Harlin "Noggin" Neuman joined the
Army Air Forces in 1942 and became
a
B-17 pilot at the early age of 19. He was awarded the Distinguished
Flying Cross, Air Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, American Theater
Ribbon, Victory Ribbon, European African Middle East Ribbon with
five bronze stars and the Presidential Unit Citation. Harlin is included in the
book,
Heroes of the 483rd.
Shortly after 10 intensive weeks of training, Harlin's group was assigned
to the 483rd and began flying combat missions.
Following the war Noggin continued in aviation. He spent countless
hours of personal pleasure flying and became a flight instructor at the
Outagamie County Airport and also instructed at Oshkosh along with
flying charter.
We don't have all the facts as we would like, but Noggin stopped flying
for many years while in business until after his retirement. In 1992 he bought
a Cherokee 160 and began flying out of 68C once again until his health
declined in 2003. He became a member of the Grand Army Home in
King, WI until he passed away on May 30, 2005; fitting that a war hero
died on Memorial Day.
To the very end his passion was love of flight!
When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you will have been and there you will always long to return.
- Leonardo da Vinci