If you’re a Chapter 59 member, or ever have been one, you probably
know Howard Pedigo. He joined the Chapter shortly after it formed
over forty years ago. Since he’s decided to take a well-deserved break
from many of his aviation commitments, maybe we should find out a few things
about Howard we may not have known.
Howard’s family is from Waco, but they moved far away about 72
years ago, to the city of Axtell, and Howard has lived there ever since.
His interest in airplanes started when he was about eight years old when
he got rides in a BT-13 and an AT-6 his cousin owned. He fell in
with a group of fellow airplane enthusiasts when he was a junior in high
school. That was 1948. Well-known local airplane builder Bob
Brashear was one of that group. 1948 was also the year Howard joined
the Texas National Guard as part of the training arm for the 36th Infantry
Division, well known for its famous WWII battle at Salerno. He stayed
in the Guard until 1962, achieving the rank of 2Lt. as a combat tactics
infantry officer.
Howard began flying lessons with Joe Stahl at Flying Heart Ranch
in about 1963. Short on cash, Howard occasionally bought lessons
$1.50 at a time. Finally, he borrowed $500. and enrolled in a formal private
pilot course at Blackland, earning his license in 1964. The day after
he got his license, he and long-time Chapter 59 member Jake Witzel flew
down to Beaumont to pick up a Taylorcraft BC-12D Howard was purchasing
from his brother-in-law. They checked the weather here and in Beaumont.
It sounded good so they took off in Jake’s J-3 and headed south.
If there’s weather in only one place in Texas, it will be in
the Huntsville-Conroe area. That day was no exception. Howard
and Jake got trapped in the soup north of Huntsville at 1500 feet.
Howard, the navigator, studied the map, said “head 140 degrees for 25 minutes
and we should be over Huntsville.” They let down at the agreed time
and broke out over the Huntsville airport at about 300 feet! After
gassing up and waiting about two hours for better ceilings, they worked
their way down to Conroe, where they waited another two and a half hours
at the café for courage and better weather. Howard noticed
on his sectional that railroad tracks went from Conroe to the Beaumont
airport they were destined for. They followed the tracks (IFRR?)
above the treetops to their destination. Howard got a quick check-out
in the Taylorcraft and they headed back to Waco in clearing weather.
Over the Mexia airport, Howard found that the wind was blowing
about 30 miles per hour at 90 degrees to his airstrip at home in Axtell.
He arrived at Axtell and, after a number of missed approaches, finally
got the Taylorcraft on the ground. Luck or skill? Well, Howard
says it was a trip to remember, and he immediately gave up flying in bad
weather! A lesson learned.
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We all know the General for his hard work and dedication at the Wings
for Christ Airport. For more than twenty years he has spearheaded
the maintenance of the airport and introduced many aspiring folks to aviation.
This labor of love has demanded about 25 hours a week from him since he
retired, but he hasn’t always been an AAF General. Howard went to
work for Pure Milk Company after high school. After eleven years
there, he started a 32 year career at General Tire, where he was a tire
inspector. He retired in 1984, but had already assumed duties at
Wings for Christ Airport for several years at the request of the airport
owner, Keith Hull. Keith, a flying missionary and World War II Air
Force veteran, had told Howard that he needed help keeping the airport
up. Howard said he would help as long as he could. Keith died
about four weeks later and the rest is history. The history of the
airport began (as best we know) as a wealthy owner’s horse farm, complete
with a paved runway. It then became a turkey farm before being bought
by the Hulls. By the time Howard got involved, grass had grown up
through the asphalt, so they hauled in many loads of dirt to convert the
runway into the nicely based grass strip and fly-in community it is today.
He has now sold his J-3 to Dr. Brian Taylor, a new Chapter 59 member.
Howard had purchased it from Mr. Luck of Luck Field (Ft. Worth) in 1977
after selling his Taylorcraft a year earlier. It underwent a loving
restoration in 1984, and we hope Brian will enjoy and care for it as well
as Howard did.
Howard will certainly be missed in his long held duties and efforts
with the Axtell Air Force events. He has many fond memories as well,
highlighted perhaps by the “bombing” of Count Von Unruly’s airfield,
which resulted in a fly-in party/cook-out complete with “armored tank”
battles. For a guy who ruined his back riding bulls from age 9 to
21, Howard Pedigo has kept a remarkably active life, and has been a great
asset to recreational aviation in the Waco area for many years.
And despite seven back operations, he still swings a golf club!
We all hope he will remain active in Chapter 59 and look forward to his
company at our meetings and events. -McMains
Sadly Long time Chapter 59 member Howard Pedigo passed away on August
1st, 2003.
He started the Axtell Air Force to help maintain the Wings For Christ
Airport, and felt that if the CAF members could all be Colonels, then
AAF members could all be Generals. Over the years there were times when
Chapter 59 hung by the threads of the Generals Axtell Air Force activities
at Wings For Christ and his Axtell Air Force news page in the Grapevine
Newsletter. He helped keep us going when we needed him. Gone now are those
Christmas calls from Santa. He was a good friend. He will be missed. There
will never be another General.
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