Fri Dec 26, 2008 7:55 am
warbird1 wrote:Does anybody know what Lefty flew during the War?
B-24's and -17's. He always regretted not being assigned to fighters while in the military.
Fri Dec 26, 2008 3:12 pm
Condolences to his family, and a salute to a fine pilot.
Bill Calmes
Cartwright Aerial Surveys, Inc.
Bill Calmes
Cartwright Aerial Surveys, Inc.
Fri Dec 26, 2008 3:38 pm
I too am sorry to see Lefty go and offer my condolances to those closest to him. What a life and what a legacy he leaves. I too was fortunate enough to have seen Lefty perform on multiple ocassions, some of which were early enough to include the single engine aerobatics. Nothing else has matched it.
Fri Dec 26, 2008 4:23 pm
I got this message from the P-38 National Assn. who got it from Lefty's son, Ladd.
"My dad's funeral will be held at Trinity Baptist Church, 800 Jackson Rd., Kerrville, TX 78028 at 2:00 PM on Monday December 29th. Please pass the information along to everyone that you think may like to attend."
I envy those of you who got to see him fly White Lightning.
Mudge the saddened
"My dad's funeral will be held at Trinity Baptist Church, 800 Jackson Rd., Kerrville, TX 78028 at 2:00 PM on Monday December 29th. Please pass the information along to everyone that you think may like to attend."
I envy those of you who got to see him fly White Lightning.
Mudge the saddened
Fri Dec 26, 2008 4:32 pm
I was lucky to meet him once, lucky to sit in White Lighting once at Reno and lucky to see him fly the P-38 a few times. Big, big loss.
Goodspeed ...
Goodspeed ...
Last edited by Hellcat on Fri Dec 26, 2008 5:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I spent an evening with Lefty once on the airshow road...
Fri Dec 26, 2008 4:49 pm
Lefty, George Roberts myself and a bottle of wild turkey. I only wish I had a tape recorder to document all the stories that were traded that night. Thanks for the good times Lefty.....
Fri Dec 26, 2008 6:32 pm
Lefty was truly one of the great ones and will be missed. My condolences to the Gardner family.
Re: I spent an evening with Lefty once on the airshow road..
Sat Dec 27, 2008 9:22 am
jet1 wrote:Lefty, George Roberts myself and a bottle of wild turkey. I only wish I had a tape recorder to document all the stories that were traded that night. Thanks for the good times Lefty.....
Is George still with us by chance???
Lynn
LIVE AND KICKING...
Sat Dec 27, 2008 11:45 am
Lynn Allen wrote:jet1 wrote:Lefty, George Roberts myself and a bottle of wild turkey. I only wish I had a tape recorder to document all the stories that were traded that night. Thanks for the good times Lefty.....
Is George still with us by chance???
Lynn[/quot
still cantankerous, still drinking old grand dad, still eating that awful pickled fish.
Sat Dec 27, 2008 12:41 pm
This just in from Steve Brown, President CAF... Lefty was quite a guy! He'll be missed...
ON THE FLY - Special Edition – The Passing of a CAF Legend
From: Steve Brown
I was notified late Christmas Eve of the passing of a CAF giant – Col Marvin L. (Lefty) Gardner, age 87. Born on September 10, 1921 Lefty was a Founding Member #110 of the Confederate Air Force. There is an extensive article on Col Gardner coming up in Dispatch, but a few details that you should know: According to the History of the Ghost Squadron, the original “blue book”, Lefty is mentioned on page 19 as participating in the third CAF aircraft recovery mission, when “a group of Colonels flew to Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, to return six North American AT-6’s: purchased from the Royal Canadian Air Force. “ Lefty was involved in most every important aircraft recovery and “CAF Military Airshow” for many years to come. Lefty became well known flying the P-38, “White Lightning”. (Photos attached)
In 1961 the CAF created the Silver Magnolia Blossom award for “Acts of valor above and beyond the line of duty.” Col Lefty Gardner was the first of two initial recipients, “…for the safe return of three aircraft..” the Corsair from Arizona, the P-40 from Florida and the P-38 from California.” So, as you can see, Lefty traveled a great bit in the early quest to collect, what became, the bedrock of the CAF of today.
The CAF was founded with a fabulous sense of humor and plenty of tongue in cheek was found in their earliest communications and citations. Below are excerpts from this first Silver Magnolia Blossom.
