The Oregon Aviation Hall of Honor will induct six more Oregonians who have made great contributions to the field of aviation on Sunday, Oct. 18.

Lt. Col. Russell Barney of McMinnville and the late Capt. Michael King Smith will be among those inducted in ceremonies starting at 1 p.m. in the Evergreen Aviation Museum. Tickets are $20 for members and $25 for non-members.
Reservations are required. They may be made by calling 503-434-4023.

The event also will honor winners of the 2009 Capt. Michael King Smith Private Pilot and Thomas E. “Tom” Pitzer Aviation Maintenance scholarships. They are Megan Durfee of Yamhill, Bailey Swanson of Sheridan and Jeantelle Cheever of Nestucca.

The Hall of Honor annually recognizes those who have made important contributions to aviation and airpower in all fields including military, civilian, engineering, business, education and government. A committee consisting of Capt. Colin Armstrong, Jack Loacker, Mike Burrill Sr. and Stewart Bailey chooses honorees.

The 2009 honorees are:

• Lt. Col. Russell Barney, a volunteer at the Air Museum who gives presentations on the B-17, which he flew in World War II. “His unwavering devotion to educating the public about World War II and military aviation stands as an example to all who meet him,” the committee said in choosing him for induction into the Hall of Honor.

Barney was born in West Linn in 1922 and entered World War II in 1942. He served as an aircraft commander on B-17s in the 490th Bomb Group 8th Air Force, surviving 35 missions into Germany without a scratch. He also flew OA-10 Catalinas in search of downed aircrews. He returned to service in the Korean War, flying L-5s, and flew A-26s during the Vietnam War.

Barney completed 5,711 hours as a pilot and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. After his military career, he served as a college professor of business for 13 years and a management consultant for another 13.

• The late Brig. Gen. G. Robert Dodson, former chief of staff of the Oregon Air National Guard.

Born in Portland in 1904, Dodson was one of the first aviators in Oregon to receive his private pilot’s license under the new federal regulations requiring 50 hours of solo time. After joining the Air Corps Reserve in 1938, Dodson was elected governor of the National Aeronautics Association and was appointed to the state board of aeronautics in 1939.

In 1941, Dodson, then a major, was named commander of the 123rd Observation Squadron in the Oregon National Guard on active duty. During the war, he served in a number of assignments, both in the U.S. and in combat overseas.

After being promoted to Lt. Colonel with the 123rd Observation Squadron in Fort Lewis, Wash., Dodson was transferred to the 70th Tactical Reconnaissance Group based in Salinas, Calif. From there, he became the executive officer of the 89th Reconnaissance Training Wing and was ordered overseas in 1944 as the commander of the 1st Liaison Group and then to the 3rd Combat Cargo Group, both of which were based in Burma.

After the war, Dodson was responsible for reorganizing the post-war Oregon Air National Guard program. In 1949, he was reassigned to the Air Section of the Oregon National Guard and promoted to brigadier general. He was then named chief of staff, a position he held until his death in 1958.

During his service as chief of staff, he was elected as Secretary of The National Guard Association of the United States, becoming the first Air National Guardsman in the history of that association to be elected to such high office. His military decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Bronze Star, the Air Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Asiatic-Pacific Service Medal with two battle stars, the American Theater Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, and the Armed Forces Reserve Medal.

• The late Col. Kenneth Reusser, one of the most decorated pilots in Marine Corps history with two Navy crosses, four Purple Hearts and fifty-one other medals and ribbons.

Originally from the Oregon coast, Reusser enlisted in the Navy as a seaman recruit, then graduated from flight school as an officer in the Marine Corps. After he received his wings, his squadron was deployed to Guadalcanal, the first offensive response by the U.S. in World War II. On his first flight, Reusser was shot down and reported as missing in action for two weeks.

He also fought over Okinawa in a F4U-1D Corsair, providing close-air support and flying interceptions against kamikazes. This earned him the Navy Cross.

Ruesser went on to serve in the Korean War, earning his second Navy Cross by destroying a tank assembly and repair depot. He was forced to retire with permanent disability due to injuries sustained in combat while flying a helicopter rescue mission in the Vietnam War.

After retirement from the military, Reusser worked for both Lockheed Aircraft and Piasecki Helicopters, where he became a proficient Blimp pilot.

• Dennis A. Smith, a five-term U.S. Congressman for Oregon who served on many committees related to the military and veterans affairs. He also was founder and co-chair of the Congressional Aviation Forum. 

Born in Ontario, the native Oregonian has been a pilot for more than 50 years. He served in both the U.S. Air Force and the Oregon Air National Guard, flying nearly 200 combat missions in Vietnam. He was awarded an Air Medal with six oak leaf clusters and ended his military service at the rank of captain.

In civilian life, he flew for Pan American for 10 years and is chairman of the Board of Eagle Newspapers. He continues his involvement with aviation as the owner of Sun Quest Executive Air Charter and as a board member of the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum.

• The late Gerald “Gerry” Roswell Weaver, who became aviation editor of The Oregonian in 1936 and “opened up a brand new world to his readers,” the selection committee said.

As aviation editor, Weaver wrote a series of articles about obtaining his private pilots license, “Me and My Wings.” He later became a member of the Civil Air Patrol and made many friends within the aviation industry.

• The late Capt. Michael King Smith, an Oregon Air National Guard pilot and founder of the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum and the Captain Michael King Smith Educational Institute. The museum and educational institute are “the realization of his vision of a living museum that celebrates man’s overwhelming desire to fly, while honoring aviation’s rich history,” the selection committee said.

Raised in McMinnville, Smith graduated from McMinnville High School in 1984 and the University of Washington in 1989.

Soon after, he became a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force. He received his undergraduate pilot training at Columbus Air Force Base, receiving many awards, including the Commander’s Trophy, Distinguished Graduate and Flying Excellence. In 1991, he graduated from Fighter Lead-In Training School at Holloman Air Force Base and F-15 RTU at Tyndall Air Force Base. An F-15 pilot, he was a lead pilot for the 123rd Fighter Squadron of the Oregon Air National Guard.

Smith served as president of Evergreen Ventures, Inc. and Evergreen AirVenture Museum. He was the founder of Evergreen-Doe Humane Society and president and founder of Quality Aviation Services. He also served on the board of directors for Valley Community Bank.