MAILBAG
Dear Airways ,
I read David Stringer ’ s Southwest Airways article ( Airways , August 2023 ) with great interest because it was the first airline to serve my home airport of San Jose , California ( SJC ). I was surprised to learn that Millard Sheets had designed Southwest ’ s distinctive Thunderbird logo . In 1977 , Sheets had painted a mural depicting the history of San Jose and the Santa Clara Valley on the lobby wall of SJC ’ s terminal . When that old terminal was to be demolished in 2010 , conservators thought the mural could not be saved as it might have been part of the sheetrock wall . Tony Sheets , Millard ’ s son , who had saved other murals done by his father , ended up simply peeling the mural off with a large roller and string . Having been cleaned and repaired , the mural is currently on display near SJC ’ s Gates 15 and 16 , which are used primarily for international flights , appropriately showcasing the city ’ s history for travelers crossing the globe . I have included a photo of the Sheets ’ mural in its original location in the lobby of SJC ’ s old Terminal C . Best regards ,
Ben Wang San Jose , California