For 35 years, Donna Bershinsky of Laramie puzzled over the origins of a wooden airplane propeller that had become a fixture in her living room, Cowboy State Daily reports.
A gift from a family friend, the propeller was intriguing but mysterious—until recent discoveries began to shed light on its history.
The propeller’s story began in the 1980s when Bershinsky and her late husband, George, were hunting with a group of Cheyenne dentists in Wyoming’s Sierra Madre Range. One of the dentists, James Jagusch, got his Jeep stuck in snow and over a log. George went out the following weekend and repaired the vehicle in the wilderness, allowing Jagusch to bring it home.
In gratitude, Jagusch gifted the couple the wooden propeller, which he said he had found in the woods during a previous hunting trip, either in the Black Hills or the Casper area. The nearly eight-foot-long propeller showed signs of wear, with gouges and dirt still clinging to its surface.
As a pilot herself, Bershinsky found the propeller intriguing. Its metal-edged tips and worn bolt holes suggested it had once seen action, but the details of its origin remained elusive. When Bershinsky read a story about a 1923 air mail pilot, Hal Collison, who lost a propeller near Elk Mountain, she wondered if her propeller could be connected.
After examining the propeller more closely, Bershinsky discovered it bore markings from the Sensenich Propeller Co. in Florida. A code, “43 K 13605,” led her to explore records, including an old Sensenich catalog. The investigation revealed that the propeller was likely manufactured in 1943 for a twin-engine airplane used during World War II.
Further research identified the propeller as belonging to a Cessna UC-78, also known as the “Bamboo Bomber.” This wooden, twin-engine plane was widely used for military training during World War II. Dean McClain, a Wyoming pilot and aviation historian, noted that the planes were stationed at bases like the Casper Army Air Base, where they served as training and liaison aircraft.
According to McClain, losing a propeller mid-flight wouldn’t necessarily result in a crash for a twin-engine plane, making it plausible that Jagusch stumbled upon the propeller years after it was lost in flight.
The propeller’s condition supports the theory of an in-flight detachment. Bershinsky noted gouges on one side, dents on the metal edges, and remnants of torn wood around the bolt holes—all consistent with an object falling from the sky and hitting the ground.
McClain confirmed that such damage aligns with a detached propeller but added that the lack of severe damage suggests it was not removed due to a crash.
For Bershinsky, the propeller now holds new significance. Beyond being a kind gesture of gratitude from a friend, it appears to be a relic of military aviation history.
“It was a very nice thank-you to him,” she said.
Bershinsky reflected on how her husband, a Vietnam-era US Marine pilot, had treasured the gift. The mystery of its origins may not be fully solved, but the propeller’s story is now richer and more meaningful than ever.
