GRAVETTE -- The libraries at Gravette High School and Gravette Middle School received a valuable resource earlier this month when the Gravette Historical Museum Commission donated copies of "War Bird Ace," the biography of World War I air ace Field Kindley.
The book's author, Jack Ballard, gave the commission a case of his books to sell as a fundraiser for the museum and, in doing so, he requested that one of the volumes be given to each of the libraries.
Captain Field E. Kindley was one of America's foremost World War I heroes, becoming the nation's fourth-ranked fighter ace by shooting down 12 German aircraft in 1918. He earned the title "Aerial Knight of the Ozarks" and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster by the U.S. government and the Distinguished Flying Cross by the British government. He was inducted into the Arkansas Aviation Historical Society Hall of Fame on Nov. 19, 1982. Kindley Memorial Park in Gravette was named for him.
Field Kindley was born near Bentonville in 1896 and was raised by his father's family after he lost his mother at age two. His father, George Kindley, took a teaching position in the Philippines shortly after his wife died and Field joined him there at age 7. Five years later he returned to live in the home of his uncle, A.E. Kindley, in Gravette. He grew up here and attended Gravette schools.
Kindley was operating a movie theater in Coffeyville, Kan., when he signed up for military duty in 1917. The high school in Coffeyville and an air base in Bermuda are named for him.
Kindley was killed in an air accident at Kelly Field in San Antonio, Texas, in February 1920 when some enlisted men wandered into the target area during a practice drill. While trying to warn them, he lost control of his plane and died in the resulting crash. His funeral was one of the largest in Gravette, with services held on the lawn of the Kindley House, now a part of the Gravette Historical Museum, and burial in Hillcrest Cemetery in Gravette.
Gravette native Jack Stokes Ballard published his book, "War Bird Ace: The Great War Exploits of Captain Field Kindley," in 2007. Ballard is a 1946 graduate of Gravette High School, studied at the University of Arkansas and earned a Ph.D. from the University of California - Los Angeles. He is a retired Air Force colonel, now living in Centennial, Colo. He taught history for five years at the Air Force Academy.
"War Bird Ace" is the culmination of Ballard's extensive research on Kindley's life and military career. It was published by the Texas A & M University Press in College Station. In 2010 it was nominated for the Air Power History Book Award by the Air Force Historical Foundation. A copy is available for checkout at the Gravette Public Library and the books may be purchased at the Gravette Historical Museum.
Museum commission chairman John Mitchael made the presentation of "War Bird Ace" to the schools. Prior to the donation, he gave a short history of Kindley's life. Other museum commission members present were Louise Evans, Bob Kelley, Lavon Stark and Mike von Ree.
Superintendent of schools Richard Page and Jay Chalk, high school principal, were present for the ceremony in the high school library. Superintendent Page expressed his thanks for the donation and said the students were very fortunate to have a book of such great historical importance, particularly concerning local history, in their libraries. Janna Sharp, high school librarian, and Mike Walker, middle school librarian, were on hand to accept the donations.
Community on 11/26/2014