Harold G. Buttles
Harold was born in Delano California on May 5, 1920, and grew up in the area working at grocery stores and the local airport where he learned to fly.
After graduating from the junior college in Fullerton, he volunteered for the Army Air Corp. He was the only student that had numerous air hours flying. Harold was transferred to Merced, California, where he was a trainer for the Air Corp at Castle Air Field. While in Merced, he met the love of his life; Marjorie Sumner and they married in 1943. Soon after, he was sent overseas to fly bomber missions in the Mediterranean Theater..Flying B-24s, he went on 35 missions and received the Medal of Valor.
Returning to California, he earned his degree in civil engineering and worked in construction, estimating bids for large projects, including dams, tunnels, and freeways. Continuing with his love of flying, Harold built his first airplane, a HyperBipe. With Marjorie as his navigator, they flew around the country to various fly-ins like Oshkosh.
After moving to an airpark in Tucson, Arizona, Harold built his second plane, a GlasAir, which was much faster. He gave up flying after retiring to Gardnerville in 1992, but found new projects to keep busy. First was a 1965 Cobra kit car and then a restoration on a 1965 Mustang.
Deciding it was too hard to crawl under cars anymore, Harold turned to carving Carousel animals; a hobby his mother-in-law enjoyed. He carved a horse, a cat, and a rabbit. Then made mode l airplanes of all the planes he flew.
In 2015, Harold went on an Honor Flight to Washington DC which was a great experience. Marjorie and Harold were married 76 years; Marjorie passing in February 2020.
Harold leaves 3 sons; Mike (Pat), Buzzy, and Andy (Beverley) and numerous close friends.
-->Harold was born in Delano California on May 5, 1920, and grew up in the area working at grocery stores and the local airport where he learned to fly.
After graduating from the junior college in Fullerton, he volunteered for the Army Air Corp. He was the only student that had numerous air hours flying. Harold was transferred to Merced, California, where he was a trainer for the Air Corp at Castle Air Field. While in Merced, he met the love of his life; Marjorie Sumner and they married in 1943. Soon after, he was sent overseas to fly bomber missions in the Mediterranean Theater..Flying B-24s, he went on 35 missions and received the Medal of Valor.
Returning to California, he earned his degree in civil engineering and worked in construction, estimating bids for large projects, including dams, tunnels, and freeways. Continuing with his love of flying, Harold built his first airplane, a HyperBipe. With Marjorie as his navigator, they flew around the country to various fly-ins like Oshkosh.
After moving to an airpark in Tucson, Arizona, Harold built his second plane, a GlasAir, which was much faster. He gave up flying after retiring to Gardnerville in 1992, but found new projects to keep busy. First was a 1965 Cobra kit car and then a restoration on a 1965 Mustang.
Deciding it was too hard to crawl under cars anymore, Harold turned to carving Carousel animals; a hobby his mother-in-law enjoyed. He carved a horse, a cat, and a rabbit. Then made mode l airplanes of all the planes he flew.
In 2015, Harold went on an Honor Flight to Washington DC which was a great experience. Marjorie and Harold were married 76 years; Marjorie passing in February 2020.
Harold leaves 3 sons; Mike (Pat), Buzzy, and Andy (Beverley) and numerous close friends.