By Lee Jay Carpenter
Texas Aviation Association
The Lone Star Flight Museum, located in Galveston, held the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame Signature Weekend with the 9th Annual Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Gala on November 10, 2007.
Texas Aviation Hall of Fame honors Texans who have made outstanding contributions to the development, growth or preservation of aviation. The Texas Aviation Hall of Fame commemorates achievement across all fields of aviation. Inductees include war heroes, astronauts, barnstormers and entrepreneurs. More than a picture and a biography, the exhibits in the Hall of Fame utilize personal artifacts, books, models, awards and other memorabilia to accurately portray each inductee’s experiences and passion for aviation.
The Lone Star Flight Museum is located adjacent to the Fixed Base of Operations building at Galveston-Scholes International at Galveston Airport (KGLS).
This traditional ceremony recognized three famous Texas aviators: Ms. Pauline Glasson; Maj. James R. Stegall, U.S. Army, Ret.; and Dr. William E. Bussey. Texas Aviation Hall of Fame President Larry Gregory was the master of ceremonies for the event.
Dr. Malcolm Gillis, professor of economics at Rice University, introduced the first inductee, Ms. Pauline Glasson. Ms. Glasson was born in 1909. She began flying at age 20 in a Taylor Cub and soloed in a seaplane in 1934. She went on to establish a 67-year flying career accumulation of over 60,000 hours of flight time. In 1940 Ms. Glasson received her instructor rating and began teaching the art of flying to hundreds of students based in Corpus Christi. She was a founding member of the Women’s Air Race Classic (formerly known as the Powder Puff Derby) and continues to serve that race in various capacities. Ms. Glasson was an early member of the 99’s, founded by Amelia Earhart. She has flown as a flight instructor, test pilot, pipe line inspector, crop duster, sky writer and air ambulance pilot. She ended her flying career at age 92.
At age 98, Ms. Glasson was unable to attend the Gala and her award was accepted by Lt. Col. T.J. Cook.
The second inductee was Maj. James R. Stegall of Austin. He was introduced by Austin attorney Conrad Werkenthin. Maj. Stegall served in the U.S. Army as an observer pilot in both World War II and the Korean Conflict. Stegall flew the “slowest aircraft in the Army,” the Piper Cub L4. Coined a “Grasshopper Pilot,” his duties included flying low and slow over enemy positions reporting pinpoint information back to allied artillery personnel on the ground. His military career began in Salerno, Italy, and ended in Korea.
While on a mission in Italy he was shot at by a German ME- 109 fighter plane. A 20 mm shell exploded on his left wing strut and Maj. Stegall was able to land safely after exchanging glances with his adversary. He then flew off in another L4 and continued his missions that same day. In the Korean Conflict, Maj. Stegall helped evacuate wounded soldiers from the advancing Chinese Army. During his military service he earned the Silver Star with cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross with cluster, the Air Medal with twenty-five clusters and the Army Commendation Ribbon among other honors. Major Stegall wrote a book about his military flying career entitled Grasshopper Pilot – Salerno To The Yalu.
Maj. Stegall accepted this award humbly and thanked all of the men and women who served in the military, especially those who gave their lives so that we can live in freedom. “I thank the Lord and my Guardian Angels for helping me to survive those dangerous encounters,” said Stegall. “My wife says that I have worn out a host of Guardian Angels, and that is true. Many have called me a hero, but I was just doing my job.” Maj. Stegall said he dedicated his honor from the Hall of Fame to all of the wartime pilots who served our country.
The third inductee was Dr. William E. Bussey who was introduced by Texas Aviation Hall of Fame President, Larry Gregory. Dr. Bussey established a reputation as a world class balloonist. He founded the Great Texas Balloon Race in 1978, sanctioned by the Balloon Federation of America and the North American Ballooning Association. In 1986, he exceeded the hot air balloon world distance record by 20 miles and only stopped because he had reached the Gulf of Mexico, and didn’t want to go swimming. He then went on to establish 29 U.S. and 14 World Records. He was awarded the Mont-Golfier Award in 1995, the highest honor for a balloonist.
Dr. Bussey thanked the Hall of Fame for their recognition of lighter than air flying craft. He recounted the first hot air balloon flight by the Mont-Golfier brothers 120 years before the Wright Brothers flight. He said, ”These brothers burned hay in their gondola to create heat necessary to keep them in the air.” Dr. Bussey also recognized his crew and family members who support his passion for ballooning; and acknowledged his personal heroes including the present inductees, Ms. Glasson and Maj. Stegall. Larry Gregory concluded by stating that on one flight, Dr. Bussey soared up to 18,000 feet in a gondola that was so small his feet dangled off one end and his head and arms hung off the other side. Gregory added, ”We are very proud to induct Dr. Bussey into the Hall of Fame, but this guy is crazy!”
The Gala concluded with photographs of the inductees standing in front of a fully restored Piper L4 marked with authentic military logos and Maj. Stegall’s name on the side door. The L4 was restored by the late Hugh O’Donnell along with partners Chris Hartman and Don Johnson. These gentlemen own El Hopper Aero Club at Houston Southwest Airport. The audience also viewed the new display booths for the inductees.
The following day, under perfect blue skies, the honors continued with an end of the season air show featuring the Lone Star Flight Museum’s B-17, and B-25 bombers plus their most recent restoration project, a Hawker Hurricane.
