Sep 29
Bomber crews were taking the fight to German targets. Britain and Germany had learned from bitter experience that bombers little better than big explosive targets for a well-trained group of fighter squadrons. The technology to escort bombers deep into enemy territory was still in development and American bomber crews would now pay for that shortcoming. …
Mar 31
John J. Hutchins, a Paso Robles attorney protested before the San Luis Obispo County Board of Suprvisors. He filed an injunction claiming that $40,000 was too much to pay for the six parcels of land that would become the airport. Federal authorities wanted to invest $300,000 to build runways, drainage and lighting for a national …
Mar 09
Eto street was officially erased from the city map. Apparently the 1941 era City of San Luis Obispo felt that the war effort was hampered by having a Japanese surname on the rolls. It was renamed Brook Street in early March 1942. The name would not be changed back at the end of the war …
Feb 12
Seventy years ago the Japanese residents of the county were about to be sent to relocation camps. Some lost everything, others had more caring neighbors as seen in the story below published February 21, 2000. RECALLING CENTRAL COAST’S ‘SILENT HEROES’ WHEN JAPANESE-AMERICANS WERE PLACED IN CAMPS IN WWII, THEIR NEIGHBORS STOOD BY THEM by Andrea …
Feb 04
The Paso Robles Chamber of Commerce surprised the county and city of San Luis Obispo on January 29, 1942 by announcing they would be happy to have a federally constructed airport. City leaders had been in negotiations with the Civil Aeronautics Authority for two months as the San Luis Obispo city and county avoided committing …
Jan 16
A yellow biplane is a regular sight today off the coast of Pismo Beach but the coast’s aviation dates back over 100 years earlier. This picture postcard from the files of the Tribune has scrawled on the back in pencil instructions for publication – “2 col” and a few scant words of caption information. “Landed …
Jan 14
San Luis Obispo County grew in astounding ways during World War II. One metric previously written about here were the huge demands placed on schools as new families moved in. Another indicator of impact could be found at the Post Office. Postal receipts for San Luis Obispo reached an all time high in 1941, almost …
Nov 26
Swift Aire was remembered fondly by many who worked for it. The San Luis Obispo airline went out of business in 1981 after 12 years of service. The cause depended on who you were talking to, various articles cited — airline deregulation, PATCO air controllers strike, inflation, a new owner with big ambitions and little …
Nov 23
The chief pilot for Swift Aire, John D. Hurst, was a World War II fighter ace. He flew the twin engined P-38 Lightning in Europe. The aircraft had a good record in the tropical Pacific but in the colder European theater it proved less than ideal. Though the fighter aircraft had excellent range and powerful …
Nov 22
My first flight into town came on a an airline born in San Luis Obispo, Swift-Aire. Scheduled airline service began March 20, 1969 with four flights a day. Flights had stops in San Jose, San Francisco, and Sacramento. Connections to Los Angeles would be added in June. The line also offered charter service in addition …
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