Duluth-born Wayne Gatlin enlisted in the aviation cadet program in 1942. Later he flew 55 combat missions for the 360th Fighter Group in England and downed an ME-262 jet fighter. In 1948 he joined the Texas Air National Guard but eventually transferred to Duluth, where he became operations officer for the 179th Fighter Interceptor Squadron. Gatlin flew jet fighters while stationed at Duluth during the Korean War. He was the high individual scorer at the 1954, 1955 and 1956 National Air Guard gunnery meets.

Gatlin served as commander of the Air Technician Detachment at Duluth, wing commander, group commander and finally chief of staff for the Minnesota Air National Guard. He logged over 6,700 military flying hours during his career.

Gatlin studied photography over the years and his marvelous portraits of Guard aircraft have appeared in many publications and journals.

Inducted 2000

Hastings-born Francis Geng learned auto mechanics as a youth. He enlisted in the Navy during World War I as a machinists mate and later transferred to the Naval Air Service, training at the Dunwoody Institute in Minneapolis. He served active duty on anti-sub patrol in New York. In 1927 he became the airport manager at the new St. Paul Municipal Airport. He supervised all airfield activities including fueling, rentals, service and maintenance. The field became a popular stop for politicians and personalities and provided an overnight for the famous Ford Air Tours.

Geng lobbied the St. Paul City Council to expand the municipal airport to accommodate airline service. In 1930, Northwest Airlines built their maintenance facility there. He helped secure a base for the Minnesota Air Guard and a home for Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing aviation. In the 1930s he oversaw the WPA programs that paved new runways, installed lighting and built a new terminal.

Geng retired after 34 years as manager.

Inducted 1994

Born in Minneapolis, MN, Grazzini served with the U.S. Army, stationed in Italy as a front-line parts specialist. After the war he graduated from St. Thomas College with a degree in accounting and joined the Air National Guard in Minneapolis.

He found a passion in flying, received his ratings and managed a flying club. In 1961 he founded Thunderbird Aviation at Flying Cloud Airport and took on a Piper dealership. Soon the business grew until it operated the largest Piper fleet in that company’s network. Today it is one of Minnesota’s premier fixed-base operations.

Inducted 2003