For Immediate Release October 15, 2007:

CONTACT:
Nicole Wahlberg, Director of Marketing & PR, Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum
(503) 434-4006 or nicole.wahlberg@sprucegoose.org

Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum Announces
Five New Oregon Aviation Hall of Honor Inductees

Oregon's finest in aviation are honored at the fifth-annual Oregon Aviation Hall of Honor event in McMinnville, Oregon.

McMINNVILLE, Ore. - Sun., Oct. 21, 2007 – The Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum is honoring Oregon’s finest in aviation - men and women who have made important contributions to aviation and airpower in all fields including, but not limited to, military, civilian, engineering, business, education and government. The official Oregon Aviation Hall of Honor was established at the museum to recognize outstanding men and women. The 2007 recipients are from Pendleton, Ore., Portland, Ore., and Salem, Ore.

The Hall of Honor celebration is on Sun., Oct. 21 at the museum. The public is invited to the 1 p.m. ceremony. RSVPs are required for the event. Tickets are $20/person and $15/museum members. Refreshments will be served. To purchase tickets, please call 503-434-4023.

Major (ret.) Mike Allegre, Oregon Air National Guard, is slated to address the Oregon Aviation Hall of Honor inductees, families and guests. Allegre will serve as the event’s keynote speaker. The Master of Ceremonies is Mike Burrill, Sr. Chair of the Oregon State Board of Aviation.

“It is our pleasure to publicly recognize the significant contributions to aviation these Oregonians have made,” said Mike Burrill, Sr., Oregon State Board of Aviation, Chair. “We are honored to live in a state that has been so innovative in the field of aviation. These awards are only a small token of our appreciation.”

Mike Burrill, Sr., Chairman of the State Aviation Board is Chairman of the Hall of Honor Committee. Other committee members include: Lt. Col. Russell Barney, Capt. Colin Armstrong and Jack Loacker.

The 2007 Oregon Aviation Hall of Honor event is sponsored by: Mike Burrill, Sr., Russ Campbell, Jack and Lynn Loacker, Evergreen International Aviation family of companies and the Port of Portland.

The 2007 Oregon Aviation Hall of Honor inductees:

Brigadier General Staryl C. Austin, Jr.
A native Oregonian, Austin attended public schools in Bend, Albany and Salem, graduating from Salem High School in 1938. In September 1942, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps Civilian Pilot (CPT) program. Since 1943, he served in many military leadership capacities in the Air Force and Air National Guard. As a first lieutenant, Austin flew in the European Theatre of Operations. He completed 58 combat missions while flying the rugged P-47 Thunderbolt. His unit’s mission was air to ground support while destroying key German ground targets to pave the way for the Allies’ advance across France, Belgium and Germany. In 1953 Austin joined the Oregon Air National Guard and eventually served as the 142nd Fighter Group’s Air Officer, Chief of the Administrative Division and as Assistant Adjutant General until his retirement in December 1981. During his military service he earned the Air Force’s Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Air Medal with seven oak leaf clusters and the European-African-Middle East Campaign Medal with four battle stars. A life member of Oregon’s National Guard Assoc, National Guard Assoc. of the US, Order of the Daedalians and P-47 Pilots Assoc., Austin has also been directly involved as a leader in the Cascade Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America. At age 87, he has completed half of a second 4-year term serving on the Governor’s Veterans’ Advisory Committee.

Colonel Lawrence E. Campbell. Jr.
Campbell became a resident of the State of Oregon when his parents and siblings moved to Portland from Oklahoma in 1942 to work in the Kaiser Shipyards during WWII. He graduated from Washington High School and also attended University of Portland. He is identified with Oregon and has made significant and historic contributions to the aviation industry as a whole by becoming the nation’s first African American to fly a jet plane and to command an Air National Guard Unit. Campbell first started flying with the Civil Aeronautics Patrol (CAP) in Portland, Oregon while still in high school. In 1944, he passed the Army Air Corps pilot exam and was inducted in the Pilot Cadet training program at Tuskegee Army Air Force Base training in the AT-6 aircraft. Following the end of WWII, he was amongst many cadets released from the service. He re-enlisted in 1946 and was sent to Randolph Field for advanced flight training in the P-47 Thunderbolt. Upon successful completion of this phase, Campbell was sent to Williams Field for his final training flying the P-51 Fighter aircraft. This award is posthumous.

