MANAGEMENT IN AVIATION HISTORY BENCH MARKS
At the far left, Norwegian polar explor- er Bernt Balchen stands at the wall in July 1934. Among other famous fl ights, Balchen was the fi rst to fl y across the South Pole. At the near left, Mary Calcano nails her wings to the wall in 1941. Calcano learned to fl y at Roos- evelt Field, Long Island, NY, and was fi rst licensed female pilot in Venezuela. Below, Paul Mantz is seen with DeWitt Hutchings during the ceremony held in September 1948. Mantz was a famous air racer and movie stunt pilot. All photos: W.W. Parks
Actor Robert Cummings was an aviator who contributed to the war eff ort as a fl ight instructor. He was often misquoted as claiming Orville and Wilbur Wright were his uncles. (Orville might have been his godfather.) In 1984, Brig. Gen. Charles Yeager added his wings to the
wall. His long military career was already legendary, with future books and movies like “The Right Stuff ” based upon his life. Parks quoted from Yeager’s acceptance speech during the induction ceremonies. When asked to sum up the reason for his successes he replied, “maintenance.” “Yeager said that from boyhood he understood how machinery and equipment worked,” said Parks. “He was an aircraft maintenance man at nearby George Air Force Base and he kept up these skills after he became a pilot. He was well-coordinated with exceptional eyesight and a superb pilot. But it was his background in maintenance which gave him the edge over 25 highly-qualifi ed pilots when the fi nal selection was made for the fi rst man to fl y the rocket- powered Bell X-1 through the sound barrier.” Wings for groups include those for MIA-POWs and the
WASP, and the Distinguished Flying Cross Society. The Space Age inductees include former astronaut Michael Coats and Edwin E. “Buzz” Aldrin Jr.
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There are many things to learn about your aviation
ancestry at the Famous Fliers’ Wall. If you can’t make a trip to the Inn, visit
www.missioninn.com For more information about the Famous Fliers’ Wall, visit
www.fl
ierswall.com, or write to Walter Parks for a copy of his book. His e-mail address is
wparks909@charter.net.
Giacinta Bradley Koontz is an aviation historian, magazine columnist and author who has received the DAR History Medal and Honorable Mention from the New York Book Festival. She has appeared on the History Channel and in PBS documentaries. For more information, visit
www.GiaBKoontz.com.
DOMmagazine
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