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THANK YOU!

YOUR PURCHASE OF THESE BOOKS SUPPORTS THE WEB SITES THAT BRING TO YOU THE HISTORY BEHIND OLD AIRFIELD REGISTERS

Your copy of the Davis-Monthan Airfield Register (available in paperback) with all the pilots' signatures and helpful cross-references to pilots and their aircraft is available at the link. 375 pages with black & white photographs and extensive tables

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The Congress of Ghosts (available as Kindle Edition eBook) is an anniversary celebration for 2010.  It is an historical biography, that celebrates the 5th year online of www.dmairfield.org and the 10th year of effort on the project dedicated to analyze and exhibit the history embodied in the Register of the Davis-Monthan Airfield, Tucson, AZ. This book includes over thirty people, aircraft and events that swirled through Tucson between 1925 and 1936. It includes across 277 pages previously unpublished photographs and texts, and facsimiles of personal letters, diaries and military orders. Order your copy at the link.

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Military Aircraft of the Davis Monthan Register, 1925-1936 (available in paperback) at the link. This book describes and illustrates with black & white photographs the majority of military aircraft that landed at the Davis-Monthan Airfield between 1925 and 1936. The book includes biographies of some of the pilots who flew the aircraft to Tucson as well as extensive listings of all the pilots and airplanes. Use this FORM to order a copy signed by the author, while supplies last.

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Art Goebel's Own Story (available as free PDF download) by Art Goebel (edited by G.W. Hyatt) is written in language that expands for us his life as a Golden Age aviation entrepreneur, who used his aviation exploits to build a business around his passion.  Available as a free download at the link.

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Winners' Viewpoints: The Great 1927 Trans-Pacific Dole Race (available as Kindle Edition eBook) is available at the link. This book describes and illustrates with black & white photographs the majority of military aircraft that landed at the Davis-Monthan Airfield between 1925 and 1936. The book includes biographies of some of the pilots who flew the aircraft to Tucson as well as extensive listings of all the pilots and airplanes. Use this FORM to order a copy signed by the author, while supplies last.

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Clover Field: The first Century of Aviation in the Golden State (available in paperback & Kindle Edition) With the 100th anniversary in 2017 of the use of Clover Field as a place to land aircraft in Santa Monica, this book celebrates that use by exploring some of the people and aircraft that made the airport great. 281 pages, black & white photographs.

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Very readable volumes about the Grand Central Air Terminal are these books:

Underwood, John. 1984. Madcaps, Millionaires and 'Mose'. Heritage Press, Glendale, CA. 144pp.

And...

Underwood, John. 2007. Grand Central Air Terminal. Arcadia Publishing. Charleston, SC. 127pp.

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A very readable, and brief, online history of the Grand Central Air Terminal by Ron DIckson is at the link.

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There is no biographical file for pilot Lienesch in the archives of the National Air & Space Museum (NASM), Washington, DC.

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I'm looking for information and photographs of Lienesch and his airplanes to include on this page. If you have some you'd like to share, please click this FORM to contact me.

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Thanks to Guest Editor Bob Woodling for help researching this page.

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CHARLES F. LIENESCH

Charles Lienesch landed once at the Grand Central AIr Terminal (GCAT). On Monday, May 11, 1931 at 9:57AM. He landed solo flying the Travel Air he identified as NC9991, a model B9-4000, S/N 1167. The Register provides no home base or destination information, as well as no reason for his flight to or from GCAT. But chances are it was on behalf of Union Oil Company business. Below, from the Underwood reference in the left sidebar, Lienesch stands with NC9991 at GCAT.

Charles Lienesch With Travel Air NC9991, Grand Central Air Terminal, Ca. Early 1930s (Source: Underwood)
Charles Lienesch With Travel Air NC9991, Grand Central Air Terminal, Ca. Early 1930s (Source: Underwood)

Lienesch is signed five other times in our Registers, three times at Parks Airport, and twice at Clover Field, Santa Monica, CA. He flew exclusively Travel Airs. Besides NC9991, he flew NC631H to Clover Field. Both of these aircraft were owned and operated by the Union Oil Company at the time of his visits. It becomes clear what Lienesch's role was with the company in the Santa Monica Outlook of September 16, 1928. below.

