By ANN Feature Editor Maria Morrison
The Florida Hall of Fame welcomed four inductees Wednesday night at Sun ‘n Fun in the Class of 2020. The group consists of aviators from across generations and interests, all of whom did great things for Florida’s aviation history.
“These are great Americans who did wonderful things to move the needle forward in the world of aviation,” said Sun ‘n Fun President John ‘Lites’ Leenhouts. “It is so important that we recognize and honor aviators that paved the way and made their own special accomplishments for the rest of us to follow.”
Colonel Joseph Kinego
Joseph Kinego was a member of the Air Force ROTC at Allegheny College and served for 27 years following graduation. He was a command pilot with more than 4500 fours flying the T-38, B-57, RF-4C, SR-71, B-1B, KC-135, and EC-135. He flew 148 combat missions in Southeast Asia and an additional 110 operational Cold War missions.
In June 1967, Kinego was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the USAF. He was assigned to the 3640th Pilot Training Wing as an instructor and became the youngest member of the wing standardization and evaluation unit.
Kinego was then assigned to the 432nd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing flying the RF-4C, which brought him to Thailand. There, he flew special reconnaissance missions at night and at low altitudes to determine energy troop movements in southern Laos. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his actions on the highly-dangerous missions.
Following his tour in Southeast Asia, Kinego was selected to fly the Blackbird. On his 80,000-foot high missions, he provided intelligence and ultimately became an instructor. He then moved on to be the chief of the SR-71 Reconnaissance Branch and later the commander of the only SR-71 squadron. He is one of few pilots to reach more than 900 hours in the aircraft.
Kinego is now a docent volunteer at the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Fla. He was able to come to Lakeland to receive his award in person and said that he was honored to be selected.
“I do miss the actual flying, but most of all I miss the camaraderie and the people associated with flying,” he said.
Gladys “Penny” Thompson
Penny Thompson was raised by her widowed mother and inspired by Amelia Earhart. After earning her pilot’s certificate in 1936 at 19 years old, she moved to Florida where she published and edited an aviation newspaper, Southeastern Aviation News.
When WWII began, Thompson joined the Civil Air Patrol and flew over the Gulf of Mexico, scanning for German submarines. After the war, Thompson won the Bertram Trophy Race, sponsored by the Ninety-Nines, and was elected vice-chairman of the Florida chapter. She became chairman the year after.
Thompson was integral in creating the first all-woman airshow in 1947 following the announcement that women would not be allowed at the All-American Air Maneuvers aviation event in Miami. As the general chairman of the new airshow, Thompson oversaw a transcontinental air race from California to Florida.
Thompson’s son, Carl, came to speak at the ceremony.
“I loved her very much. She never talked about all her aviation achievements, but after she passed away we went through scrapbooks to learn about what an amazing person she was,” he said. “Now I know she won't be forgotten for all her contributions.”
Jessie E. Woods
Jessie Schulz was born in Kansas in 1909. In 1928 she eloped with her husband Jimmy Woods and began a series of aviation adventures. After moving to Florida, Woods soloed her husband's Swallow in 1929, before moving outside of the cockpit as a wing walker.
The two formed the Flying Aces Air Circus, in which Jessie acted as a wing walker, parachute jumper, stunt pilot, and mechanic. They went barnstorming around the country and were the longest-running air circus, performing weekly from Canada to Mexico in a Travel Air.
Following the shutting down of aerial circuses in 1938, Jessie and Jimmie received government contracts in 1941 to teach new military pilots to fly. She flew with the Civil Air Patrol through WWII and continued working afterward as a commercial flight instructor.
Jessie continued her life in St. Petersburg, Fla., as a Ninety-Nine and an advocate for the OX 5 Aviation Pioneers. The 1991 Sun ‘n Fun crowd saw her wing walk at 82 years old, and she continued such stunts until her death in 2001.
“I am proud to say I knew Jessie Woods,” said her dear friend Mary Fletcher, who came to speak at the dedication. “She was truly ahead of her time. A legend.”
Laurie Yonge
A two-hour flight lesson in 1920 became a lifelong passion and business for Laurie Yonge. He began by flying tours around Jacksonville, landing on the beach, and was the first pilot in Florida to earn a transport license. He was a local celebrity with his annual portrayal of Santa Claus, who arrived downtown via airplane.
Following Charles Lindbergh’s famous flight in 1927, Yonge tracked down the aviator and convinced Lindbergh to visit Jacksonville, which he did to help dedicate the new municipal airport where Yonge was serving as manager.
In 1929, Yonge set the world’s light plane endurance record in a 90-horsepower Curtiss Robin, flying continuously for more than 25 hours. His record stood unbroken for a decade.
In WWII, Yonge was given a government contract to train men and women to fly, successfully training 1,000 new pilots.
Laurie Yonge, Jr. came to speak about his father. Yonge Jr. grew up around the airport and fondly recalled his mother taking the kids out to see their dad on weekends. He recalled his father’s barnstorming and many fun flying stories
“We grew up in the 1930s when aviation was exciting. The enthusiasm, the excitement. I could never have asked for a better childhood,” he said.
FMI: www.floridaahs.org/hall-of-fame.html
