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Wall of Honor Level: Air and Space Friend
Honored by:
Aurelia S. Luton
Capt. Joe M. Luton, Jr. learned to fly at the University of Oklahoma in Norman, OK. He continued his education by crop dusting in his home state of Tennessee.
He began his professional career with the University of Illinois as a flight instructor. Then he began his 35-year career with United Air Lines.
He flew as co-pilot on the DC-6, Viscounts, DC-8, and Caravelle. He was a Captain on Boeing 727, and his final six years with the Boeing 747-400 out of New York to Japan.
He and his family were proud of his flying career. He did not hurt a passenger nor did he dent an airplane in that time. Unfortunately, he did not get to enjoy his retirement years as hoped. On May 13, 2003, he had a successful heart procedure but went in to cardiac arrest a few hours later and could not be revived.
Wall of Honor profiles are provided by the honoree or the donor who added their name to the Wall of Honor. The Museum cannot validate all facts contained in the profiles.
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