1894-1965 |
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via email from Ted Strom, 12-25-07 Let me tell you about my uncle Tony (not Anthony) Antonio Strom He was born June 20,1894 in Chicago Illinois. He died on Feb.14,1965 in Los Angeles Cal. He received a disability discharge at Camp Jackson South Carolina from the 23rd Company 156th Depot Brigade on Sept.27,1918. His serial No. was 2 or 3,999,345. According to my father his first aircraft was bought in bushel baskets. He put it together and flew it, no lessons. On his first flight he flew over his mother who was hanging wash on the line and she had some unkind words for him. You know the first words that immigrants learn. He was the first to land at Chicago Municipal Airport. It was a corn field at the time and he made an emergency landing. Dad said that Tony made an emergency landing on Wabash Ave. in Chicago and the police had to clear traffic so that he could take off. Guess he made a lot of emergency landings. At his funeral I met for the first time his former wife Anne Heberly. She said she left him because he would not give up barnstorming. She did his wing walking and they were married on the wing of an aircraft. I have a ring that my dad said was from the flyers club he belonged to. The ring is silver with a mother of pearl top and a gold propeller. Dad said this was a group of WW1 combat pilots and combat was a requirement. I remember seeing him one time, when I was very young. Our family sometimes was a little strange and no one heard from or saw Tony. His death was a surprise, as was the fact that he lived in San Diego. I have a lead on the missing papers and pictures of Tony. If I do find them, I will send them along. Who knows? they might fit into something else you are doing. Ted Strom |
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via email from Ted Strom, 12-21-07 I have a letter dated July 24,1961 written by H. Howard Hirsch addressed to my uncle, Tony A. Strom, inviting him to a "big get together." To attend were Roscoe Turner, Gill Rob Wilson, Jack Vilas, Max Conrad, Russ Brinkley, and James R. Mills. I believe this to be an old-timers flying club. I am doing genealogy on the Strom family and Tony Strom was my father's brother. Some way I can help you? Let me know. Anything you have pertaining to my uncle would help. Ted Strom |
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"Well-known aviation writer and air-show announcer Russ Brinkley formed the Silver Wings Fraternity, an international organization of pilots, in 1958. Since then, local chapters have formed all over the country, as well as in Canada, Australia, the Philippines, Great Britain and Switzerland." I strongly suspect this is the group to which Tony Strom was invited, according the the letter held by Ted Strom. |
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Personal communication from Ted strom, 12-25-07. If you have any more information on this pioneer aviator please contact me. E-mail to Ralph Cooper |
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