via email from Richard Kemmery, 6-3-06 If the Cal Appleby you are talking about was born and raised in Pennsylvania, he was my uncle. I know that he was one of the first pilots to be licensed in Pennsylvania and was a flight instructor. He and his family relocated in Okla. City, OK. years before I was born, however he always managed to return to Pennsylvania, because he would fly the Corp Exec. from Okla City to Boston, Mass. While awaing for the return trip to Okla. City he would fly down and stay with us until they were ready to return from their business trip. If my memory serves me correctly it was The Caterpillar Company that he flew for as a corp. pilot. He passed away in the early 90s. He was a tall thin man, with a very deep voice. Hope this helps, let me know. Richard Kemmery |
via email from Don Williams, 1-9-06 I actually soloed under Cal Appleby, another old timer, but his name doesn't turn up under Google. Cal made me land on the grass at Wiley Post, as I recall, when I soloed, at 4hrs 20 minutes. I also took lessons from an un-employed preacher, A. Rainy or A. Rainey, who was paid, by me, one meal for each hour of flight. The school was owned by Beverly Osborne, a short little restaurant owner, [Downtown OKC, the name was "Chicken in the Rough", probably one of the early speciality restraunts], who had a grass strip on his property, NE of OKC. The airport was owned by the Amis Brothers, of Amis Construction, and they are the ones who brought the first Aero Commander to OKC where it was manufactured. I worked on the prototype Commander, which is now on display at the OKC fairgrounds. They did a publicity flight early on. They removed one propeller and flew non-stop from OKC to Washington DC. [When I refer to Downtown Airpark, I'm speaking of my high-school days, 1947-1950] Don Williams La Jolla, CA |
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Bounds, who had been flying since 1914, with more than 6,000 logged hours to his credit, was flight director of the air corps primary school and was second in command of the civilian instructors at the field. An airman's farewell was paid to O. M. "Rusty" Bounds Tuesday afternoon by more than 400 fellow pilots, aviation cadets and friends who filled the First Presbyterian church at services for the veteran flight instructor. All flight operations were suspended for the afternoon at Cimarron field where Bounds, flight director of the army primary training school, was fatally injured when he was struck by a propeller Saturday afternoon. Sixty-two cadets of the flight which Bounds commanded as civilian instructor and the 54 instructors of the field entered the church in a group. Behind the flag-draped casket, banked with flowers, was a large spread of red wings made of flowers against a green background. Rev. Ward Davis paid tribute to the 47-year-old aviation pioneer, who started flying in 1914, for his service to the cause of flying and for defense in serving as an instructor in two wars. "Rusty has passed on to the other shore," said Mr. Davis, "his spirit being piloted by the Great Pilot of us all." Then those at the funeral passed by the bier for a last look at Rusty, who went to his grave in the khaki uniform of a civilian instructor of army cadets. Many of them went along to Memorial park cemetery where he was buried. There, while a half dozen members of the 40 and 8, American Legion organization, who said they came because Rusty was as much a veteran as any of them, performed a flag ceremony, six private planes piloted by the flier's friends, circled high overhead. Active bearers were fellow instructors at Cimarron, Bob White, Joe Reed, O. C. Jones, Charles Brogan, Lyle Bressler, Joe Bates and E. H. Randel. Honorary bearers were also fellow instructors: George Dale, Marvin Bradley, Dave Munro Jr., M. J. Pederson, Cal Appleby, C. C. Callahan and Claude Hoover. Bounds is survived by his wife, Mrs. Ursula Bounds, and a daughter, Betty Jean, of 1948 Northwest Twentieth street. |
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via email from Richard Kemmery, 6-3-06 |
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If you have any more information on this pioneer aviator, please contact me. E-mail to Ralph Cooper Back 
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