Merwin Amerine’s Contribution to Ronald Reagan’s Legacy

There is a colorful sidebar to our Central Valley history that combines elements of aviation, turkeys, and Ronald Reagan.  

The story of Stanislaus County turkey farmer Mervin Amerine is one of bravery, business savvy, and preparation meeting opportunity.

He was a World War II bomber pilot who served proudly in the Pacific. He headed the crew that took photographs of Hiroshima before and after the atomic bombing.

He piloted the B-29 Superfortress bomber.

Following his military service Merwin, who preferred to be called Merv, was a successful turkey farmer and a staunch promoter of the birds he bred at Amerine Turkey Breeding Farms in Oakdale.

Merv also loved flying and is credited with using planes to deliver newly hatched turkeys to farmers around the country.

He used a converted World War II DC 3 airplane to deliver the young birds (also known as poults).

At one time, he was credited with flying forty-eight thousand live birds all over the country at one time.

Bill Mattos heads the California Poultry Industry Federation trade association and he spoke highly of the contributions Merv (who passed in 2008) made to the turkey industry in California.

He told an interviewer, “Merv had a flair for marketing, and he understood the industry.” 

Merv’s marketing savvy found another use for his piloting skills and his turkey transport aircraft.

In 1966 during Ronald Reagan’s first campaign for California Governor, the candidate hated to fly. Yet, Reagan knew that to take his campaign all over the massive state, he’d have to find a way.

The Oakdale turkey farmer was an early supporter of Reagan’s candidacy.

He is credited with helping to ease the candidate’s worries about flying.

Promising the campaign he would convert one of his planes from carrying turkeys to carrying the candidate and his team, Merv got the go-ahead.  

Soon, the turkey transport was named “Turkey Bird” and it took Reagan to every corner of the state.

That first flight carried the future Governor to Angels Camp in Calaveras County.

The rest, to borrow the cliché, is history.

Ronald Reagan served two terms as governor and two terms as President of the United States.  

The actor-turned-governor and eventually President would get over his fear of flying thanks to Merwin and those early flights aboard the Turkey Bird.

The former President did not forget Merv’s role in the 1966 campaign. He said of the Oakdale turkey farmer, “Merv had done more to ease my concerns about flying than anyone else.”   

In 1983, the President and Mrs. Reagan invited Merv and his wife Nancy to the White House for the annual White House Turkey Pardoning ceremony.

A Washington Post story references how the President spent time with the Amerines reminiscing about those California campaign flights aboard the Turkey Bird.

We know a little bit more about the Turkey Bird and Merv Amerine thanks to a display in the indoor exhibit space at the Castle Air Museum. 

It’s interesting to note that in addition to the Turkey Bird exhibit, the Museum is also home to the Douglas VC-93 Presidential Aircraft.

The plane was Air Force One during part of President Reagan’s time in office.

The next time you or someone you know take in the tour of Air Force One at the Castle Air Museum, consider spending a few extra minutes to see the display about the Turkey Bird and how it helped elect Ronald Reagan to the governor’s office in California.  

Steve Newvine lives in Merced.

He is grateful to Castle Air Museum, the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library, and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library for their archive of photos and narrative in preparing this column. Photographs of Merv and Nancy Amerine’s 1983 White House visit are hard to track and we hope our efforts have paid off.

His new book Beaten Paths & Back Roads is available at Lulu.com or at the Merced County Courthouse Museum Gift Shop or online at BEATEN PATHS AND BACK ROADS (lulu.com)