Book tracks journey of Air Force One

FATHER-SON TEAM-Joel and Michael Cohen's new book, "Air Force One-The Final Journey," traces the progress of the presidential plane as it made its way to its permanent home in the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. During its 28 years of service, Air Force One 27000 carried more presidents to more countries on more missions than any other aircraft in history.

The last Boeing 707 to see presidential service, the plane was the scene of the transfer of presidential power from Richard Nixon to Gerald Ford. In 1987, the craft took President Ronald Reagan to West Berlin, where he called for an end to the Cold War, famously demanding Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev to "tear down this wall."

But perhaps the journey from a San Bernardino hangar to atop a hill in Simi Valley was the most dramatic trip of its long life. As for Joel and Michael Cohen, a father and son from Westlake Village, documenting the historic move for their new book, "Air Force One-The Final Mission," was the highlight of their careers.

"It was the journey of my life, and I'm a 72-year-old man and I've been through a lot," Joel Cohen said.

LAST STOP-Air Force One, which transported seven UniteStates presidents during 28 years, looks poised for flight in itpermanent hangar in Simi Valley. Before leaving the White House, Reagan asked then Secretary of the Air Force James F. McGovern if, when the plane was retired, he could display it at his planned presidential library. Twelve years later, the Reagan Foundation got a call putting the plan in motion in 2001.

After hearing about the gift, the Cohens asked a close family friend, Reagan's former Chief of Staff Joanne Drake, if anyone would be documenting the jet's journey to the Reagan Library.

Drake told them no one was doing that. "And after a . . . 20minute meeting, we were in," Michael Cohen said.

The Cohens would need to fund the entire publishing project, but they would be granted 100 percent access.

Sept. 8, 2001 marked the plane's final flight from Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland to San Bernardino International Airport. During the next 18 months, the jet would be cleaned and eventually disassembled with every detail preserved. In each wing, more than 1,300 fasteners needed to be removed by hand.

"No one had ever taken apart an airliner bolt by bolt-no one," Michael Cohen said. "This national treasure was being taken apart and laid out on old, stinky mattresses the crew had found at some mattress store nearby. The crew would wander around Home Depot looking for things to buy to make something that they could take the screws off with."

After much hard work by a dedicated crew, June 20, 2003 arrived. Giant trailers dragged the main body and wings to the craft's new home. From a flat tire on the highway to the slow climb up Presidential Drive, the Cohens' book documents every incident, success and celebration during the journey along California highways and up the hill to the Reagan Library.

"Every light post, flag and some gate posts had to be laid down for it to make it up the drive. It's a 500-foot climb and it's not quite straight," Michael Cohen said. "They had one shot because they couldn't stop the truck. And there was no way to back it down."

But as anyone who's been to the Air Force One Pavilion knows, they made it. In retirement, Air Force One had completed its final mission.

"When it was over, things got pretty lonely," Joel Cohen said. "There had been so much activity around us every day. It was like . . . what are we going to do now?"

"When that day came," Michael Cohen said, "it was no longer our baby. At that point you realized how very personal it had become.

"The walls talk in there," he added. "There is a spirit in the plane, and when I visit it now, I don't feel it. We knew it was changing. That spirit went, 'okay, we've had our time. Now it's for everybody.'"

The Cohens put together their book, which is dedicated in large part to the crew who took care of the plane's care, disassembly and travel to its new home.

"When the book was finally released and we got our first box of books, I didn't know what to feelwhether to be nervous or excited," Michael Cohen said. "When we opened it, I got the overwhelming feeling of gratification that all the people that worked on it were finally getting credit."

The Cohens took more than 4,000 photographs during the fourandahalf year project. All the living presidents gave their retrospectives on Air Force Oneand the Cohens were given the right to use the presidential seal on the book's cover.

Former first lady Nancy Reagan wrote a special message for the book, something they said she had never before agreed to do.

"Ronnie always said that Air Force One represented the spirit and democracy of the United States of America in a very unique way," she wrote. "It is the only symbol of our great country that could be taken 'on the road,' so to speak. Whenever and wherever that airplane touched down, everyone who saw it knew it represented freedom, and it carried about the promise of a better future.

"Ronnie really wanted to share his experiences aboard this aircraft with everyone who never got the chance to step on board," Nancy Reagan wrote.

The Cohens will sign their book at Borders in Thousand Oaks on Fri., Oct. 20, from 1 to 4 p.m. and at Borders in Westlake Village on Monday, Oct. 23 from 7 to 9 p.m.

For more information or to purchase the book, visit www. airforceonethefinalmission.com.