DianaT
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Circa 1940s Pilots to Bahia Asuncion???
In putting together more of the history of Bahia Asuncion, several have told us about their experiences back before Bahia Asuncion became a
town---stories about the tons and tons of Abalone and Lobster taken out by airplane back to the US.
This of course, was before the regulations that exist today. The abalone were so abundant that they even used it for lobster bait. Those limits came
later, even after the first coop that pre-dates the two that are there now. But that is wandering away from my question.
In the area, there were some dirt strips, like one near San Rapheal, but according to what we are being told, some even landed on the beach at low
tide, and one of them was a woman.
Does anyone have an idea of where to look for maybe some history about these pilots? I guess they probably flew out of Brown Field.
I e-mailed the Baja Bush Pilots and received no answer. We have found other history about the area from the San Diego Historical Society, but we are
coming up with blanks in this area.
While much of the history we are working on will be an oral history project, there are some things we are hoping to find from other sources.
THANKS
Diana
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David K
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Hi Diane, I will do some research through my book collection and post anything of interest... I do have Arnold Senterfitt's older 'Airports of Baja'
books and he always had some historic notes in the pages. Walt Peterson's 'The Baja Adventure Book' and Howard Gulick's 'Lower California Guidebook'
are good sources for local history. Erle Stanley Gardner was always dropping names and since he flew frequently with Baja's most famous bush pilot
(Francisco Muñoz), there may be some mention of other pilots in one of his great Baja books... I do recall other pilots being named.
We are heading down to the museums in Balboa Park soon, so I will work on this later,okay?
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Skeet/Loreto
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Diana:
Great Adventure!
I will go to some of my "Old" connections and see if I can come up with some information.
My first flight into Juanico was in 1968 and I bought Lobster for $1.00 each.
Skeet
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DianaT
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
Hi Diane, I will do some research through my book collection and post anything of interest... I do have Arnold Senterfitt's older 'Airports of Baja'
books and he always had some historic notes in the pages. Walt Peterson's 'The Baja Adventure Book' and Howard Gulick's 'Lower California Guidebook'
are good sources for local history. Erle Stanley Gardner was always dropping names and since he flew frequently with Baja's most famous bush pilot
(Francisco Muñoz), there may be some mention of other pilots in one of his great Baja books... I do recall other pilots being named.
We are heading down to the museums in Balboa Park soon, so I will work on this later,okay? |
Thanks just for those clues---I have a copy of the Peterson book down south and will check it and my son bought a copy of one of Gardner's book from
Juanita in San Ignacio last year, so we will check that. But, any thing you find ANYWHERE will be appreciated. I will try checking out the name of
Francisco Munoz.
Skeet---you too----Any and all information will be appreciated. We having a great time with this project and so are several people in Bahia Asuncion.
Some of them are walking history books and love telling the stories---and we think they deserve to be written down.
One story even led us to information about the fishing industry in that area before 1900- fun search as we do hope to add some history from the US
side of the border as the San Diego area has been involved in the fishing industry in that area for a very long time.
THANKS
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Skeet/Loreto
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Diana. If you can make a contact with the AOPA they may be able to help with Contacts.
Over on the East Side many of the Strips were built for the Pilots picking up Shark Oil for the States. I will look in to that aspect as most of the
Strips Iwent into were still in good shape in the late 60's and 70's.
I am afeared that most of the pilots of thos days are Long Gone. Will let you know.
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Skeet/Loreto
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Another source is the FAA by checking current Pilots 80 years and over.
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Vince
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Diana- I didn't start flying to Baja until 1974 and that was mostly Mulege. But my friends at Brown Field have been flying there and all over Baja
since the '50's and late '40's. Ken Smith was an aircraft mechanic at National City airport and later, Brown Field. His specialty was flying down to
Baja and recovering wrecked airplanes for the insurance companies. He is 93 now and still active at Brown Field and has many stories to tell of the
old days. One of his sidekicks is Bob Morse, both of those guys were also in the Sheriff's Aerosquadron and made many rescues in baja. Ken Smith loves
to tell stories and who knows, some of them may be about Bahia Asuncion.
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comitan
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Diane
I have a book--BAJA CALIFORNIA by Ralph Hanc-ck from 1953 and have gone thru it for anything about Asuncian and did not find anything.
Strive For The Ideal, But Deal With What\'s Real.
Every day is a new day, better than the day before.(from some song)
Lord, Keep your arm around my shoulder and your hand over my mouth.
“The sincere pursuit of truth requires you to entertain the possibility that everything you believe to be true may in fact be false”
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David K
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In books on Asuncion runway pilots...
