Art at the Airport

Born in Erie, Pennsylvania, on April 17, 1961, Carr was a 1979 Erie Tech Memorial High School graduate who excelled in the sport of wrestling. He was a State Junior Olympic wrestling champion as well as a State and Nation US Kids Wrestling Federation Champ. He attended Clemson University.

Born into a close Irish-American family in Erie, Pennsylvania in 1910, Philip G. Cochran made his was through college during the economic depression working odd jobs and singing in bands. In 1935, Cochran graduated from Ohio State University and entered Army pilot training in 1936.  

Born in Erie, Pennsylvania on July 25, 1932. He graduated from Harbor Creek High School and received a Bachelor of Science degree in aeronautical engineering from Pennsylvania State University in 1954. Weitz went on to receive a Masters degree in aeronautical engineering in 1964.

Born in Erie, Pennsylvania January 23, 1927, John Richard Boyd lived at 514 Lincoln Avenue and attended Erie schools, graduating from Strong Vincent High School in 1945, where he had starred in water polo and swimming. He was a lifeguard under Frank Pettinato at Presque Isle Beaches.

Colonel Richard “Dick” L. Hellwege was born on December 4, 1927 in Olean, New York.  His family later moved to Erie where Dick attended Academy High School.  He was an excellent swimmer.  He set a State record in the 100 yard backstroke in 1944.

Lieutenant Colonel Magee C. Fuller was born in Erie, Pennsylvania on December 4, 1917 the son of Warren and Ethel Magee Fuller.  He attended Emerson Elementary School and Gridley Junior High School.  He graduated from Millcreek High School.

Robert Patterson LaFollette was born May 23, 1920. He graduated from Erie Technical High School and was employed by Penn Union Electric as a metal pattern maker. When Pearl Harbor was bombed and the United States entered World War II, he entered cadet training in the U.S. Army Air Corps at San Antonio Cadet Center in Texas. 

It seems like destiny to be born on Veteran’s Day and die on Memorial Day. This is true of an authentic Erie hero. Mario J. Filigenzi was born November 11, 1921 to Loreta Arduini Filigenzi and Dante Filigenzi.With his sisters, Louisa Filigenzi Battaglia and Theodora Filigenzi Cyone, Mario grew up in a close knit, resourceful family. 

Major Earl Abbott was born January 8, 1919 in Springboro, Pennsylvania.  Later his family bought a farm and settled in Harborcreek, Pennsylvania.  Earl graduated from Harborcreek High School in May 1936.  He then attended California State College.  He studied to be a shop teacher.

John Alexander “Jack” Siegel was born in Erie on May 5, 1922. Son of Ella (Franz) and Edward Siegel, Jack grew up in Erie with his older siblings Richard “Dick” and Charlene (Petrucelli). He attended St. Joseph’s Elementary School and Academy High School, graduating in 1940.

“During the war, on several missions, the stress was so great that I completely gave myself up to God, telling him that I couldn’t handle the strain and he would have to guide my actions and course. At this point, I became recognized as one of the most fearless of bombardiers. God benevolently brought me home without injury.” 

“He was the best pilot of them all, deadly in dive-bombing and as honest as the day was long”.  This is how Captain Franklin Luckman once described Colonel Robert Fry, a fellow member of the 365th Fighter Group, 388th Squadron, otherwise known as the “Hell Hawks”.

Kenneth Leroy Gardner was born in Erie on January 19, 1934 to Lloyd Emerson Gardner and Martha Krasnesky Gardner.  He is a graduate of Erie private schools and attended Gannon College where he majored in chemistry.  He joined the Air Force in October 1953 and received his commission in 1954 after a period in the aviation cadets.  Kenneth Gardner married Ruth Eileen Baker in 1960.

Andrew Kudlak was born on December 16, 1911 in North Tonawanda, New York.  His younger brothers, Michael and Joseph were born in Austin, Pennsylvania on September 18, 1913 and March 4, 1918, respectively.  The Kudlak family moved to Erie in the late 1920’s after a major flood in Austin.  All graduated from East High School and earned their pilot’s licenses shortly thereafter. 

