Jim Kurten Interview/Secret Wrecking Yard

I see some of my contributions to another website have been reproduced here from John Irwin's book on Monrovia Airport. So, I will add a bit more.
Actually Cal-Aero Field became Chino Airport. Much of it still there. Jim was a civilian instructor, Cal-Aero was a CPT (civilian pilot training) base. That's the way many of them were in the beginning of the war. Most of the instructors worked at the other Cal-Aero schools at Oxnard (Mira Loma) and Lancaster (Polaris) in addition to Cal-Aero Ontario (Chino). I visited Jim at his home on Walnut Street in Arcadia as you did and coaxed him out to the Planes of Fame Museum to share his memories. He came with his friend Lane Leonard who was also an instructor and also from Monrovia Airport. I had looked up several of the surviving instructors, and a few students (combat veterans). One was Ceasar Vai, another, lakes racer Johnny Price. They were all wonderful people with fabulous stories. I will share these pictures of Jim as an instructor, (he gave me the original picture and signed it for me) and in his later years. Jim's friend is Fred Clayton. also pictured is Lane Leonard. I was very honored to have met and talked with these guys.

 

Sad to see Jim's stuff for sale on the internet.

 

Thanks for posting Dan, always good to read about WWII veterans.

Bb