Introduction

The South Dakota Pilots Association promotes the active support of the South Dakota Aviation Hall of Fame through the SDPA newsletter.

The SD Aviation Hall of Fame is a non-profit South Dakota corporation with federal tax-exempt status, established to honor the pioneers and contributors to South Dakota aviation. One goal of the SD Aviation Hall of Fame is to construct a building on the Black Hills Airport / Clyde Ice Field, Spearfish, SD, to display their aviation history, accomplishments, impact on South Dakota, and memorabilia.

If you know of someone from South Dakota who you believe would be a good nominee for the South Dakota Aviation Hall of Fame, please complete and submit the appropriate Nominee Application or contact Ted Miller at 605-642-0277.

The Inductees

The Home

Building Fund

Raffle

Inductees in the Aviation Hall of Fame

Three people were inducted into the SD Aviation Hall of Fame at Clyde Ice Field-Black Hills Airport, Spearfish at Black Hills Aero on September 7, 2019.

Matt Guthmiller

Born and raised in Aberdeen, Matt earned his private pilot certificate on his 17th birthday and quickly followed up with an instrument rating, then a commercial certification and seaplane and gilder ratings. In 2013 he heard about a 20-year-old from California who was the youngest person to fly solo around the world. Figuring that if someone else could do it, he could do it too. Matt decided to attempt the same record the following year. After a year of planning, finding a plane, securing sponsors, and sorting logistics, he departed El Cajon, California on May 31, 2014, in a 1981 A36 Bonanza (367HP) heading east. After 23 stops, ranging from Aberdeen to Cairo and beyond and flying 177 hours, 44 and half days, including two legs of more than 16 hours nonstop, he completed the circumnavigation on July 14, 2014. At 19 years, 7 months and 15 days, Matt Guthmiller became the youngest person to solo circumnavigate the globe by aircraft, as well as the first South Dakotan to complete such a flight. Since his flight around the world Matt has shared the experiences of his trip with audiences at venues across the country, from private businesses and conferences to the Upper Midwest Aviation Symposium, Oshkosh, Sun n Fun, and events at the Smithsonian. He continues to fly the same Bonanza and other general aviation aircraft all over the country and the planet, producing aviation films to share his adventures on YouTube as well as provide real-world educational insights for courses from companies like Sporty’s. Matt’s aviation stories on YouTube reach a global audience that has exceeded one million people (as of 2019), as he attempts to inspire others to push their own aviation envelops and introduce a new generation to general aviation.

Delbert Kolb

Delbert was born in 1937 and grew up on the family farm 20 miles south of Bison, SD. He had an early introduction to flying through four of his older brothers, who were already pilots. He obtained his private pilot license at 19, his commercial license at 22, and was working as an aerial crop sprayer by age 23. At 24, he moved his family to Spearfish. There Delbert worked for his brother, Arnold, at the Spearfish airport as an aviation mechanic, a flight instructor, and a charter pilot. He also completed antelope and fisherman counts for the SD Game Fish & Parks. At this time, he started his own aerial crop spraying business, Kolb Air Service, flying his beloved PA-18 Super Cub. At 26, Delbert moved to Sturgis to start a machine shop, Sturgis Machine Shop. During the next 10 years he worked long hours to build the machine shop and crop spraying businesses. He added a Piper PA-25 Pawnee for crop spaying and often worked evenings in the machine shop after spraying crops all day. In addition to regular maintenance work at the machine shop, he and his brother Arnold, designed and built the slurry tanks for Arnold’s B-17 firefighting tanker. After that he rebuilt two salvaged helicopters he purchased from Ellsworth AFB. Upon rebuilding the first helicopter, a Hiller UH-12B, Delbert learned to fly it, got his commercial certification, then sold it and started rebuilding the second helicopter, a Bell 47. When airworthy, he continued flying the Bell 47 for several years, completing highline patrols in the Black Hills for Black Hills Power. At age 36, he sold the Sturgis Machine Shop and moved the family to East of Sturgis near the Sturgis Airport. There he continued to spray crops, managed the Sturgis Airport for a time, and also built a new machine shop on his property that was more specialized for aviation repair. At age 73, after over 55 years of flying and 50 years of aerial crop spraying, Delbert Kolb retired from flying, yet continued to repair airplanes and helicopters for several more years. Even in full retirement, Delbert continued part of the Sturgis airport mid-morning coffee club for local pilots until his passing on March 17, 2019. He was well respected for his aviation knowledge as well as his intuitive understanding of all things mechanical.

