Profiles

Paul Howard Poberezny was born on September14, 1921, in Leavenworth County, Kan. The family soon relocated to the south side ofMilwaukee in a house under an airmail route. Paul grew up watching a stream of biplanesflying low and slow in all kinds of weather. As he got older, he could tell from thesounds overhead that […]

Bob Pond was born in May of 1924 in Edina,Minn. As WWII wound down, he, like other naval aviatiors, had his eyes set on a careerwith the airlines. Instead, he went back to school and worked part-time in the familybusiness, Advance Machine Company. The landscape of Mom and Pop grocery stores were beingreplaced by supermarkets […]

Al Haynes was born in Dallas, Texas, in1932. After four years in the Navy he joined United Airlines, where he rose through theranks for the next 35 years. He never aspired to be a test pilot, but he became one onJuly 19, 1989, enroute from Denver to Chicago. That’s when a 12″ pie-shaped sectionof fanblade […]

Evelyn Bryan Johnson was born Evelyn Stoneon November 4, 1909 in Corbin, Kentucky. She graduated with honors from Tennessee WesleyanCollege and later attended the University of Tennessee where she met and married WyattJennings Bryan. In 1944, while living in Jefferson City, Tennessee, with W. J. serving inthe Air Corps, an ad in the paper for […]

Bill Dana was born November 3, 1930 inPasadena, Calif. He graduated the U. S. Military Academy at West Point and served fouryears in the U. S. Air Force. He joined NASA on October 1, 1958, the day it was founded,which makes him NASA’s first official employee. As a test pilot he flew the triple-sonicYF-12 (precursor […]

Cecil Ewell was born December 25, 1939, inLos Angeles, Calif. After graduating from high school in Nashville, Tenn., he earned afootball scholarship to the University of Florida. He finished the pre-med program with aBachelor’s Degree in Chemistry and was accepted to medical school. Those plans changed oneweekend when he and some friends went to Jacksonville […]

Wayne Handley was born March 26, 1939, in Carmel, Calif.After a career in Naval aviation, he built a successful crop dusting business in Salinas,Calif. In 1983, after years of performing for unappreciative grapes and lettuce, hedecided to enter the International Aerobatic Club competition. Finishing 20th out of 21was humbling enough to make him serious about […]

AVweb: How are you, Mrs. Garvey? GARVEY: I’m very good, very, very well, thank you. I’m looking forward toOshkosh. AVweb: We’re looking forward to seeing you. GARVEY: Thanks. The secretary is joining us this year, which is a nice treat,and I believe Congressman [Todd] Tiarht (R-KS) [the Congressman from Wichita -Ed.] is also coming. He […]

It is 1300 on Wednesday, July 29, and Wittman Fieldis officially closed to Oshkosh-bound pilots who had intendedon camping here. The inn is full, and the “No Vacancy”sign has been hung out-overnighting aircraft are being divertedto Appleton and Fon du Lac. EAA President Tom Poberezny neverlikes to turn weary travelers away, but is happy at […]

Jack Mark remembers the hot summer days when he was a kid in theworking class neighborhoods on the south side of Milwaukee. The depression of the 30’s was in full swing; hand-me-down shoes were a way of life, flying was something limited to the super-wealthy, and an afternoon at a city park was considered a […]