Santa Monica Outlook, September 16, 1928 (Source: Woodling)
Santa Monica Outlook, September 16, 1928 (Source: Woodling)

His work with the company involved both his chemistry (see below) and piloting skills. This photo-collage shows Lienesch in the cockpit of one of the Union Oil aircraft. The one in flight at top is NC4839, a Travel Air 2000, S/N 423. Although not a GCAT airplane, this one did travel at various times across the U.S., landing at Clover Field , the Davis-Monthan Airfield and Pitcairn Field.The number on the airplane at center is not readable. The shield on the fuselage of Lienesch's aircraft says "Union Aviation Gasoline."

Charles Lienesch (R) With Patty Willis and Doc Kincaide, Ca. 1930s (Source: Web)
Charles Lienesch (R) With Patty Willis and Doc Kincaide, Ca. 1930s (Source: Web)

 

At right is the only photograph that I have of Lienesch. He is pictured sometime during the 1930s with Clover Field Register pilot Patty Willis and Doc Kincaide (not a Register pilot).

Lienesch, on behalf of his official position with Union Oil, was responsible for the official start of the "Tom Thumb" Derby events on Sunday, August 16, 1928. This was documented in the Santa Monica Outlook of August 15th as follows, "Charles Lienesch, vice-chairman of the National Air Race committee, will be starter for the events. He is also manager of the aviation department of the Union Oil Co., and his personal plane will be used to transport flight officials to various airports that race contestants will visit."

Lienesch was born October 15, 1893 (one source says 1894, but most say 1893) in O'Fallon, Illinois, about 15 miles southeast of East St. Louis, IL. This proximity to the Parks Airport explains why he landed there three times. Through the course of his life we can follow him from Illinois to California, to Virginia and back to California, and to Seattle and finally to Nevada.

The U.S. Census for 1900 cites Lienesch at age 6 with his parents living in O'Fallon, along with an older brother and younger sister. His father was a farmer. The 1910 Census is similar, except Lienesch is now 16 years old and his family is living in Shiloh Township, IL. A new brother was added to the family six years earlier, bringing the total to four children.

Lienesch/Axtell Nuptials, Anaconda Standard June 12, 1921 (Source: Woodling)
Lienesch/Axtell Nuptials, Anaconda Standard June 20, 1912 (Source: Woodling)

 

 

Lienesch/Axtell Nuptials, Anaconda Standard June 20, 1921 (Source: Woodling)
Lienesch/Axtell Nuptials, Anaconda Standard June 12, 1920 (Source: Woodling)

 

The 1920 Census places him at Berkeley, CA, age 26, living as a lodger in a hotel shared with 84 others. This address today on Google Earth doesn't appear to be a building large enough to serve as a hotel. His occupation is listed as "Research Chemist" for an "Oil Company." His aunt (age 74) also lived with the family.

He was married at age 27 on June 16, 1921 to Lucy A. Axtell (1896-1958). Lucy's prenuptial dinner was held June 12, 1921, as documented in the Anaconda Standard of June 12, 1921, left.They were married on June 21st, right. Note that Lienesch was educated at McKendree College in Lebanon, IL, about 20 miles east of East St. Louis.

In the article at right, "Lieutentant in aerial" probably refers to his military service in the Air Corps. His draft card, dated June 5, 1917, is below. As with many things, the details are in the fine print. If you look carefully at the diagonal printing at the lower left of this card, the text says, "If person is of African descent, tear off this corner." Jim Crow was alive and well. Some things change; some things remain the same.

Notice that his occupation was identified as a chemist for Swift & Company in Shiloh, IL, a fresh meat producer. Shiloh is ESE of St. Louis, MO, near today's Scott Air Force Base.

Draft Registration Card, C.F. Lienesch, June 5, 1917 (Source: ancestry.com)
Draft Registration Card, C.F. Lienesch, June 5, 1917 (Source: ancestry.com)

The Long Beach, CA city directory for 1923 cites him living with Lucy at 2217 East 14th St. This location today is in a modest, working-class neighborhood. In 1930, in the Monrovia, CA directory, he and Lucy are living at 175 North Ivy Avenue, a mission-style home as viewed with today's Google Earth. The 1938 Los Angeles directory cited him living there with Lucy as a "techn eng," which means "technicial engineer."

