Hometown Heroes

[Albatros_Ace]

This is for everyone who grew up in a town where a WWI pilot grew up in
tell us:
-how you found out about them
-what you thought a bout them
-if it got you interested in WWI aviation
ect.

oh and check out this sweet smiley

and one more

and a battle lol

[jc]

Wilkinson, Indiana (small town!!)
Col. H Weir Cook- WWI & II
Home; still stands in his hometown.

Found out: I found out while asking our small town board if I could beautify our town park in memory to a women who had died, and to give the park a name.

What I thought: They didn't tell me a lot, just enough to make me very curious. Back in 1999-2000 their was not much out their to learn of Col. Cook. I had to go to his son, friends & family to learn the "TRUE" spirit of Cookie, his friends called him. What I did learn just kept bringing up the question of: How does his hometown & his state forget about a hero like this? Then it went towards the Indianapolis Airport where I found a wrong & made a right with lots of help from this site & many others. My feelings of what I've learned of Col. Cook; well theirs not enough space to put it all. He was a great family man, business man, aviation pioneer, Soldier, leader, educator, pilot, and friend.

If it got me interested in WWI: YES! I have always been fascinated with flight but didn't know a lot about WWI. At that time when I found out about Col. Cook I was studding WWII on my own family history.

Originally Posted by Albatros_Ace

This is for everyone who grew up in a town where a WWI pilot grew up in
tell us:
-how you found out about them
-what you thought a bout them
-if it got you interested in WWI aviation
ect.

oh and check out this sweet smiley

and one more

and a battle lol

[Albatros_Ace]

he was 1 balloon kill from being a ballon ace cool


but i forgot to post mine my home town heroes is William "Billy" Barker
our town has so much to remember him and he is the reason I'm interested bcuz i had no idea about WWI aviation since I've learned he Disliked dauphin but that was below him so i have learn't about all kinds of aircraft and have ironically fell in love with Albatros's lol and Erwin Bohme has become my favorite ace but i will alway remember what got me interested

Now at age 17 i am probably going to become a pilot when i graduate

[Bulldog90]

My job moved me to Ashville, North Carolina a few years back for six months. Asheville is a lovely, sleepy town, nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Out for a walk one day I came upon a historical marker for Lafayette Escadrille Ace Kiffen Rockwell. He and his brother Paul went to France, joined the Foreign Legion and then went on into aviation as the squadron got started.

I can't remember if the house where they grew up was nearby, but I believe it was.

Bulldog 90



PS- I was aready way into this stuff, so when I came across the sign you could have knocked me over with a feather!

[Albatros_Ace]

lol ok so thats two anyone else?

[Kilian]

nice thread ill come back to it later.

[Albatros_Ace]

ok thought it would be a good idea

[Dario_Silva]

I was born in the same city where a pilot of the First World War was born, the only Venezuelan pilot who flew as pilot in the great war, the sole pilot, though not the only Venezuelan airman.
His name was Carlos Meyer Baldó (Ltn. Karl Meyer), and his hometown is Maracaibo, in western Venezuela.
I was privileged to have the birth certificate of this man, in the book of records of birth year 1895.
He was presented with the name of Karl Otto, and fought in the Jastas 4 and 11, with Udet and Richthofen and other no less important.
I learned from him in 1989, when it published a newspaper small notice which said that a pilot of the city had been part of the Red Baron squadron.
Since then my interest was to investigate everything about his life and took me in a moment to extend my search to all staff linked to Latin America who fought in the great war.
Recently, it was possible to unveil a bust in honor of this pilot, in the Air Force Base in this City, a goal achieved through the exhibition of his life, which would not have been possible without the help of all the lovers of the item here in the forum.
It is directly an achievement of all participants in the forum who selflessly develan these stories little known to ordinary people.
I hope not having left the topic of this thread.
Greetings!
Dario





http://img295.imageshack.us/img295/2727/meyer3ph7.jpg

http://img68.imageshack.us/img68/5742/meyer1cm5.jpg

http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/1622/meyer4ng7.jpg

http://img68.imageshack.us/img68/1118/meyer5ca3.jpg

http://img295.imageshack.us/img295/3374/meyer6sz5.jpg

[ONEALM]

Jay Pollins (aka Jacob Pollinksy) from North Brunswick, New Jersey.

Volunteered for the RFC Canada Programme in 1917 along with Elijah Plum (Newark, NJ - 13 Sq.) and Jim Reid (Newark, NJ - 65 Sq. Camels) enslited in the RFC in NYC, trained in Canada, Texas & England. Assigned to 21 Squadron, RAF at Floringhem, Belgium 21 September 1918. Killed in a take-off accident just one week later - 28 September. Buried in Pernes Cemetery.

Jay was the only WW I Aviator from North Brunswick. New Brunswick (right next door, was a different story with 11 aviators.

Jay was one of 750+ NJ natives to fly during the war. I think I "discovered" him when my friend Stewart Taylor pointed him out !

Now, any other New Jersey natives out there who want to know who their hometown heroes are ? Tell me your town, I'll tell you who the air crew from your town (is) are.

Mike