A full day of Aviation "sans" building!

First, our monthly meeting of the EAA Chapter 1114 with guest speaker from the USDA's Wildlife Services. Subject : Wildlife conflicts at Airport. We even got a brochure titled "Strike One - You're Out"! Not very encouraging but a good attention getter. Nice weather too so many airplanes at Cox field, scattering in all directions after the meeting to enjoy their first Spring fling.
I left Cox field by car :-( for Carthage's Gilliam Mc Connell air field where a ceremony was planned for the inauguratioin of a memorial for Jame Mc Connell a hero pilot from World War I who originated from Carthage. Here is what I wrote for the folks of the chapter who could not attend:

Finally the commemorative plaque sent by France in 1917 to honor the sacrifice made by James Mc Connell when he was shot down during 1rst World War found a home today. Roland Gilliam acting as MC did a great job keeping this dedication low key but dignified. A few local dignitaries made thoughtful remarks about Mc Connell's dedication and courage in his fight for freedom on a voluntary basis at a time the USA was not yet at war. An historian of 1rst World War gave us details about Mc Connell's last combat: previously wounded with a broken back, he left the hospital incompletely healed: His mechanics had to haul him into his plane. This probably hampered his capability to locate enemy planes coming from behind.
I was probably one of a few that could read the writing (in French) on the plaque and I felt good that such a hero was recognized so early by France (prior to his demise he had been already awarded the "Croix de Guerre" the highest award for courage in time of war).
As a coincidence, and well noted by one of the speakers, President Sarkozy showed leadership today on the Libyan theater. I hope this will help bury the bad feelings created when Chirac prevented the overfly of France some thirty years ago by USAF fighters on a mission to punish (already!) Qaddafi.

Kent Misegade, our peppy EAA chapter president took pictures of the event which was accompanied by an airshow including a missing man fly over formation. By the way I learned at this memorial the origin of "Gone West", a term used for announcing a deceased pilot: during the missing man formation, the plane which breaks formation symbolizing the missing man usually goes West.