This is a listing of my flying experiences.

1927 The hook! Lindbergh crossed the Atlantic! The excitement spread across the country and set thousands on their path to becoming a pilot too.
1929 My uncle JC took me up in a barnstorming Ford Trimotor off a hayfield in LaMoure North Dakota. It cost 2 cents a pound, a dollar minimum, I weighed 47 pounds.
1937 I attended the first National Boy Scout Jamboree in Washington DC. They were very nice to the Boy Scouts. I took a ride in the Goodyear blimp 'Enterprise' for a buck! What an experience!
1941 I entered the CPT (Civilian Pilot Training) program at North Dakota Agricultural College at Fargo ND.
18 November 1941 Soloed in a Piper J-4 Cub Coupe!
January 1942 Received Private Pilot License # 160066.
February 1942 Entered Secondary PilotTraining in Waco UPF-7. Soloed. Got about 30 hours when instructor, Johnny Nelson, was taken into the Navy as an instructor.
May 1942 Took USAAF test and enlisted.
2 September 1942 Arrived at USAAF Classification Center in Nashville Tennessee.
~9 September1942 Preflight Training, Maxwell Field, Montgomery, AL
11 November 1942 Primary Flying School, Augustine Field, Jackson MS, PT-17, 60 hours
~30 January 1943 Basic Flying School, Courtland AL, Vultee BT-13, 60 hours
~1 April 1943 - 28 May 1943 Advanced Flying School, Craig Field, Selma AL, AT-6, 64 hours, P-40, 10 hours 18 June - 21 July RTU (Replacement Training Unit) Sarasota FL, P-40K & M, 64 hours
12 September - 23 October 1st Fighter Training Center, Berteaux Algeria, P-40F & L, 29 hours
1 November 1943 - 21 February 1944 27th Fighter Bomber Group, Italy, A-36A, 39 missions, 76.3 hours
22 February - 27 May 1944 27th FBG, Italy, P-40F, 40 missions, 101.15 hours
5 May- 12 May 1944 TDY (temporary duty) Naples/Anzio Courier Service, Cessna UC-78, 8 round trips to Anzio, 21 hours
5 July- 18 August 1944 15 missions in P-47D, 50.25 hours
26 May- 5 July 1945 Instructed in P-40's at Page Field, Fort Myers FL.
5 May through August 1945 Flew as target aircraft for B-17 crew photogunnery training. Great duty. Nothing but fun. A great way to end a career!
ca 1985 Flew a PT-17 for 2.4 hours. December 1990 Flew Crazy Horse for an hour.
March 2005 Flew an AT-6 at Warbird Adventure for an hour.
To be continued!
Flying Memories Page

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember them. - Laurence Binyon
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