Foil: 17 Panel: 2 Column: 1 Line: 79

Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:
Mr. Jon R. Petersen

Willard F. Schmitt started his aviation career in 1919 as a Post Office employee in the Air Mail Service, working at the Woodland Hills Park Airfield, then located on the East side of Cleveland. He worked as a flight engineer, copilot and aerial mechanic, flying twin-engine Martin mail planes. He later flew on Liberty's, Curtis OX-5's, and Junkers JL-6's, which were used on the New York-Cleveland-Chicago runs.
He was one of the first private aircraft owners in the Cleveland, Ohio area, after he purchased a surplus JN-4D "Jenny".
He stayed in aviation, taking a job at National Air Transport, which ultimately became United Airlines. He retired from United Airlines in 1963, as a dispatcher. In his final years he worked for Aerodraulics Co. Inc., located on Cleveland Hopkins Airport.
He was an active member of the Air Mail Pioneers.
He died in 1982 at age 83.