After the death of Deak Sherwood, assistant manager Clifton P. (Ole) Oleson took over as FBO and airport manager at the old Ottumwa Municipal Airport. He managed the airport for about ten year. Later, after his service during World War II, he was airport manager in Dubuque, Iowa.
He learned to fly in his teens and was a barnstormer who performed aerial acrobatics. He numbered Charles Lindberg, Eddie Rickenbacker, and Amelia Earhart among his flying acquaintances, and the story was told that he once bailed out of a burning stunt plane with the seat of his trousers on fire.
He was said to be the youngest aviator in the army, and during World War I was a flying instructor in the Army Air Corps. He served as a flight instructor again during World War II, attaining the rank of major. During World War II he was placed in charge of all airplanes sent to the British in North Africa under the Lend-Lease program. He was also one of the first air mail pilots, serving for seven months in 1921 while the postal service tested the practicality of air mail delivery.
He died of lung cancer at age 69 in 1969.
For more information on the Michael Lemberger Collection visit https://aspace.lib.uiowa.edu/repositories/2/resources/3157
Comments:
After the death of Deak Sherwood, assistant manager Clifton P. (Ole) Oleson took over as FBO and airport manager at the old Ottumwa Municipal Airport. He managed the airport for about ten year. Later, after his service during World War II, he was airport manager in Dubuque, Iowa. He learned to fly in his teens and was a barnstormer who performed aerial acrobatics. He numbered Charles Lindberg, Eddie Rickenbacker, and Amelia Earhart among his flying acquaintances, and the story was told that he once bailed out of a burning stunt plane with the seat of his trousers on fire. He was said to be the youngest aviator in the army, and during World War I was a flying instructor in the Army Air Corps. He served as a flight instructor again during World War II, attaining the rank of major. During World War II he was placed in charge of all airplanes sent to the British in North Africa under the Lend-Lease program. He was also one of the first air mail pilots, serving for seven months in 1921 while the postal service tested the practicality of air mail delivery. He died of lung cancer at age 69 in 1969. For more information on the Michael Lemberger Collection visit https://aspace.lib.uiowa.edu/repositories/2/resources/3157