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LOS ANGELES MEETING
by Warren S. Eaton
South Pacific Division Chairman
On the 18th of May, 1956, the Early Birds of the South Pacific Division of California held their first semi-annual meeting of the year to
honor the presence of our President, Capt. Ralph S. Barnaby, and our Treasurer, Editor of the Chirp and Past President, George
H. Scragg. All in attendance sincerely appreciated the effort they extended to attend on this particular date.
President Barnaby flew out especially to attend the meeting and reminisce with our members in this
area, while Treasurer Scragg flew out ahead of an appointment in San Francisco. The pressure of business forced Ralph to return to
Philadelphia, via San Diego, immediately after the meeting, while George visited for a day or so before continuing on to San Francisco
on business and to attend an Early Bird meeting there in his honor on the 31st of May at the Marine Club.
The meeting here was planned to broaden the association of Early Birds with other organizations of
parallel and common interests. Accordingly, the Historical Associates, a section of the
Institute of Aeronautical Sciences, were invited to
attend. Following the success of this joint meeting, this policy will be followed whenever possible in future meetings.
Gen. Frank P. Lahm, chairman of this division, officiated at the dinner, welcoming the Associates and
introducing the speakers. He read messages of regrets from those who could not attend, among whom were
Col. J. E. Carberry, Matilde Moisant,
R. G. "Bob" Fowler, Ed Bates,
G. E. Barnhart and Raymond Acre.
We all then gave a silent toast to our former members who have flown away and folded their earthly
wings, namely James Dunsworth, Leo Heffernan,
Harry Crewdson, Floyd Smith,
Harry Park, Paul Ferron, Dean Lamb
and George Gray.
Then Ralph Oakley, President of the Historical Associates, was introduced and addressed the gathering
on our common interests in perpetuating the activities of our two groups in the general interest of aviation.
Our President, Ralph Barnaby, spoke on furthering the purposes of our organization, as outlined in
part in the Chirp and set forth in our constitution.
Mr. Mathews, curator of the aviation section of the Los Angeles Museum, addressed us on their
facilities for preserving and displaying the Early Bird relics peculiar to this area.
Then our Treasurer, George H. Scragg, closed the meeting with his well rounded knowledge and
information on EB activities in general, spicing the occasion with some of his appropriate and entertaining stories which left the gathering
in a jovial mood for adjournment. He also announced the place and dates of the next EB reunion as Oklahoma City and the Labor Day
weekend, when and where the Air Races will be held this year.
Fifty-three dinners were served at this meeting, thirty-eight to EB's and their guests, and fifteen to the
Historical Associates and their guests. The following EB's with their guests attended:
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Mortimer F. Bates
Filip J. Bjorklund
A. C. Burns
Warren S. Eaton
Howard J. Hindell
W. A. Lamkey
Tom Steptoe
P. R. Stockton
Elling O. Weeks |
Carl T. Batts
Tiny Broadwick
B. H. Canady
Tom Hamilton
Frank P. Lahm
P. H. Spencer
Hilder F. Smith
Waldo Waterman
Ivan P. Wheaton |
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Our Queen, Miss O. L. Hildebrandt, efficiently assisted in her usual pleasing way with all arrangements
for the event.
The cocktail hour started at 6 P.M. and it was 7:30 P.M. before the reminiscing could be stopped by
the call, "Come and get it!"
Our next meeting will be held in the fall. Date, program and speaker will be announced later.
George Scragg went out of his way to make our May meeting and Los Angeles EB's certainly
appreciate this as well as his constant and continuing effort in behalf of the organization and aviation in general.
From The Early Birds of Aviation CHIRP, July, 1956
HISTORY OF INSTITUTE OF AERONAUTICAL SCIENCES
On April 4, 1930, eleven men and one woman founded the
American Interplanetrary Society (AIS) in New York City. A
single pioneering dream motivated them: the idea that space
flight and interplanetray travel were not only desirable, but
possible. Four years later, in recognition of the role that
rocket propulsion would play in space flight, the AIS changed its
name to the American Rocket Society (ARS).
At the same time that ARS was pursuing these revolutionary
goals of aeronautical engineers and scientists saw another need.
Coming from the struggling aircraft industry, which was still in
its infancy, they recognized the value of aeronautical sciences
and technologies. On October 15, 1932, vision became reality as
the Institute of Aeronautical Sciences (IAS) was founded. At its
Founders Day, the meeting roster listed 408 members. Orville
Wright was its first Honorary Fellow.
Over the next three decades, aeronautics and astronautics
made remarkable advances. Both societies kept current by
changing with the technology and the times. In 1960, to reflect
the expanding scope of its mission, IAS changed its name to the
Institute of Aerospace Sciences.
But as time passed, the two societies crossed paths more and
more. By the early Sixties they shared broad areas of common
technical ground. On February 1, 1963, the American Rocket
Society and the Institute of Aerospace Sciences merged to become
the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
(AIAA).
AIAA and its founding societies have been on the forefront
of the aerospace profession since its beginnings. The Institute
has sought to foster a sense of pride and professionalism among
those who have effected profound and long range changes in people
throughout the world. This is why we take great pride in the
fact that every major achievement in flight since 1963 was by at
least one of AIAA's individual or corporate members.
However, as we look back at the Institute and the
extraordinary contributions of its members, we also look forward
to the possibilities and potential that out future members offer
in this ever-changing and exciting field.
History Taken Verbatim From the Website
HISTORY OF THE AIAA
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