Richard Elmer Ellsworth was born on July 18th, 1911 the third of four children born to Elmer and Edna Ellsworth of Erie Pennsylvania.  He grew up in Erie attending Erie Academy.  After high school he joined the Pennsylvania National Guard from which he earned an appointment to the USMA West Point. He applied for pilot training becoming a rated pilot in 1936.

Robert D. Kelley was destined to become a pilot. In 1964, with -72F below zero field artillery exercises in Alaska, a 9.2 earthquake, and coming from a family rich with aviation history, he decided it was “time to fly”. 

First Lieutenant Harry L. Blystone was born in Girard, PA on October 30, 1918. After graduating from Edinboro High School, Blystone enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1941 and was sent to the Air Corps Technical School.

First Lt John J Chimenti was killed in action over Fouches, Belgium on November 9, 1944 while piloting his B-17 Flying Fortress Bomber on the Mission 223 bombing run to the Marshalling Yards and Rail Facilities of Saarbrucken, Germany.

Colonel William (Bill) S. Hurley was born in Erie, PA on September 9, 1921. Bill graduated from Strong Vincent High School in 1940 and enrolled at the University of Pittsburgh where he eventually graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, majoring in Aeronautical Engineering. After the Air Force, Bill owned and operated his own engineering consultant office in Cleveland, OH for many years. After the Japanese attached Pearl Harbor, Bill left college to enlist in the Army Air Corps on May 8, 1942. As a member of the 361st Squadron, Bill flew 86 combat missions. He flew the P47 and P51; both were named the Eerie Eagle.

Colonel James Allen Regenor was born in Erie, PA, on April 8th 1964. He is the son of Mr. Jon A. Regenor and Mrs. Marilee E. Agostini, and the stepson of Mr. Louis J. Agostini. Colonel Regenor received his education from the Sisters of Mercy at St. Luke and Mercyhurst Preparatory Schools where the sisters encouraged his curiosity and sense of adventure. His passion for flight was sparked right here at the Erie International Airport where as a young boy he would attend airshows with his family. He would marvel at the precision aerobatics of the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds as they performed and dream about flying. 

Captain Brian “Stitch” Whitten was born in Erie, Pennsylvania on July 7, 1963 son of Robert and Phyllis Whitten. Interested in aviation from an early age, he began taking flight lessons as a teenager while flying a two-place Stinson taildragger at Moorhead Airpark. He graduated from North East High School in 1981 where he was a standout student and athlete, including five State Championship medals in track. Brian went on to compete for the track team at Cornell University, becoming a 3-time Ivy League team champion, and graduated in 1985 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Natural Resources.

Captain Melvin “Mel” E. Caughlin was born in Girard, PA on June 11, 1925. He grew up on a farm there during the Great Depression, began working before he was school-age, and later worked on the farm before and after school, amongst other jobs. In 1943, Mel enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Forces (which later became the United States Air Force or USAF).

Colonel Lee D. Carr was born in Mount Clemens, Michigan on January 13, 1921 the son of Leigh and Frances Carr. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering with Honors in 1946 from Michigan Collage of Mining and Technology followed by a Master of Science in Chemical Engineering in 1949 from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Raymond A. Guerrein was born on September 5th, 1924 to Leopold Guerrein. and Anna W. Guerrein in Erie, PA.  Guerrein graduated from Academy High in 1942 and entered Gannon University to pursue a degree in Chemistry.  But from a young age, he had a fascination with flying.

Lt. Colonel Michael "Mike" Mashyna was born December 8th, 1921 to Russian and Czechoslovakian immigrant parents Philip and Mary. He had one younger brother, Philip John. He grew up on Erie's East side at 822 Pennsylvania Ave. and graduated from Tech high school in 1940 where he was president of his class and a photographer for the year book, photography being a lifelong interest.