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Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:

James “Jim” D. Larkin was the oldest of four children. As such, he was deferred from serving in World War II. He trained himself, at his expense, as a pilot. He flew from his home in Peoria, IL (PIA) and even flew once cross country to Indianapolis, IN for the Indy 500 race.
His favorite airplane in the 1940s was the Cessna 172. His interest in aviation was passed along to his son, as Jim took him to see the American Airlines DC-3s as they flew into Peoria on the Chicago-St. Louis route. Jim enjoyed sharing the airplane shows of Peoria with his son. The shows of the 1950s included the Air National Guard’s Squadron which flew P-51s.
Jim’s interest in aviation sparked his son’s; which in turn, led to a 23-year Air Force Career followed by 20 years as a civilian working in the aerospace field.