America's love affair with aviation

On Feb. 17, 1911, young pilot Fred Wiseman made the first airmail flight, a distance of 15 miles, from Petaluma to Santa Rosa. To celebrate the 100th anniversary of this early milestone in aviation history, the Petaluma Museum presents the exhibit, "Flight: A Tribute to Aviation," from Tuesday, Feb. 2 through April 24.

The exhibit looks back in time to the beginning of aviation and Wiseman's flight, through World War II and the history and growth of the Petaluma Municipal Airport.

"The whole thing really showcases America's romance and fascination with early aviation," said Joe Noriel, president of the Petaluma Museum. "We wanted to look at what this passion for flight is about. When you think about it, the concept of flying is immersed in our psyche. We dream about flying. It's in our fairy tales and stories. I think it represents an evolution of sorts and transcending earth's problems. I think that's part of why people have a fascination for flight."

Highlights of "Flight: A Tribute to Aviation" will feature a large-scale replica of the Wiseman plane suspended in air, aviation memorabilia, artifacts, archival film, historical photographs, flight simulation and displays of rare aircraft models.

"Petaluma is rich in aviation history," said Noriel. "First, you have the Wiseman flight, then there's the airport and its unique history and then the stories of local pilots from World War II. We wanted to celebrate the Wiseman flight with this exhibit, but also decided to open it to a broader history of flight and include some of the national legends of aviation, too.

Several lectures by World War II pilots, Korean War-era pilots, aviation historians and aviation enthusiasts are scheduled through April as part of the exhibit.

"Noted archeologist Tom King, who was recently featured on the Discovery Channel program about searching for Amelia Earhart, is one of our scheduled speakers," said Noriel. "He searches for old missing planes and has written two books on Earhart. We also have author Jean Slone, who has written about women's contributions to World War II."

Every Saturday at 1 p.m., the museum will screen a different film on famous aviators Amelia Earhart, Charles Lindbergh and Howard Hughes.

Local World War II B-24 pilots Art Cader and Jack Krout, P38 and P40 pilot Jack Wallace and Marc Mott, who served on the U.S.S. Leutze, which sustained two Kamikaze hits, will be sharing their aviation stories at an opening night reception for the exhibit at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 2.

Then on Saturday, Feb. 5, Petaluma honors World War II hero Col. James B. Morehead with a parade beginning at 12:30 p.m. at the Petaluma Arts Center and heading to the Petaluma Museum for a 1 p.m. ceremony.

An ace pilot and recipient of two Distinguished Service Crosses, Morehead was one of the first American fighter pilots to fly in the Pacific during the dark early days of World War II. Morehead is credited with achieving the first Pacific victory in the air in World War II, and made the front pages nationwide when his squadron shot down 11 bombers and fighter planes over the Marianas, with Morehead downing three heavy bombers himself. His actions helped change the tide of the war for the Allies.

The parade will feature military vehicles and a war bird flyover, along with participating World War II veterans and Pearl Harbor survivors.

The 1 p.m. ceremony at the museum includes a proclamation by Mayor David Glass declaring Feb. 5 as James Morehead Day in Petaluma.

"He's a national hero," said Noriel. "Veterans from all over the country are coming to honor this man, who is now 94."

For more information on "Flight: A Tribute to Aviation," call 778-4398 or visit www.petalumamuseum.com.

Contact Yovanna Bieberich at yovanna.bieberich@arguscourier.com)

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