Louisiana Aviation: An Extraordinary History in Photographs

Acknowledgments

127 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The University of New Orleans Earl K. Long Library, Louisiana and Special Collections, is home to the Newman Collection, which documents early civilian aviation in the 1920s and 1930s, and the Shushan Collection, containing memorabilia from the Shushan family and documenting the airport’s incredible original splendor. The Historic New Orleans Collection (THNOC) has amassed a large collection of aviation-related photographs from every era discussed in this book. The collection extends beyond the scope of New Orleans and helps preserve all aspects of Louisiana aviation. The collection ’s founder, Kemper Williams, was the older brother of WedellWilliams Air Service founder, Harry P. Williams. Various collections of photographs, documents, and other memorabilia representing the growth of Delta Airlines have survived through the years. The Louisiana State University Hill Memorial Library is home to the C. E. Woolman Collection. It contains an interesting mix of handwritten notes from Woolman’s early journals as an agent of the USDA. The journals are accompanied by annual reports generated by Delta Airlines through 1966, the year of Woolman’s death. The library also features rare photos within the T. Harry Williams Oral History Collection of Harry P. Williams and Marguerite Clark. The Louisiana State Museum is dedicated to the preservation of the Wedell-Williams legacy. The museum’s Patterson branch is partnered with the Wedell-Williams Memorial Museum Foundation and has thousands of photographs and artifacts available for aviation research. Without the resources of this magnificent collection and its professional staff, this work would have been incomplete. Thanks and appreciation are extended to the museum staff at its home offices in New Orleans for arranging numerous visits and access to these collections. The New Orleans Public Library Main Branch is a primary source for the political history of New Orleans. These well-maintained and underappreciated archives contain, among other documents, volumes of photographs associated with New Orleans mayors DeLesseps Story “Chip” Morrison, Victor H Schiro, and Maurice “Moon” Landrieu that were used to illustrate the history of the New Orleans International Airport. In addition, the Latter Memorial Branch of the New Orleans Public Library, located within the original home of Harry P. Williams and Marguerite Clark on St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans, provided photographs of Miss Clark taken during her acting career. The Louisiana State Library generously allowed use of its Digital Photograph Collection containing numerous historical images of airports throughout the state from various eras within the story. The Minnesota State Historical Society offered photographs relative to their hometown aviation hero, Charles A Lindbergh. The Delta Air Transport Heritage Museum provided historic photographs ranging from the airline’s humble beginnings in Monroe, Louisiana, to the one-of-a kind Spirit of Delta Boeing 767 that once flew as a living memorial to the corporation’s original spirit. One of my goals in this book has been to acknowledge the history , work, and economic impact of all Louisiana airports and the staff members throughout the state who keep our economy flying. The following facilities provided “nonstop” support in telling this story in its whole and individual parts: Acadiana Regional Airport, New Iberia Alexandria International Airport, England Air Park, Alexandria Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport, Baton Rouge 128 acknowledgments Chennault International Airport, Lake Charles Houma-Terrebonne Municipal Airport, Houma Lafayette Regional Airport, Lafayette Lake Charles Regional Airport, Lake Charles Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, Kenner Louisiana Regional Airport, Gonzales Monroe Regional Airport, Monroe Natchitoches Regional Airport, Natchitoches Pineville Municipal Airport, Pineville Shreveport Downtown Airport, Shreveport Shreveport Regional Airport, Shreveport St. John the Baptist Parish Regional Airport, Reserve Harry P. Williams Memorial Airport, Calumet I would like to give special thanks to the following persons and organizations for providing invaluable support in the research, my photography for, and the production of this work: Aeroshell Aerobatic Team: Alan Henley—Team Lead; Mark Henley—Right Wing; Brian Regan—Team Lead; Gene McNeely —Slot; Steve Gustafson—Left Wing; Jimmy Fordham—Wing Heath Allen, Manager, Lake Charles Regional Airport Carolyn Bennett, Executive Director, Foundation for Historical Louisiana Nancy Murphy Bernard, a dear classmate and friend of many years ago who provided heartwarming company while I visited the Chennault International Airport. I am convinced that the spirit of her grandfather, Mr. Ray Braud, a key employee of the Wedell-Williams Air Service, acted as a guiding force in our paths crossing again after nearly thirty years. On one particular visit to southwestern Louisiana, although I was already familiar with Mr. Braud’s work, I was amazed...