Jim Parks was the Founder of the collection seen before you. He knew most of the men and women in this collection personally, or their family. Parks began collecting memorabilia when Frank Smith presented him with his first medal in 1936. Starting at that point, Parks was able to collect on of the World’s most historically important and significant collections of World War I Aviation History.
Parks organized many reunions of the pilots from World War I, including The Final Reunion of the Aces of the First War, Paris France, 1981 and the Final Reunion of the LaFayette Flying Corps in 1983. It was during this latter reunion that the surviving members of the Corps made Parks an Honorary Member of the Corps, #9 (#8 was Charles Lindberg).
Parks was asked to carry on the History of the Flying Corps for future generations to come. In 1985, Parks created the LaFayette Foundation, whose mission is to educate the young in aviation and aviation history and preserve the history for the future.
The LaFayette Foundation gained 501c3 status in 1985, and is based at Platte Valley Airport where the Foundation has a living history museum and flies a number of World War I era aircraft.
|