18 April 1962
*CITATION*
Lefty Gardner, 60-110, Colonel, Confederate Air Force, for gallantry in action in the heroic achievement at great personal risk, in connection with CAF operations over Union Outposts in California, Arizona and Florida, did under extremely adverse conditions, achieve the following:
Early on the morning of 10 September 1961, weary-eyed from poisonous Yankee whiskey, Col Gardner managed to find his way to the Sacramento Airport to take delivery of one P-38 aircraft on behalf of the Confederate Air Force and deliver said aircraft to CAF headquarters. He surveyed the cockpit and determined the use and purpose of each and every switch – except four – stowed his gear in the proper place, started the engines, roared down the runway and into the blue California sky and headed for DIXIE.
Colonel Gardner had very carefully stowed his magnetic clip flashlight to the side of his magnetic compass. Although there was some doubt as to the location of true north, Colonel Gardner was always able to locate his flashlight. After flying for one hour and 72 minutes along the great circle route at true airspeed of 328 mph, he landed at an airport which was 62 miles from take-off point. Removing his flashlight from the compass, Colonel Gardner, undaunted, proceeded on his journey. While crossing the Sierra Nevadas, Colonel Gardner found that his main fuel tank had become filled with air, at which time both engines quit. With utmost dispatch and cool logic Colonel Gardner, by process of elimination, moved all switches and valves until the engines again began to function. Having surmounted these difficulties he was then, through exceptional skill in the science of navigation, able to locate the State of Arizona. However, it soon became obvious they had recently moved the City of Phoenix to a new location. Whereupon, Colonel Gardner landed at the first available airfield and, as thousands of onlookers admired this dashing Rebel aviator who emerged from his great flying machine, he uttered the famous words of many a pioneer before him: ‘Where am I?’
The citation continues on a bit but ends with what, I think, is a fitting closing tribute for Col Marvin L. “Lefty” Gardner, as he along with the other visionary members set in motion the Warbird movement of today. This tribute, written 46 years ago is most appropriate today as a founding legend of the Confederate Air Force, Heads West - SB
His actions materially aided in procuring three fighter aircraft, thereby saving them from Yankee smelters. His actions will do much to familiarize this and coming generations with these fighter aircraft as well as with superior judgment, tactical skill, and personal courage of the typical Rebel aviator. The high qualities of judgment, and devotion to duty displayed by Colonel Gardner, and the fact that he got here A-tall, reflects great credit upon himself and the Confederate Air Force.
By the order of:
JETHRO E. CULPEPER
Colonel, CAF
Commander
Lefty’s son, Ladd Gardner passed along the following communication:
My dad's funeral will be held at Trinity Baptist Church, 800 Jackson Rd.,
Kerrville, TX 78028 at 2:00 PM on Monday December 29th. Please pass the
information along to everyone that you think may like to attend.
Please keep Lefty’s wife - Sharon, Son – Ladd and brother – Doyle, in your prayers.
Steve
Stephan C. Brown
President / CEO
Commemorative Air Force (CAF)
PO Box 62000
Midland, TX 79711- 2000
o - (432) 563-1000 x 2224
c - (850) 978-2736
www.commemorativeairforce.org
ON THE FLY - Special Edition – The Passing of a CAF Legend
From: Steve Brown
I was notified late Christmas Eve of the passing of a CAF giant – Col Marvin L. (Lefty) Gardner, age 87. Born on September 10, 1921 Lefty was a Founding Member #110 of the Confederate Air Force. There is an extensive article on Col Gardner coming up in Dispatch, but a few details that you should know: According to the History of the Ghost Squadron, the original “blue book”, Lefty is mentioned on page 19 as participating in the third CAF aircraft recovery mission, when “a group of Colonels flew to Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, to return six North American AT-6’s: purchased from the Royal Canadian Air Force. “ Lefty was involved in most every important aircraft recovery and “CAF Military Airshow” for many years to come. Lefty became well known flying the P-38, “White Lightning”. (Photos attached)
In 1961 the CAF created the Silver Magnolia Blossom award for “Acts of valor above and beyond the line of duty.” Col Lefty Gardner was the first of two initial recipients, “…for the safe return of three aircraft..” the Corsair from Arizona, the P-40 from Florida and the P-38 from California.” So, as you can see, Lefty traveled a great bit in the early quest to collect, what became, the bedrock of the CAF of today.
The CAF was founded with a fabulous sense of humor and plenty of tongue in cheek was found in their earliest communications and citations. Below are excerpts from this first Silver Magnolia Blossom.
