VW aviator honored; local airport renamed

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Hundreds of people took advantage of a sunny, humid day to help the Van Wert County Regional Airport celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first-ever trans-Atlantic flight in 1919 by the U.S. Navy’s Curtiss NC-4 “flying boat”, with Van Wert native Walter Hinton as one of its two pilots.

The ceremony celebrated Hinton’s long aviation career, which encompassed his time as a Navy pilot and his lifelong promotion of aviation.

Born November 10, 1888, on a farm between Van Wert and Convoy, Hinton joined the Navy in 1914 and was part of the U.S. occupation of Vera Cruz, Mexico, that year. Following the 19-day trans-Atlantic flight, Hinton also made a flight to South America, flew a balloon over the Arctic, became friends with explorer Admiral Richard E. Byrd Jr., and was a longtime aviation supporter, opening airports and making flights across the country. For his trans-Atlantic flight, Hinton received the Navy Cross medal and Congressional Gold Medal.

Hinton, who died less than two weeks from his 93rd birthday on October 28, 1981, in Pompano Beach, Florida, also was a passenger on one of the first flights of the supersonic transport Concorde, which made the trip that took him 19 days in just four hours.

Following the presenting of the colors by units of American Legion Post 178 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5803 in Van Wert, Queen Jubilee XLIV Michaela Johnson sang “The Star-Spangled Banner”. Members of Navy Club Ship 726 in Van Wert were also on hand to honor fellow service member Hinton.

Mark Hartman, a longtime amateur pilot and former news director of WERT Radio, was master of ceremonies of the celebration, and provided much information on Hinton, including the playing of a portion of an interview Hartman did with Hinton in 1980 on a visit the famous aviator made to his hometown a year prior to his death.

A number of government officials were on hand for the renaming of the airport as Walter Hinton Airfield, including Van Wert County Commissioners Thad Lichtensteiger, Todd Wolfrum, and Stan Owens, Van Wert Mayor Jerry Mazur, County Treasurer Nathan Vandenbroek, County Recorder Kim Hughes, State Representative Craig Riedel, and a representative of U.S. Representative Bob Latta.

Several proclamations and commendations were read by government officials during the celebration, including one from the Ohio House of Representatives honoring the airport for being named 2019 “Airport of the Year” by the Ohio Aviation Association, as well as the unveiling of an informational kiosk on Hinton’s life and career that will be placed in the airport’s new terminal when it is built.

Other notable attendees include Seth Baker, executive secretary of the Van Wert County Foundation, Van Wert Area Convention & Visitors Bureau Executive Director Larry Lee, Airport Manager Steve Bailey, Airport Authority member Fred Fisher, and Van Wert County Historical Society Trustee Gary Showalter.

Van Wert native and philanthropist Scott Niswonger flew his G-IV jet into the airport for the event, and also was on hand to help show off designs for the airport’s upcoming terminal construction project and joined his VWHS high school and Purdue University schoolmate and former fellow Magnavox Corporation pilot Jim Rice Jr. in the naming of the new terminal the “J.L. Rice Terminal” in honor of Rice’s father, who was also a former airport manager from 1954-1960 who trained and inspired a number of local pilots until his death in an air race crash in 1960.

Niswonger noted that, while airport manager, Rice also served as the airport mechanic, flight instructor, and charter pilot.

“I guess you can say, he just about did it all,” Niswonger noted.

Niswonger talked about Rice’s life and aviation career, which included being a pilot in Korea, where he was shot down while flying as a photo reconnaissance pilot, but managed to evade capture. Rice also was in the Indiana Air National Guard and built three airplanes himself.

“But most importantly, he was a promoter of all things aviation,” the Van Wert native added.

Niswonger noted that plans had been drawn up in J.L. Rice’s time to build two 5,000-foot runways at the airport because of Rice’s successful operation of the airport. Unfortunately, those plans were put on hold for five decades because of Rice’s untimely and tragic death.

The day also included a number of informational and entertainment segments, including pictures and information on a number of pilots who grew up in the Van Wert area, as well as food vendors, rides on a number of airplanes, and the appearance of medical transport helicopters at the celebration.

Information provided included completion of a fundraising campaign that raised more than $1 million for the airport, and will result in a new terminal, the lengthening of the runway to 5,000 feet, and a new taxiway. The longer runway will be especially beneficial to the community, since it will make the airport accessible to bigger corporate jets than can now safely fly into the airport.