Complete Training as Army Pilots
Among thousands of new fighter and bomber pilots who received silver wings at graduation exercises last weekend at the 11 advanced pilot schools of the army air forces central flying training command, with headquarters at Randolph field, Texas, were several youths from the Sioux City territory.
The pilots from this area and the fields at which they took their final training included: Paul F. Swenk, Cherokee, Iowa, Frederick field, Oklahoma; Dale L. Samuelson, Wayne, Nebr., Brooks field, Texas; Warren W. Patefield, Laurel, Neb., Ellington field, Texas; Frederick R. Rewinkel, Lyons, Nebr., Moore field, Texas; Robert H. Maneman, Fonda, Iowa, Ellington field; Simon Roetman, Hull, Iowa, Lubbock, Tex.; Paul W. Helmer, Carroll, Iowa, Ellington field; Theodore R. Nelson, Sibley, Iowa, Altus field, Oklahoma; Donald F. McKenna, Storm Lake, Foster field, Texas; Kenneth W. Coates, Storm Lake, Altus field; and Robert H. Johnson, Wall Lake, Iowa, Blackland field, Texas. All were commissioned as second lieutenants with the exception of Kenneth Coates who is a flight officer.
Source: The Sioux City Journal, December 7, 1943
Donald Francis McKenna was born June 29, 1922 to Joseph and Frances Grace Wright McKenna. He died Mar. 11, 1965 and is buried in Saint Marys Catholic Cemetery, Storm Lake, IA.
Maj. McKenna served in World War II with the U.S. Army Air Corps and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal and 17 Oak Leaf Clusters.
Source: ancestry.com
