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Thoughts on fly-in for my tail-gunner great uncle!

Cub Special Ed

Registered User
MT/SD
Hey folks. I was contacted about a get-together for my uncle's 95th birthday in Yates Center, KS. He was a tail-gunner in B-24s and B-17s. We are planning for the 2nd of March. I just thought there would be a few of you who would like a local flight or drive, some great food, and awsome stories. Some of you may have met him at Oskosh last year. I know March is a pretty iffy month for weather and flying, so I plan on driving down from South Dakota myself. I know he would love to meet you and your birds if early March weather dictates. So give a shout if you'd like to drive or fly in so we can adjust food rations somewhat accordingly. Everyone's welcome! Thanks much to the supercub.org community once again!
 
Yates Center has 1400 people (according to Google) and no airport. Where do you normally land? Allen County?

Brad
 
Hey! I used to LIVE in Yates Center! I believe it was 1970 - 1972. If your uncle went to the UMC there, he likely met my parents.

Be sure to let us know the dates!

sj

P.S. Allen County (Iola) is only a 20 min drive from YC.
 
Hey sj, ya he is a member. Im sure he probly new your folks. His folks homesteaded there and he worked for the post office. Just an update: they closed the airport at Yates and the guy that ownes it now is not allowing its use so i guess near by airports or driving in will have to do. Everyone one is welcome. March 2nd at 2 at the senior center. I will update any changes. Thanks again.
 
Hey sj, ya he is a member. Im sure he probly new your folks.

Yates Center was a hotspot when the EUB church joined the Methodist church to become what is today the UMC (the churches were literally across the street from each other, and they had to pick one...). There was a book written about it called "Fire on the Prairie" by Don Holter. My dad (Dick Johnson) was in the middle of that fire in Yates Center :smile:

I hope it works out that we can attend!

sj
 
Wow. Lots of history! I lied to you though. I looked it up on mapquest and his church is the old presbyterian one close to his house. Been attending there for well i guess just short of 95 years. Hope you get to make it. Should be a great time with lots of great avaition stories.
 
Special ED
I am in Emporia ks , so Allen County is maybe 50 mile from me . If weather is so I can fly I will plan on making it and will try and get some others to come also .
Keep us up dated .
Doug
 
Another option im looking at is that my uncle ownes 40 acres. Its prety muddy right now but i was thinking folks could land on the n-s highway or the e-w gravel road. Im just trying to figure out if we can get you in off the road. Im not from kansas so im not sure of your laws about right of ways and road landings. I know my grandpa landed a vultee "vibrator" (haha, probably not politcaly correct now-a-days) bt-13 on a road at the old farmstead. But i think the laws were a little more lax back then. Im not sure how to snap an aerial pic but his acreage is on the west side of hwy 75. The e-w cemetary road (cemetary is on east side of 75) is the north boundry of his property. That corner piece on the west side of 75 and south of the cemetary road is his.
 
Me and my ratty -12 are in. What a good excuse to see some new country and burn some low lead by celebrating a bday with WW vet!
Look forward to the details !


Sent from my iPhone using SuperCub.Org
 
First, Cub Special Ed, I have to let you know that I have to do all of the posting for my husband (those of you who know us personally already know this!), and I also need to let you know that you have stolen one of my husband's "handles." I was a Special Ed teacher at Manhattan High School; in 1996 we were asked to help sponsor a canoe trip to the boundary waters in MN; it was the time of CB radios so my husband, Ed Doyle, was given the name "Special Ed." That handle was used only for one week so I'm glad someone else has taken it on! Now for this fantastic idea of a fly-in for your uncle. I was president of the Flint Hills Flyers for several years...and we are friends of Brown Bear (Doug Wilson) from Emporia. My husband stayed up very late last night reading about your proposal. He/we fly a Super Cub and he has some ideas he wants to share about your fly-in. He will write them down and I will share then later today? We will rally all those who can land in pastures and on roads! ...and LOVE to land anywhere off-airport! More later...
Charlotte Doyle
 
Thanks. Sorry i took someones handle. Didnt know it had been used. As for the party, im trying to find suitable places to get planes in. Im doing this over the phone from MT with my cousin in Yates who knows nothing about flying. Right now she says pastures are kind of muddy. Im even thinking that landing on the road by the airport and pulling off in there would be viable. As far as i can find the city still ownes the old airport. If you folks wanna scout ahead or know of any place down there to get in Im all ears! I can pm you with my cousins phone number if someone gets in the area. Thanks again all!
 
Oh. And here is a pic of my great uncle Harry at Oshkosh this past year. He is the one in the wheel chair. He went to see some planes and when they found out what he did in the war, he was treated like royalty and even attended banquets. Have to salute the aviation community!

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Who knows what it will be like in 2 weeks , but right now only those of us with big tires would be able to even think about pulling of off the road .
dw
 
Im headed for Kansas! Not sure if wether is going to allow any flying tomorrow but everyones welcome who can attend. Tomorrow 3-2-19 at the senior center in Yates Center @ 2:00.
 
Im headed for Kansas! Not sure if wether is going to allow any flying tomorrow but everyones welcome who can attend. Tomorrow 3-2-19 at the senior center in Yates Center @ 2:00.
I ended up with a sinus infection, and am grounded for a few days. Hope it goes well sorry to miss it!

sj

Sent from my Pixel using SuperCub.Org mobile app
 
Thanks guys. We made it to Topeka. Gonna bunk here tonight and head down in the morn. Get well SJ and thanks brown bear.
 
Found a rare picture. Its my 95 year old uncle with his dad (my great grandpa) and a rare flying machine.
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Harry E. Theobald
Harry was born on March 1, 1924 and passed away on Sunday, May 5, 2019. Harry was a resident of Yates Center, Kansas at the time of passing. Funeral services will be held 2:00 P.M. Saturday, May 11, 2019, at the First Presbyterian Church in Yates Center. Burial with military honors will follow in Yates Center Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the First Presbyterian Church or the Yates Center Senior Center and may be sent in care of Campbell Funeral Home, PO Box 188, Yates Center, KS 66783.
 
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