1997

William Reed was born January 8, 1917 in Stone City, Iowa. The family moved to Cedar Rapids and then Marion during his childhood. After graduating in 1935, Bill enrolled at Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa. He graduated cum laude in…

In 1935, while employed by International Harvester Truck Division, Herbert Elliott became interested in flying, and with the money he saved playing bass fiddle at night, purchased a Curtiss, Jr. He became associated with Delbert Clayton, who at that time…

Donald A. Luscombe was born in Iowa City on May 25, 1895. Early in his life, he showed an interest in promoting, writing and advertising. In the spring of 1917, he volunteered during World War I to be an ambulance…

Born November 8, 1922 on a farm two miles south of Deloit, Iowa, in Crawford County, Charles Fink was introduced to flying as a teenager. He picked corn by hand to earn money for flying lessons, soloing on March 22,…