18 April 1962
*CITATION*
Lefty Gardner, 60-110, Colonel, Confederate Air Force, for gallantry in action in the heroic achievement at great personal risk, in connection with CAF operations over Union Outposts in California, Arizona and Florida, did under extremely adverse conditions, achieve the following:
Early on the morning of 10 September 1961, weary-eyed from poisonous Yankee whiskey, Col Gardner managed to find his way to the Sacramento Airport to take delivery of one P-38 aircraft on behalf of the Confederate Air Force and deliver said aircraft to CAF headquarters. He surveyed the cockpit and determined the use and purpose of each and every switch – except four – stowed his gear in the proper place, started the engines, roared down the runway and into the blue California sky and headed for DIXIE.
Colonel Gardner had very carefully stowed his magnetic clip flashlight to the side of his magnetic compass. Although there was some doubt as to the location of true north, Colonel Gardner was always able to locate his flashlight. After flying for one hour and 72 minutes along the great circle route at true airspeed of 328 mph, he landed at an airport which was 62 miles from take-off point. Removing his flashlight from the compass, Colonel Gardner, undaunted, proceeded on his journey. While crossing the Sierra Nevadas, Colonel Gardner found that his main fuel tank had become filled with air, at which time both engines quit. With utmost dispatch and cool logic Colonel Gardner, by process of elimination, moved all switches and valves until the engines again began to function. Having surmounted these difficulties he was then, through exceptional skill in the science of navigation, able to locate the State of Arizona. However, it soon became obvious they had recently moved the City of Phoenix to a new location. Whereupon, Colonel Gardner landed at the first available airfield and, as thousands of onlookers admired this dashing Rebel aviator who emerged from his great flying machine, he uttered the famous words of many a pioneer before him: ‘Where am I?’
The citation continues on a bit but ends with what, I think, is a fitting closing tribute for Col Marvin L. “Lefty” Gardner, as he along with the other visionary members set in motion the Warbird movement of today. This tribute, written 46 years ago is most appropriate today as a founding legend of the Confederate Air Force, Heads West - SB
His actions materially aided in procuring three fighter aircraft, thereby saving them from Yankee smelters. His actions will do much to familiarize this and coming generations with these fighter aircraft as well as with superior judgment, tactical skill, and personal courage of the typical Rebel aviator. The high qualities of judgment, and devotion to duty displayed by Colonel Gardner, and the fact that he got here A-tall, reflects great credit upon himself and the Confederate Air Force.
By the order of:
JETHRO E. CULPEPER
Colonel, CAF
Commander
Lefty’s son, Ladd Gardner passed along the following communication:
My dad's funeral will be held at Trinity Baptist Church, 800 Jackson Rd.,
Kerrville, TX 78028 at 2:00 PM on Monday December 29th. Please pass the
information along to everyone that you think may like to attend.
Please keep Lefty’s wife - Sharon, Son – Ladd and brother – Doyle, in your prayers.
Steve
Stephan C. Brown
President / CEO
Commemorative Air Force (CAF)
PO Box 62000
Midland, TX 79711- 2000
o - (432) 563-1000 x 2224
c - (850) 978-2736
www.commemorativeairforce.org
Sat Dec 27, 2008 1:38 pm
Anyone flying into the funeral and needing ground transportation let me know (P.M.) as I will be picking up Lynn and will give a ride to anyone else needing one.
Sat Dec 27, 2008 3:02 pm
Thanks for posting that Taylor. White Lightning and Lefty will always be my favorites. He enriched the aviation community in an incredible way.
Les
Les
Sat Dec 27, 2008 3:21 pm
Very sad that another legend of warbirds is lost
Sat Dec 27, 2008 3:58 pm
Just FYI...The way I understand it, Nelson Ezell is going to fly Lefty's old P-38 during the funeral services, along with Lewis Shaw in Lefty's old P-51, Thunderbird, and Howard Pardue in his Wildcat. I don't know who the fourth pilot/plane is going to be though.
Gary
Gary
Sat Dec 27, 2008 5:10 pm
retroaviation wrote:Just FYI...The way I understand it, Nelson Ezell is going to fly Lefty's old P-38 during the funeral services, along with Lewis Shaw in Lefty's old P-51, Thunderbird, and Howard Pardue in his Wildcat. I don't know who the fourth pilot/plane is going to be though.
That sounds like it will be a great tribute!