Colonel James Church
In the golden days of aviation, a farmer's open field or a straight, untraveled road served early aviators as landing strips. Through the thoughtful planning of men like Colonel James Church, today’s airports consist of thousands of acres of land with billions of dollars of investment in special facilities operated around the clock by thousands of workers. In 1968, after a distinguished 26-year career in the U.S. Air Force as an Airfields Engineer, Church retired and joined the Port of Portland at a time of rapid commercial aviation expansion. Over the next 18 years, Church served as the Director of Engineering, Planning and Research, as well as the Director of Aviation, overseeing the operations of the Portland International, Hillsboro and Troutdale Airports. Church developed an innovative financing and operating agreement between the Port of Portland and the airlines, which provided funding for both the day-to-day operations and the capital needs of its airports. Church’s pioneering idea provided the airlines with input about airport operations and growth and supplied the Port of Portland with a steady source of funds to achieve its goals. Many airports across the country have emulated Church’s groundbreaking plan, which served as the vehicle for millions of dollars of capital and operating funds for Portland International Airport. When Church retired in 1984, an Oregon congressional delegation recognized him for distinguished service with the Port of Portland and the U.S. Air Force. Church truly helped to create the airports that serve Oregonians so well today.

Major General Chester E. McCarty
A native Oregonian, born in Pendleton in 1905, McCarty graduated from Northwestern College of Law in Portland in 1929. McCarty was active in the Oregon National Guard for many years and advanced from an infantry private to Battery Commander of Artillery, holding all enlisted ranks through Master Sergeant. Assistant Attorney General of Oregon from 1930 to 1936, McCarty was elected state senator in 1942, but declined to serve when he was called to active duty as an Army Air Corps Captain that same year. During WWII, he served as Squadron Commander, Operations Officer, Staff Officer with the North Africa Wing of the Air Transport Command and later, Commander of a chain of Air Bases in the Middle East. After WWII, he became active in the Air Force Reserve as Commander of the 305th Air Division and later of the 403rd Troop Carrier Wing. From 1949-1950 he served as the National President of Air Reserve Association and in 1951 was recalled to active duty and flew combat airlift missions in Korea. He assumed Command of many Air Divisions over the years including the 315th Air Command, the Tactical Air Command’s 18th Air Force and the 14th Flying Tiger Air Force at Robbins Air Force base. McCarty flew almost every type of Air Force aircraft, including the supersonic F-100 and F-104 jet fighters and piloted many types of airline’s jet aircraft. This award is posthumous.

Nevilles E. “Jim” Walker
Walker’s contributions to Oregon aviation fully illustrate the mission of the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum—namely and most uniquely “to inspire and educate.” His pioneering and innovative production of ready-to-fly (RTF) models set a precedent for those who followed, shaping the future of the hobby world. Walker’s company, American Junior Aircraft, turned out over 232 million models during its existence. By 1958, Walker possessed 31 patents for his inventions. By the time of his death that same year, his compassion for flying had inspired thousands into aviation. He constantly gave away models to children as a means of encouragement for having fun and learning about flight. His four principals for success convey this clearly: designing and engineering aerodynamic airplane models; creating models with precision ensuring their capability to fly successfully; creating models quick and easy to assemble; and pricing them so the average child could afford their purchase. Photographs and text on Walker can be found in the Museum’s American Junior exhibit, currently on display in the Flight Zone Children’s area. This award is posthumous.

The new inductees will be joining the 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006 inductees: Col. Rex T. Barber, Maj. Gen. Marion Carl, Maj. Gen. Gordon L. Doolittle, Kenneth A. Jernstedt, David R. Kingsley, Gen. Merrill A. “Tony” McPeak, Melvin Jack Murdock, John G. “Tex” Rankin, Jack G. Real, Major Robert “Bob” Deiz, Captain John F. Hampshire, Jr., Hazel Ying Lee, Norman “Swede” Ralston, Gen. Nathan Farragut Twining, Col. Terry Bernhardt, Lt. Col (Ret.) Raymond “Ray” E. Costello, Reverend Jacob “Jake” D. DeShazer, Major Dean Johnson, Lt. J. Thomas (Tom) Maloney, Myron H. “Buzz” Buswell, Vern C. Gorst, Elrey Borge Jeppesen, George Milligan and Delford M. Smith.

The Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum is best known as the home of the world’s largest wooden airplane, the “Spruce Goose”, SR-71 “Blackbird” and Grumman F6F-3 “Hellcat." In addition, there are more than 80 historic aircraft and exhibits on display, along with artwork, traveling displays, the Spruce Goose Café, the Rotors, Wings & Things store and the Evergreen IMAX 3D Theater. The Evergreen Aviation Museum’s hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., daily except when it is closed for Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day and Easter. The theater’s hours are 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. The facilities are located at 500 NE Captain Michael King Smith Way, across the highway from the McMinnville Airport and about three miles southeast of McMinnville, Ore., on Highway 18. Regular visitor admission is required. Call (503) 434-4180 for more information, and visit www.sprucegoose.org.

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