DOUG JACOBS
(Retired LTC, Army), Native Kansan from Liberal – TREASURER
“I served 34 years in the military, and after my initial three years on active duty, I spent the remainder of my career in the Kansas National Guard, and retired in 2005. I received my bachelor’s degree and ROTC commission from Kansas State University and a master’s in public administration from the University of Kansas.”
“I’m a graduate of the Army War College and was the curator for both the Museum of the Kansas National Guard and the 35th Infantry Museum in Topeka. My last period of active duty was in Bosnia-Herzogovinia. My grandson, Douglas, will be a freshman at WSU next year. I am married and live in Branson, Missouri.”
“My connection with Erwin Bleckley started when I became fascinated in his life after reading an article titled ‘Flying Aces’ by Dr. Charles J. Gross, which was published in ‘On Guard’ in 1994. The initial inquiry into Bleckley’s life revealed that few in the National Guard knew who Bleckley was or what he accomplished. When I realized that few people knew of Bleckley, not only in the guard, but also in his hometown of Wichita, my goal became to ensure he would never be forgotten.”
Mike Palomino
(Retired CPO< Navy) – PRESIDENT
Mike Palomino possesses extensive experience in the aviation industry, having served as a hydraulic technician in Naval Aviation for twenty years. His tenure included assignments at NAS Kingsville, TX, working on the TA-4J, and at NAS Lemoore, CA, focusing on the A-7 and F/A-18 aircraft. Additionally, he worked as a defense contractor with the Kuwait Ministry of Defense, specifically on the F/A-18 aircraft. Mr. Palomino holds an A&P Certificate from the Spartan School of Aeronautics. His professional experience extends to commercial aircraft maintenance, having worked as a mechanic for Horizon Airlines in Portland, OR, on the Bombardier Q400, and for United Airlines in Oakland, CA, on Boeing 727, 747, and 777 models. He also served as an aircraft mechanic and quality assurance specialist at China Lake, CA, working on the AV-8B and F/A-18 aircraft. Furthermore, Mr. Palomino has experience as a flight test mechanic at Edwards AFB, CA, on the F-16 and F-22 aircraft, and at Boeing Flight Test in Seattle, WA, on the 747, 787, 737, and KC-46 models. He also contributed to the Life Support Lab at Boeing Flight Test in Seattle, WA.
SHAWNA SMITH
Native Kansan from Liberal and Winfield, Kansas – EVENTS DIRECTOR
My family and I visited the Bleckley Project with the Wichita Military Collectors Club. I knew before we left that we had to be involved. The courage, sacrifice, honor, and valor that Erwin Bleckley’s story represents are something I long for the youth and communities in our culture to know and to understand. This story is an international treasure, a national treasure, and foremost, a local treasure. How privileged is Wichita to bear the honor of preserving and presenting Erwin Bleckley’s story for our community, nation, and world?
I was born in Liberal and grew up on a small farm in Winfield. We raised hogs, horses, cattle, chickens, and sheep. I milked a cow, hauled hay, gardened, canned, and learned life is full of hard work, but working hard is where you find the greatest lessons and joys of life. I grew up in 4-H, graduated from Winfield High School, played violin in its orchestra, played basketball, and was Fellowship of Christian Athletes president for two years. I earned a BA degree from Evangel University, Springfield, Missouri, completing an international internship in Malawi and Kenya, East Africa.
I am a Home Maker and Home Educator and 4-H Mom, a Floral and Interior Designer, and an Event Planner. My husband, two sons, and I have a small acreage homestead. We raise chickens, garden, foster miniature dairy cows, and have the privilege of caring for my aging parents.
ARNOLD TAUBE
Webmaster, Facility Manager – VICE PRESIDENT
In September of 2023, Arnold and his wife moved to Wichita to support their daughter’s and son-in-law’s family. He was a lifetime resident of Geneseo, Illinois. He graduated from the University of Illinois with a BS in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA. He was an employee of Deere & Company for forty-five years, working as a manufacturing engineer, systems analyst, and project manager in the Corporate Worldwide Customer Support and Service Publications Department. He was a key player in initiating and developing John Deere’s Service Advisor System, the company’s Interactive Electronic Technical Manual. He was a founding member of SAE International’s Service Technology Program Committee, started, published, and revised SAE Standard J2892 – Graphics Based Service Information, and was Chairperson of SAE’s Engineering Meetings Board.