Other than city directories, I have little information about his activities during the 1930s. He did travel to Agua Caliente, Mexico at least once, as documented in the immigration form below, dated August 4, 1932. He traveled with two other passengers in the Travel Air A-14D, NC12323 (not a Register airplane). This Travel Air belonged to the Union OIl COmpany. No purpose was given for the trip, other than his address was given as the Union Oil building in Los Angeles. If you can help piece together his life between 1930 and his death (see below), please let me KNOW.

C.F. Lienesch, Immigration Form, August 8, 1932 (Source: Ancestry.com)
C.F. Lienesch, Immigration Form, August 8, 1932 (Source: Ancestry.com)

 

Corsicana (TX) Semi-Weekly Light, November 25, 1932 (Source: Woodling)
Corsicana (TX) Semi-Weekly Light, November 25, 1932 (Source: Woodling)

 

For a couple of his landings, including his visit at GCAT on May 11, 1931, the owner of his airplane was identified as the Union Oil Company. Lienesch was involved in at least one accident while working for Union Oil. It was documented in the Corsicana, TX Semi-Weekly Light for November 25, 1932, right. His passengers, who were killed, were not the same pair as shown in the news photograph, above. I do not know the extent of Lienesch's injuries. The airplane was the Union Oil Travel Air NC12323 was a write-off, the same one listed in the immigration form, above.

Wharton, TX is about 50 statute miles southwest of Houston, TX. According to a 2005 oil and gas map of Texas, the area around Wharton is still an active area of overlapping oil and gas wells in the Gulf Coast petroleum producing basin.

Besides his travel to Agua Caliente, above, one other international travel document emerged for Lienesch. On August 16, 1934 he disembarked from the S.S. Antigua (owned and operated by the United Fruit Company) at the Port of Los Angeles after departing Armuelles, Republic of Panama on August 8th. He was alone at age 40. This document cites his birth year as 1893.

Near the beginning of WWII, Lienesch was again called to the draft. Below is his registration card (undated), Ca. 1940. He was 48 years old living in Santa Monica, CA. There was no tear tab at the lower left of this form, but the military still wasn't integrated until after WWII.

 

C.F. Lienesch, Draft Registration Card, Ca. 1940 (Source: ancestry.com)
C.F. Lienesch, Draft Registration Card, 1942 (Source: ancestry.com)

 

Either way, he was employed with the Department of Commerce (DOC) Civilian Pilot Training Program (CPT). The DOC CPT was responsible for the initial flight training for candidates in line for military flight training assignments. It's difficult to interpret from the form, but it appears that he was living in Virginia until May 5, 1942, with the intention of moving to Santa Monica. He did continue with the CPT after his move west. The 1940 city directory for Santa Monica cited him and Lucy living at at 921 Georgina Avenue, and he was identified as working for the CPT.

I have no information on whether he served in the military. Chances are good that he did not, because he would have had greater value in Santa Monica in the CPT or other U.S.-based endeavors.

Seattle Times, April 10, 1946 (Source: Woodling)
Seattle Times, April 10, 1946 (Source: Woodling)

 

After the war, the Seattle Times of April 10, 1946 suggests that Lienesch was with the Civil Aeronautics Board at least some time during the war, left.

He must not have remained in the midwest very long, because in 1948, Lienesch was living in Seattle, WA with Lucy and a few other family members. I could not tell if they were children of other members of his and Lucy's family, because their work was lisited as "student." Lucy passed away on December 15, 1958

Placerville (CA) Mountain Democrat, January 30, 1975 (Source: Woodling)
Placerville (CA) Mountain Democrat, January 30, 1975 (Source: Woodling)

 

Lienesch was on his own for nearly 20 years when, as documented in a news article from the Placerville (CA) Mountain Democrat, January 30, 1975, right, he married Mrs. Pilcher. Lienesch would have been 88 years, 2 months, 29 days old when he was married the second time.

Lienesch passed away January 13, 1982 at Carson CIty, NV.

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THIS PAGE UPLOADED: 11/15/15 REVISED: 11/19/15, 02/02/16