The Freedom Plane

     Believe it. There are times when the old Kornerman thinks this may be a proper time to wrap this thing up. How about after four successful years? That anniversary is less than a week away.
     But then.............I see Mary Day at a funeral and she comments, "I just read the Korner this morning;" a bit later at the gas station, Larry Madden says, "Keep that Korner thing going" and that evening at the visitation for her husband, Sue Cooper Currier is "so thankful"  for the fact we (the Korner) kept people up to date on Tom's cancer battle and urged viewers to send him encouragement.
     So.........a while longer I guess.
K-----K
     Good to hear from Vern Modeland after a long absence. He wrote, "You and readers share anecdotes about the Freedom Train of the 70's. I saw it in Wichita, Ks, while busy with the "Freedom Plane." It set a new record for its class in an around-the-world trip starting and ending in Denver during the celebration of our nation's bicentennial. I was involved in complex promotion of that flight, working in a public relations role at Gates Learjet in Wichita. We also set some records of some sort in annoying the FAA, the National Park Service at Mount Rushmore and the St. Louis arch while taking pictures of the plane too. It was a handsome Learjet 35/36 with external paint scheme in red, white and blue plus 50 shining, polished aluminum stars on the vertical stabilizer. At the controls for every take off and landing was Arnold Palmer. THAT Arnold Palmer, nice guy and pilot as well as a golfer. The flight set a record that I think still stands, averaging 400-plus miles an hour, according to the FIA, who keeps the record book for such things. Now, back to hibernation until Spring comes to the Ozarks."
K-----K
     The Korner understands plans are in the works for a 70th high school reunion. No date has been set but plans are being made for the BHS class of 1944 to meet sometime next summer. Good for them.
K-----K
     Around Boonetown, Ray Duffee's exploits as a genuine World War II hero are well known but it was great to see in Iowa's largest newspaper, the Des Moines Register, a beautiful tribute to Ray in today's (Saturday) edition on the editorial page. Very well deserved.
     Ray passed away at 93 earlier this week. All he did, as a 20 year old, was save numerous lives on the island of Tarawa in the South Pacific. An act, actually several acts, that earned him the Navy Cross for heroism, the highest honor available, other than the Congressional Medal of Honor.
K-----K
     Ray Duffee, 93, insurance executive. Boone area survivors include his wife Helen, and son Steve.............June Nelson, 85, Ogden. BHS-47. Was a beauty operator. Boone area survivors include her husband Dean of Ogden and brother H.W. Olney of Boone.........Betty Lou Peter, 86, rural Boone.............Harold Keeler, 89, Arizona. Former railroad employee.............Tom Miles, 67, Lakewood Co. BHS grad. Worked for an Arizona mining company...............Donald Boyd, 87, Arizona. Jordan grad. Farmed and operated grain elevators.........Jack Long, 82, Madrid. Luther grad. Farmed.
K-----K
     Worldwide Korner headquarters are located at 710 Aldrich, Boone, Iowa 50036-4703. Phone number is 515-432-1530. To email your stories/memories/comments......
kelleyskorner1@gmail.com