1967 Airports of Baja: Only notes are the runway is used by B-18's, C-46 etc.
1969-1977 Airports of Baja: Nothing of historic interest mentioned.
1987 Airports of Baja: Nothing of historic interest.
Bummer... I just checked Galen's 'Air Baja!' and Gulick's Lower Ca Guidebook and a few others... Nothing on pilots working out of Asuncion...
If I find something, I will let you know!
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DianaT
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Vince
Diana- I didn't start flying to Baja until 1974 and that was mostly Mulege. But my friends at Brown Field have been flying there and all over Baja
since the '50's and late '40's. Ken Smith was an aircraft mechanic at National City airport and later, Brown Field. His specialty was flying down to
Baja and recovering wrecked airplanes for the insurance companies. He is 93 now and still active at Brown Field and has many stories to tell of the
old days. One of his sidekicks is Bob Morse, both of those guys were also in the Sheriff's Aerosquadron and made many rescues in baja. Ken Smith loves
to tell stories and who knows, some of them may be about Bahia Asuncion. |
Oh, the possibilities are exciting! We are leaving in a couple of days, but when we get back, I can't wait to pursue this! Maybe, must maybe there
will be more oral history to add to the mix. I LOVE listening to these old stories---they are such a valuable part of history.
And please, everyone else who has offered ideas and who is looking, keep it up! One clue leads to another! And we will follow all of them.
THANKS!
Diana
[Edited on 9-27-2010 by DianaT]
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capt. mike
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you need to talk to Art Willis an insurance recovery agent and also Juan Escalante both connected at Brown field.
also i'd find out what mexican carriers and freighters were running then and your source for that is to find some of the Murrillo family around
Asuncion and their progenitors are young pilots working the mex airlines now.
formerly Ordained in Rev. Ewing\'s Church by Mail - busted on tax fraud.......
Now joined L. Ron Hoover\'s church of Appliantology
\"Remember there is a big difference between kneeling down and bending over....\"
www.facebook.com/michael.l.goering |
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DianaT
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| Quote: | Originally posted by capt. mike
you need to talk to Art Willis an insurance recovery agent and also Juan Escalante both connected at Brown field.
also i'd find out what mexican carriers and freighters were running then and your source for that is to find some of the Murrillo family around
Asuncion and their progenitors are young pilots working the mex airlines now. |
Thanks---when we get back, sounds like I need to work on all the Brown Field connections.
Murrillo---a very common name around those parts ---
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larryC
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
Hi Diane, I will do some research through my book collection and post anything of interest... I do have Arnold Senterfitt's older 'Airports of Baja'
books and he always had some historic notes in the pages. Walt Peterson's 'The Baja Adventure Book' and Howard Gulick's 'Lower California Guidebook'
are good sources for local history. Erle Stanley Gardner was always dropping names and since he flew frequently with Baja's most famous bush pilot
(Francisco Muñoz), there may be some mention of other pilots in one of his great Baja books... I do recall other pilots being named.
Diana
Francisco Munoz died a few years ago, but his widow lives in Crest, a few miles east of El Cajon. She may have some info or old photos. If you want to
talk to her u2u me and I will give you her contact info.
Larry |
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DianaT
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Thanks Larry----we will probably contact you---really appreciate it!
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vacaenbaja
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There were a few pilots who after WW2 would make the "daring
run" to lobster rich areas along the baja coast such as Abreojos where they would load up
and head north dodging mexican immigration. Some how I seem to vaguely recall a Fying Tiger connection.
I am trying to remember the book where one guy told his
tale of these types of exploits.
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David K
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| Quote: | Originally posted by vacaenbaja
There were a few pilots who after WW2 would make the "daring
run" to lobster rich areas along the baja coast such as Abreojos where they would load up
and head north dodging mexican immigration. Some how I seem to vaguely recall a Fying Tiger connection.
I am trying to remember the book where one guy told his
tale of these types of exploits. |
This one, perhaps?
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capt. mike
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i think Vern Moldren wrote about it in his seminal book of vinettes regards the flying tigers after WWII.
he died a few years ago. any pilot needs to read those stories, incredible remembrances.
i am lucky, met Vern and have an autographed copy. he retired to Prescott.
formerly Ordained in Rev. Ewing\'s Church by Mail - busted on tax fraud.......
Now joined L. Ron Hoover\'s church of Appliantology
\"Remember there is a big difference between kneeling down and bending over....\"
www.facebook.com/michael.l.goering |
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