Recalling aviation history
January 31, 2012, 09:02 am
A Chicago resident grew up near Midway Airport and learned how to repair airplanes now wants to write about the region's aviation history, specifically O'Hare International Airport.
In an interview with the Chicago Tribune, Michael Branigan said his first job was working on different types of wingtips at Midway in the 1980s when he was still in grammar school. He would shine the shoes of passengers to make some extra money. Branigan then started to fuel planes for a living, and later was promoted to an aircraft mechanic for carriers flying out of Midway and O'Hare airports, according to the paper.
During his work at the airports, Branigan started learning the history of aviation in Chicago and the United States. He heard about the father of O'Hare airport, "Easy Eddie" O'Hare, as well as Edward "Butch" O'Hare, who was a Navy fighter pilot in WWII. By perusing old newspaper articles preserved at the Harold Washington Library Center, Branigan was able to dig up historical information for his book. It was important to Branigan that the book remain factual and not get caught up in rumors, the source reported.
"My main thing was to keep it historical and make it a good read, not so much on the controversy," Branigan told the Tribune. "I came from the tarmac up. I don't have any bachelor's degree. I come from the school of hard knocks."
The U.S. Navy is also remembering historical people in the aviation field. A ceremony was recently held in Bremerton, Washington, to honor the fleet's first female aircraft handling officer. More than 2,000 family members, friends and shipmates came together to pay their respect to Lt. Cmdr. Regina Mills who was killed by a vehicle.
"Regina was a great leader and officer," said Capt. Paul O. Monger, USS Nimitz commanding officer. "She was a leader and mentor, not only to the Sailors and officers in the Air department, but throughout the ship. It would be difficult to find anyone aboard Nimitz whose life or career here wasn't positively influenced by her."
According to Monger, Mills's job was to ensure optimum safety of all officers on board an aircraft carrier, which is a very dangerous environment. When she died, Mills was trying to help a person who was in danger. One way pilots can protect against dangerous events is by purchasing pilot insurance to avoid financial hardship.
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