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Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:
Mr. David Kube

LCDR Cleo Kube (USN-Ret) was raised a Midwest farm boy, the eldest of ten, who quit school after completing the 8th grade to help his family during the Great Depression. In 1940 he joined the US Navy.

After World War II started, and while only a seaman, he answered the Navy's call for pilots. Without a high school education, he passed the flight school (thus joining the select fraternity of pilots called "Mustangs"). He trained on the N3N Floatplane and the N2S Kaydet (the last two bi-planes to see service the US). He later flew the PBY-5A Catalina in the North Pacific on submarine patrol/bomber missions. He quickly moved on to fly PV-1 Ventura's and PV-2 Harpoon's on numerous combat missions. He eventually advanced to be a flight instructor for these aircraft.

Later, he flew the R4D (DC-3), also known as the Gooney Bird, for Project RAM, a pre-NASA program. He flew support missions chasing high altitude balloons in early efforts to get the United States ready for the challenge of putting a man in space.

Other aircraft flown by LCDR Kube included the P2V Neptune and the C131 Samaritan. He retired from the Navy after 30 years of service. During those years he logged 7,991 flight hours, or over 1,600,000 air miles. He flew in Europe, Africa, Australia, Asia, South America, and North America, plus the Arctic and Antarctic Circles. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal (two gold stars), Asiatic-Pacific (three stars), Good Conduct, World War II Victory, National Defense (one star), American Defense, American Campaign, and Philippine Liberation Ribbon.

Following his retirement, the Chief of Naval Operations awarded him the Meritorious Service and Navy Commendation Medals, for services while on active duty.

He has been happily married to his wife, Arlene, for over 58 years (in 2004) and raised five sons.