Arnold’s wife is Martha. They have two children and seven grandchildren. Their daughter, Katie Taube, was a Wichita TV news anchor on NBC weekday mornings, and Fox weekday 9 PM news, and filled in as needed on ABC. Their son is a dentist in Mascoutah, Illinois.
Arnold loves airplanes, plastic models, and history, is a clarinet player, holds a private pilot VFR rating, is a past president of Geneseo’s Kiwanis Club, a past president of their Maple City community band, and ran the Maple City German Band in Geneseo.
He has built and flown several balsa, spruce, and plywood control-line and RC airplanes using glow-plug engines. He says the Erwin Bleckley DH-4 restoration is very similar to rebuilding an RC airplane but life-size!
He is currently the vice president of the Bleckley Foundation Board of Directors, with assignments of webmaster and facility manager.
GREG ZUERCHER
Native Wichitan, Retired Air Force/Army, Iraq/Afghanistan war – SECRETARY
Greg is the second oldest of eight children of parents Bruce and Rosemary Zuercher. His father retired as a senior partner after 46 years with the law firm Klenda, Mitchell, Austerman, and Zuercher (now Klenda Austerman). His mother was a retired teacher and homemaker.
He attended St. Thomas Aquinas Grade School and Kapaun Mt. Carmel High School and earned a BS in Journalism and Mass Communications from Kansas State Univ. Greg worked for three minor league baseball franchises, aiming to become a general manager. Economic realities forced a switch to pursue a lifelong goal to serve in our nation’s armed forces.
He served 22 years in the military (1991-2013) – eight years as an Air Force F-16 avionics instrument and flight control technician, then as a satellite and wideband tech. He branched to the Army in 1999 to attend Officer Candidate School (OCS). He graduated from OCS in 2001 with honors at a 1st Lt level.
He served as an infantry platoon sergeant in Baghdad, Iraq (2005-06) as a light-wheeled vehicle maintenance mechanic supervisor and led security operations at several entry control points. He took part in mounted vehicle patrols in the dangerous Baghdad neighborhoods. He says, “My greatest achievement is having all 30 soldiers in my platoon return home safely.”
Greg also served as a public affairs officer/military journalist and engaged with hostiles in the field in Afghanistan.
Interested in Bleckley since the mid-1990s Greg became a founding board member of Bleckley Foundation in 2018. He is a PBS Kansas Robert J. Dole Distinguished Service Award recipient, a Service Academy Selection Board member (for West Point candidates), and Commander of VFW Post 112.
“My love of history led to my interest in Erwin Bleckley. I saw in Bleckley a local hero who has not been given enough credit in his hometown. Which is why we held Bleckley Day on the centennial of his heroic death. The airport memorial is a natural outgrowth of that. All we are doing is taking care of unfinished business. I like to leave people with this final question, to sum up why we are doing this: ‘how can the Air Capital NOT honor its highest decorated aviator at its own airport?'”
ROBERT M. (ROB) FRESH
Emeritus Board Member and Emeritus Facility Manager
In 1957 Rob and his family moved to Wichita from Kansas City. He received his BBA from WSU and went to work at Cessna for ten years, working in the Military/Twin Div, fabrication/production/shipping, and then contract administration. Later he went to work for the VA and retired from the VA Wichita Regional Office (claims processing) in January of 2005. While in the USAF he worked as a weapons load specialist for F-100 Super Saber.
He claims to have done just about everything (for example, auto mechanics, classic car restoration, woodworking, house construction, painting, jig building, accounting, shipping/packaging, writing, concrete work, and landscaping. His hobbies include sailing (member & past Board member of Ninnescah Sailing Association, Cheney Reservoir), woodworking, and motorhome travel.
His wife Nancy is a talented seamstress & upholsterer. Together they raised their two sons here in Wichita and enjoy spending time with them and their families who live in Wichita as well. Before retirement Nancy operated a beauty salon in their home for many years.
His goal as a volunteer for this restoration project is to help pull Wichita’s early military aviation history out of the shadows and to bring to light Lt. Bleckley’s heroic past. He says it is truly an honor and connects him in ways he is just beginning to appreciate.
As a kid in the early ’50s, he built models of various biplanes. Never did he dream he would have the opportunity to work on the real thing, much less have it be for such a historic project! Currently, he is the Emeritus President of the Bleckley Foundation and the Emeritus Shop Manager for the Bleckley Restoration Workshop at 359 N. Mosley in Wichita.