byam
Foundation
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Fellowship
in Caravan
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A brochure for the Wally Byam Foundation that
focuses on the purposes of the Foundation.
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What the
Wally Byam Foundation is all about
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Another brochure the describes the goals of the
Foundation and Caravan America
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See
America First Caravan
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A trip that included Lynda Bird Johnson. “Miss
Johnson and her traveling companions spent five full weeks
visiting and getting to know places of interest and beauty in
Arizona, Colorado, Wyoming, North Dakota, and Minnesota” - 1965
WBCCI Caravanner
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Caravan
America
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Caravans organized to show foreign citizens
America by traveling across the continent in Airstreams.
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German invitation
Click on image for larger view
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One the major projects in the 1960’s and 70’s
is Caravan America. Many groups toured the United States.
Airstreams, GMC tow vehicles, and assistance from the National
Geographic Society. This invitation is given to Helen Byam
Schwamborn by the German Embassy. A group of 20 German Parliament
families toured the United States.
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Click on image for larger view
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This picture Helen Byam Schwamborn (WBCCI &
Airstream) holding a child from the twenty German families
traveling from coast to coast with twenty Airstreams furnished by
Airstream and towed by Oldsmobile's furnished by GMC. The twenty
German Families were selected from the German Parliament or
Bundestag.
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Open House USA
Click on image for larger view
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This is the
portfolio jacket used and handed out to the various tour members
in the Open House, U.S.A program in 1976.
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National Geographic Booklets
Arizona
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Montana
Click on state to see Booklet cover
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One of the great marriages of the entire Open
House program was Carol Bennett Patterson's affiliation with
National Geographic. For the guests National Geo provided excerpts
from their publications for states, monuments or whatever to
inform everyone about their tour. I have included three front page
copies of these reprints. Arizona, Colorado, and Montana.
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silver honorary plate
Click on image for larger view
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The silver plate
is special. The British contingent in 1967 toured from Dulles
airport to Santa Rosa. They flew home from San Francisco. The
French group flew into San Francisco and then journey East.
The silver honorary plate has the various stops
engraved on it. It addresses my Mother and their gratefulness to
her help.
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Pee
Wee main page -|- family -|-
Early WBCCI -|- Airstreams
-|- Caravans
The documents provided and the
pictures in these photo galleries have been used with permission of
Dale Schwamborn. They are intended for personal viewing and enjoyment
only and are not to be used in part or in full on other websites, for
commercial purpose, or for any other use. For information on this
material you can contact Dale at peewee@sierranevadaairstreams.org
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note:
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Airstreams Enjoyment
of the whispering winds, the zephyrs, the airstreams of the Sierra
Nevada and Great Basin areas of the United States is a
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