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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 with all the pilots' signatures and helpful cross-references to pilots and their aircraft is available at the link. Or use this FORM to order a copy signed by the author, while supplies last.

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http://www.cafepress.com/content/global/img/spacer.gifThe Congress of Ghosts 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 It includes across 277 pages previously unpublished photographs and texts, and facsimiles of personal letters, diaries and military orders.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 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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Art Goebel's Own Story 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 is available at the link. What was it like to fly from Oakland to Honolulu in a single-engine plane during August 1927? Was the 25,000 dollar prize worth it? Did the resulting fame balance the risk? For the first time ever, this book presents the pilot and navigator's stories written by them within days of their record-setting adventure. Pilot Art Goebel and navigator William V. Davis, Jr. take us with them on the Woolaroc, their orange and blue Travel Air monoplane (NX869) as they enter the hazardous world of Golden Age trans-oceanic air racing.

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Clover Field: The First Century of Aviation in the Golden State. 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.

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L.B. "BREEZY" COX

Lionel Bert "Breezy" Cox arrived at Tucson as a passenger in Waco NC14086 on December 1, 1935. His pilot was M.W. Sawyer of Tucson, AZ. They arrived from Florence, AZ and Sawyer noted in the Remarks column of the Register, "Rodeoing." The airplane bore S/N 4220 and it was manufactured in 1934. NC14086 was owned by Marshall Sawyer.

The "Rodeoing" remark is significant, since "Breezy" Cox was, indeed, a rodeo performer of some reputation, and a champion all-around cowboy. For example, he was the saddle bronc champion at the 1925, and the tie-down roping champion of 1926, at the Calgary Stampede. Below, a photograph of Cox riding at the Calgary Stampede of 1929. The next four photographs are shared with us by site visitor Craig Ringer, who is researching Mr. Cox and the "Puncher's Parada" rodeo (see below).

"Breezy" Cox, 1929, Riding #153 (Source: Ringer)
"Breezy" Cox, 1929, Riding #153 (Source: Ringer)

Below, Mr. Cox "unloading" from his horse, "Powder River." Mr. Ringer states about this photograph, "The Tucson Rodeo photo was probably taken around the mid-1920s."

"Breezy" Cox "Unloading" From Powder River (Source: Ringer)

Mr. Ringer states about Cox and this flight through Tucson, "It appears that Cox might have been in Florence to attend the 'Junior Parada' that had replaced the 'Punchers' Parada' in which he had participated [earlier].  The last 'Punchers' Parada' was held in 1930 and seems to have ended due to the effects of the Great Depression.  However, in 1932, a junior event was instituted to raise money to help the poor and undernourished children.  It was probably held Thanksgiving weekend, which would fit with the date of his trip to Tucson.  By the way, I have evidence of Cox having participated in the Punchers' Parada in 1926 and 1929 (at least)."

Below, also from Mr. Ringer, a U.S. Post Office cachet commemorating the dedication of the Florence, AZ airport, October 12, 1929. This envelope is on display at the Pinal County Historical Society in Florence, AZ. The link takes you to an unofficial Web site of the Society Museum.

U.S. Postal Cachet, October 12, 1929 (Source: Pinal County Historical Society via Ringer)
U.S. Postal Cachet, October 12, 1929 (Source: Ringer)

 

Highway Map, 1938, Showing Florence Airport (Source: Ringer)
Highway Map, 1938, Showing Florence Airport (Source: Ringer)

Mr. Ringer says, "I went to the local Historical Society and found an envelope that has a cancellation in recognition of the dedication of the Florence Airfield.  It's dated October 12, 1929...."  He also shares (left), "... a copy of a portion of a 1938 Sinclair road map that shows an airport south of town.  This would be the location for the one dedicated in 1929.  That property is now the Charlie Whitlow Rodeo Arena and is used for Florence's Junior Parada [see the Museum link for details].  The envelope is signed by Thum, the Mayor of Florence at that time."

Further, he states, "Somewhat prior to 1929 (at least in 1919) they landed planes behind the high school which is located on South Main in Florence.  An article in the November 22, 1919 issue of the Arizona Blade-Tribune said (in describing the location for the first Punchers' Parada): 'located on the grounds back of the high school that was used for a landing ground for the aeroplane during San Carlos day.'”

L.B. "Breezy" Cox, ca. late 1920s
L.B. "Breezy" Cox, ca. late 1920s

At right, an image of Cox riding the bronco "Black Powder", probably in a Texas rodeo.

Cox got into horse racing in 1940 as trainer and owner. He and a partner bought and sold a couple of horses and, in 1944, had a winner over the mile in a horse named "Hard Twist". They had parlayed an original $300 investment in their first horse into a win of $11,770 at the Longacres Mile. All totaled they won over $38,000 with "Hard Twist".

In his later years (1977) Cox trained a buffalo, named "Lollipop" to be a mascot for the West Texas State University athletic teams. As well, he taught a team of campus "Herdsmen" to handle "Lollipop" on their own during their games.

I know nothing else about Mr. Cox; birth/death dates, post-rodeo life, etc. If you can help, please let me KNOW. One Web source states that he lived from 1900-1960, and that he retired from rodeos about 1956 after he broke his leg. There are a couple of photographs at the link.

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UPLOADED: 10/07/07 REVISED: 05/17/11

 
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Bottom image of "Breezy" Cox courtesy of the El Paso, TX Public Library.

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