Edward Lamar Ludtke

Ed was the driving force behind the construction of the Chapter 289 EAA Building at the Lincoln County Airport, Tea, South Dakota. The EAA building was finished in June 2003 and built debt free through the leadership of Chapter 289. Once the building was complete, activity was greatly enhanced including a monthly Pancake Breakfast, Young Eagle Rides, Fly-Ins & Civil Air Patrol. Ed has built a T18 & ten complete Van’s RV kit planes from start to finish. He has assisted many other builders with their kit plane projects. He also participated in the EAA Young Eagle Program including going to the Crow Creek Indian Reservation to give Young Eagle Rides. Ed was very active in promoting the use of Ethanol in airplanes. He helped modify the RV3A’s to burn ethanol used by the Vanguard Squadron in Airshow and demonstration Flights around South Dakota and the upper Midwest. Ed attended EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh for over 35 years and was an instructor for building workshops there. In 1991 Ed received the EAA Wright Brothers Award for his T18 that he built. He also received two EAA Outstanding Workmanship awards for his RV-6A and his RV-8. While living in the Airpark in Cotter, Arkansas, for a few years Ed hosted an Annual Weekend Fly-In for all his friends from South Dakota. Ed is a retired Air Force Master Sergeant and was a crew chief on RF84F’s and qualified as a Master Crew Chief on B47’s at Davis-Monthan AFB. He received numerous military awards during his 21 years in the Air Force. He is married to fellow pilot Nettie Myers and lives in Sioux Falls. Ed’s service to our country, dedication to his craft, promotion of general aviation and ethanol has been a significant contribution to South Dakota’s aviation community.

Inductees in the Combat Air Crew Memorial

Four people were inducted into the Combat Air Crew Memorial section of the SD Aviation Hall of Fame during a ceremony at Black Hills Airport - Clyde Ice Field, Spearfish, at Black Hills Aero on September 7, 2019.

Vice Admiral Lyle G. Bien

Lyle Bien was a Flight Officer in the U.S. Navy and served aboard multiple aircraft carriers over 11 major deployments to the Pacific flying the F-4 Phantom and F-14 Tomcat. Bien has logged more than 5,500 flight hours in fighter aircraft including 2,900 hours in the F-14, 1,300 carrier landings, and 225 combat missions (Desert Shield and Desert Storm). His awards include Defense Superior Service Medal, three legions of Merit with Combat “V,” three Meritorious Service Medals, 11 Air Medals, the Navy Unit Commendation, three Meritorious Unit Commendations, the Navy Expeditionary Medal, and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry.

Lt. Norman Bergen

Norman Bergen was born in 1920 and was from Canistota. He entered the Army Air Corps and was trained as a bombardier at Roswell, NM. In the spring of 1944 Bergen was sent overseas and stationed in England. On May 24, 1944, Bergen lost his life on a bombing mission in a B-17 over Germany headed for Berlin when his plane was hit by enemy fighters, and only one of his crew survived. He was awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart for his bravery and sacrifice in battle. Bergen was buried in the United States Military in Belgium.

