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Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:
Ms. Edythe Maxim

Dr. Bonar was one of the few flight surgeons in World War II (WWII) who had military pilot rating. He had the qualifications as a service pilot in the Army Air Corps when he enlisted. After finishing flight surgeon's training, he took the flight check for the license and was successful. He was assigned to the 79th Squadron of the 436th Troop Carrier Group, which flew C-47 transport aircraft, and was sent to Europe. There he found good use for the pilot rating under commanding officers who felt he could be more useful to the men with more knowledge of their problems as a participant in their activities. He flew as check pilot with pilots whose problems seemed to be medical or psychological and those who had been involved in flying accidents.

Dr. Bonar was bitten by the flying bug as a senior in medical school when he flew with a surgical resident who owned a Piper Cub. When he went into practice, he also took flying lessons, and soloed a Waco 10, with an OX-5 engine. The first aircraft he purchased was a Beech Travelaire bi-plane with an open cockpit. He had owned four airplanes and accumulated about 500 hours flying time by WWII. He was the first commanding officer of the Mansfield (Ohio) unit of Civil Air Patrol.

Upon return from the war, he took more medical post graduate work in obstetrics and gynecology and qualified as a specialist in that field by oral and written examination by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Dr. Bonar returned to medical practice in 1948 and aviation was still a major interest. He became chairman of the Chamber of Commerce Aviation Committee. The airport was undergoing major development so the Mansfield Aviation and Airport Commission was founded, copied from that in Columbus. Dr. Bonar was co-organizer, first chairman and, for some 20 years, a member of this commission. He saw the airport develop into one of the largest in area in the State of Ohio and able to handle the heaviest of aircraft. Dr. Bonar was also co-organizer and first president of the Mansfield Aviation Club.

He has flown for 50 years, has 3700 pilot hours and has owned 12 airplanes. With the exception of 650 hours of military time, the airplanes were used for transportation to medical meetings, post graduate work, real estate investment in Arizona and pleasure travel in the U.S.A., Canada and Mexico. Dr. Bonar has belonged to Sportsman Pilot, Flying Physicians and Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) organizations.