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Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:
Mr. Jeff Stanton

Arthur Heath Stanton's aviation career began in 1917 at the age of 26 when as a Private 1st Class in the U.S. Army Signal Corps he was assigned to the School of Military Aeronautics in Berkeley California to attend Aviation Training. After successfully completing the training, in mid 1918 he was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant and assigned to Kelly Field, Flying Dept. in San Antonio, Texas. Mr. Stanton was a handsome pilot standing 5'7" weighing 140 lbs. with hazel eyes and brimming with confidence. Mr. Stanton was a flight instructor as well as an assigned aerobatics instructor. Later that year he was designated as an aviation "tester", likely a predecessor to today's test pilots. He flew "Jenny" type aircraft, and often checked them out on weekend cross-country flights from Kelly Field to nearby Texas airports located in Spofford, Waco and Austin Texas. On one flight, most likely a dare from his fellow aviators, he flew his Jenny inverted, in a quick but steady loop. This must have been witnessed by the wrong type individual, because the next day he received a formal reprimand from his commanding officer for committing the infraction. Although not allowed at the time, I'm sure his "prank" was admired by his fellow pilots. Early the next year as a 1st Lieutenant, he was granted the Federation Aeronautical International, Aero Club of America, Aviator's Certificate #3749 on January 15, 1919. Later that same year on October 17, 1919 he was also granted the U.S. Army Air Service Officers Reserve Corps rating certificate of Airplane-Pilot. After a very successful civilian career culminating as President of the Color Card Corporation of Chicago Illinois, Mr. Stanton served again in the U.S. Army Air Service Command at Tinker Field, Oklahoma from July 1942 to October 1945. He reached the rank of Colonel and served as Chief Officer of Personnel and Base Services Division, Tinker Field. It was an honor to have him as my Grandfather and inspire my life-long interest in aviation.