Capt. Tommy Callies

Tommy Callies was born in 1943, and his home was in Howard. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1965 to 1969. In 1969 Captain Callies was attached to the 357th Tactical Fighter Squadron – Dragons, at Takhli RTAFB, Thailand. On August 1, 1969, Captain Callies was the pilot of an F-4E Phantom with 1st Lt. Douglas Burd his back-seater, having charge of navigation and bombing. When they were just about 25 miles southwest of the city of Quang Ngal, the “Skyport” radar system, which helped ground radar track the plane, was put to the test. They were on a mission to drop napalm when their aircraft was hit by enemy fire, and the plane was brought down, killing both. They remain MIA. [Capt. Callies was the nephew of Lt. Norman Bergen.]

Capt. James Huss

James Huss was born in 1945 and his home town was Faulkton. He was a helicopter pilot in the U.S. Army from 1967 to 1971 and flew the AH-1G Cobra. He was stationed in Vietnam from July 6, 1969, to Feb 1, 1971, and received several decorations, medals, badges, and commendations.

List of South Dakota Aviation Hall of Fame Inductees

(108 members as of July 7, 2023)

1991 Gen. Duane Corning Gen. Joe Foss Clyde Ice Nellie Willhite 1992 Ole Fahlin Lt. Col. Charles Gemar 1993 Clark Burton Walden Lemm Lt. Col. Howard Muchow Edison Ward 1994 Vi Cowden Luverne “Vern” A. Kraemer Glen Levitt Raymond Falon 1995 S. Russell Halley Allen C. McDonald Alvin Nelson Bob Orr, Sr. 1996 Donald C. Golay Clarence O. Hansen C.Q. “Chuck” Mateer Harley Rauch 1997 Ivan F. Ellis James Caven Cecil Ice Raymond R. Kolb 1998 William Lee Blakeman Clifford T. Bobier Edward Canice Curran Dale Glen Gregson 1999 Arnold A. Kolb Dan Hawkins Robert Burton John Moodie George Mortimer 2000 Clifford P. Adkins Marvin L. Randall Nathan Howard Kolb Arthur J. Peterson Clifford G. Raub

2001 Sam E. Dupris Kenneth L. Holm Col. Dennis Fitzgerald 2002 Ralph Burton Homer W. Claymore Vayl Oxford D. Curtis Wik 2003 David R. Ellis Delmar Deiter 2004 Gail W. Coe Jon Paul Kolba Curtis O’Dell Shupe Burdette “Ben” L. Thompson Leo F. Webber 2005 James E. Haggart Gordon O. Malzer Cecil O. Shupe James R. Winter 2006 Orvil A. Anderson William H. Green Harry Hybertson William Kepner    Dorothy Lee Phyllis E. Peterson Bruce Schiltz Albert W. Stevens 2007 Robert (Bob) W. Erlandson Ola Mildren (Rexy) Rexroat Helen Jo Severson Thomas G. Walenta 2008 Lawrence E. Pravecek Charles M. Summers Paul Edward Yost 2009 Saxe Pitts Gantz Colman L. “Buzz” Wagner Col. John F. Welch 2010 Ann Ross Kary Anderson Loes Monk Mackenzie Irma Cleveland Weigel Laurine Y. Nielsen Maxine A. Nolt Wright Marjorie Redding Christiansen Margaret E. Ehlers Twito Allen C. Tomnitz

2011 (none) 2012 Earle R. Geide James Linsy Riggs 2013 Steven R. Thompson Carol Sue Rayburn 2014 Steven J. Hamilton Nettie Myers 2015 George Ellsworth Hair Dennis D. Martens Evelyn Sharp 2016 Bernard W. Christenson Peter P. Hegg Richard Krogstad Grove A. Rathbun Lawrence A. "Bud" Sittig 2017 Ron Becker David H. Hansen Thomas B. Roberts, Jr. Forrest D. Wixon 2018 Gary Coe Randal Pfutzenreuter David Van Liere 2019 Matt Guthmiller Delbert Kolb Edward Lamar Ludtke 2020 (None due to COVID-19) 2021 (None due to COVID-19) 2022 (No inductees) 2023 (No inductees)