Harold D. Hayden—1917-1987, EAA # 4473. 

 Harold was a charter member of Chapter 839. He ran the 3M airport in Bristol, PA and later ran the airport in East Stroudsburg where our Chapter originated. Harold provided our Chapter with its first airplane kit, a Quickie, which was later sold to buy a 1946 Aeronca. That was basically the formal start of our Chapter.

Reinhold (Micky) Minhoff—1914-1995,EAA # 18726.

 Micky’s aviation career began in 1929 when he was entered into the Glider Group at Dinslaken, Germany. In 1935 he was enrolled in the Motor Plane School. In 1936 he took a flight instructors course for motor planes in Neuruppin where he remained as a flight instructor until 1940, while also doing glider flights in Oldenburg. Also, in 1938, Micky completed his blind pilot course. In 1940 he was awarded his Blind Flight Instructor’s certificate. In 1941 he received his Glider Instructor’s certificate and gave instruction for rubber tubing winches and glider towing. In 1943 he became a test pilot instructor for the German Air Force in all classes up to, and including, the Blind Pilot’s certificate. Mickey flew approximately 120 different motor planes, nearly all German. He also flew the “Booty Machines” including French, Czech, Polish, Russian, English, American and Italian. In 1945 he began flying one man jet fighter planes.

 Mickey moved to the United States after World War 2. He owned a machine shop in New York City where he also performed works for NASA. Micky operated a glider towing winch at the East Stroudsburg and Pegasus airfields and became partners in the operation with Steve Lakatosh.

Paul Cilurso—1926-2001, EAA # 531518

Paul was an active member of Chapter 839 who never missed a work session. Paul was instrumental in building the Chapter’s RV-6 in JJ’s shop. For the first part of his working Career Paul was a Police Officer while the second half was spent in manufacturing. Paul was a World War 2 Veteran and an avid aviation enthusiast.

DDS, James Meckes—1924-2002, EAA # 598439

James worked on the construction of the Chapter’s RV-6 and N3 Pup projects. He later became a partner with JJ Banks on a Cessna172. James spent his military career in World War 2 as a Celestial Navigator on the B-17’s.  His B-17 went out the night before D-Day to gather weather information for General Eisenhower. That weather report from his B-17 was the deciding factor for the next day’s invasion.

Don Roland—1922-2004, EAA  # 539647

Don learned to fly in the J-3 Cub and later went on to become a Naval Fighter Pilot in World War 2 where he flew Grumman Wildcats and Hellcats. Don then became a Night Qualified Fighter Pilot and was stationed with the Carrier Group which was preparing for the invasion of the Japanese Homeland which thankfully never occurred.

Steve Lakatosh­­—1921-2006, EAA # 43118

Steve was an original part owner of Pegasus Airport and was also an avid aviator. He became a flight instructor and would lend his time giving Bi-Annual flight reviews for the members of Chapter 839. Steve was also part owner with Micky Minhoff in the Glider operation at East Stroudsburg and Pegasus airports. Steve was also a military pilot and served with the Army Air Force in Panama when World War 2 broke out. He remained there until 1944 when he started flying the A-20 Attack Bomber. Steve then volunteered for Combat Cargo missions in a twin engine Curtis C-46 in which he delivered cargo to the Philippino Guerillas who were fighting the Japanese at that time. He and his Co-Pilot were momentarily captured while landing at a jungle airstrip. They managed their escape and flew the C-46 to a friendlier airstrip. Steve also flew the “Pea Shooter”, the Boeing P-26, which was the first monoplane produced for the services. In civilian life he was an Executive Pilot who mostly flew CEO’s.

Thomas Dodd—1922—2006, EAA # 523573

Tom liked to fly radio controlled models down the middle of New York City streets. He met JJ when a model aircraft had gotten stuck in a tree at the Hialeah Model Aircraft Field near Smithfield, PA, along the Delaware River. JJ recruited Tom as a member right on the spot. Tom became a steady worker in the earlier days of the Chapter, working on the N3 Pup. He was instrumental in building an EAA Bi-Plane with 839. Steve was an excellent craftsman and model aircraft builder. Steve was employed by the New York City Police Department. His military career began when he joined the Marines after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. He was in the first deployment to Guadalcanal where the Marines took Henderson Field from the Japanese. Steve was an ammunition carrier for the water-cooled 30 Caliber Machine Gun.

Neal Bond—1963-2009, EAA # 824020

Neal carried a Sport Pilot’s License and was an active member of Chapter 839. Neal flew when he could find the time and loved aviation. Apart from being an active member of our chapter, Neal also gave his time to community affairs. He was a member of the West End Radio Controlled Group for 23 years, a member of the Monroe County Bees Keepers Association, a member of the Old Time Tractors Club, a volunteer for the West End Little League and West End Soccer League, a volunteer for Boy Scout Troop # 98 and Cub Scout Pack # 98. Neal also ran a remote aircraft show for the “Make a Wish” Program called “Wings Full of Wishes.”  Neal would always find time to give of himself. All one had to do was ask. He was a true craftsman who always came up with innovative ideas when working on a project or helping a fellow member. Neal was a “doer”, a friend, and an inspiration to all that knew him.

John Parker, Sr.—1926-2010, EAA # 129210

John helped purchase a Commonwealth that was flown and owned along with Art Schwedler and John Parker Jr. The aircraft now sits in the large hangar waiting to fly once again. John Sr. was an avid aviator who received his pilot’s license in the early 1940’s. John was a World War 2 Naval Veteran and the youngest Sailor aboard the USS Tuscaloosa. At age 17, while on the ship, he shook Dwight D. Eisenhower’s hand one day prior to the D-Day invasion of Normandy. John and his dad started the Parker Oil Company in 1955. John served on the Stroudsburg School Board in the 1960’s and 70’s, was a Monroe County Commissioner, belonged to the Monroe County Housing Authority, the Monroe County Solid Waste Authority, the Mount Pocono  Municipal Airport Authority, a member of the Public Library Board and the Monroe Chapter of the American Red Cross.

Ivan L. Battern - 1925-2011, EAA # 169671

Ivan grew up in the Quad Cities of Illinois and Iowa. At the age of 16, he entered the Marine Corps and served during WWII in America Samoa, Wallis Island, Abemama and Tarawa. After the war, he attended the Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Okla. After graduation, he dusted crops in Oklahoma and Texas. He was hired as a pilot by Pan American World Airlines. Due to industry realignments, he flew for various airlines including Eastern Airlines, Trans Ocean and USOA. In 1955, he was hired by Seaboard World Airlines, a scheduled air cargo carrier, as a relief captain. In 1980 Seaboard merged with The Flying Tiger Line. He retired as a captain of the B747 in 1984. His airline career had taken him around the world.

In 1971, he purchased what was the unused Barrett Airport in Canadensis, restored it and renamed the airport the Flying Dollar. At the Flying Dollar, Captain Battern restored many airplanes and was known in the area by both locals and tourists for his aerobatic rides.