Dive Bomber Pilot Won Thompson Trophy Twice

It is with sadness ANN has learned former Naval aviator Cook Cleland, 90, died Friday after a brief illness.

Cleland was born in Cleveland, OH, in December, 1916. He joined the Navy in 1940 taking his flight training at Lambert Field in Missouri, qualifying as a dive bomber pilot in Pensacola, FL. During WWII, Cleland was assigned to the USS Lexington flying a Douglas SBD Dauntless (type shown below.)

After the war, Cleland came home and bought an airport, the former Euclid Avenue Airport in Willoughby, OH. He rechristened it Cook Cleland's Euclid Avenue Airport and opened the FBO offering flight lessons, air charter and banner towing.

The little airfield had sod runways and a single hangar, according to Abandoned and Little-Known Airfields website. Cleland purchased surplus three PBY Catalina Flying Boats. He sold two and opened Cook Cleland's Catalina's Airways with the third with the intent being to transport hunters to Kodiak, AK, for hunting and fishing trips.

He achieved his dream of winning the Thompson Trophy in the Cleveland National Air Races - twice - in 1947 and 1949 in a Goodyear F2G-1 Super Corsair, according to the Pensacola News Journal.

According to the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America, the 1947 race "was a record-setting victory for Cleland at 396 mph for 20 laps of the 15-mile race course." In the 1949 race, "Cleland dominated the race, winning at 397 mph, which remained the record for the class until the late 1960's."

Cleland was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2000.

"My dad was an exciting father who had a zeal for life and never took anything for granted," said Cleland's son, Todd.

Cleland was recalled into active duty for the Korean War around 1950. His airfield closed and was off the maps by 1952. He retired in 1967 while stationed in Kodiak, AK. He then returned to Pensacola and opened an antiques store with his wife, Ora Lee.

"I felt fortunate as a child growing up," Todd Cleland said. "He taught me the meaning of hard work, trust and responsibility. He also instilled upon me that I could do anything."

Pensacola resident JoAnn Banks-Rochez was a frequent customer of Cleland's antique store.

"I know that he loved his antiques, but I think he was equally in love with his airplanes and naval career," she said.

Sandy Espy, a fellow shop owner, said, 'I know of people who came from all over the region just to shop at Mr. Cleland's store. They enjoyed talking with him because he had lots of tales to tell."

FMI: www.mshf.com, www.airfields-freeman.com