Jersey , who loved his country and flying . He learned to fly in high school and studied mechanical engineering at Cornell University in Ithaca , New York . When the U . S . declared war on Axis powers in 1941 , Dayton was working at Eastern Aircraft Manufacturing . He knew he needed to serve his country .
“ There was a strong sense of duty to his country , and he wanted to join the armed forces ,” Peshek says . “ My grandfather was a lieutenant colonel during World War I , and my grandmother worked for the Salvation Army and the Red Cross during World War II , so our family served our country in those capacities … All of his friends and people in the area were serving in the war .”
However , asthma kept him from doing so .
“ This was a time of great patriotism in our country , and he was embarrassed by not doing his duty . People would glare at him on the street and say , ‘ Why are you here ? You ’ re a young man , you look healthy . Why aren ' t you serving ?’ But somehow , I don ’ t know how , he found a way to get into the United States Naval Reserves ,” Peshek says .
Dayton already had his pilot license but had to learn to fly “ the Navy way .” After training in Florida , he was eventually assigned to NAS Ottumwa as an instructor pilot .
“ He really enjoyed his time there ,” Peshek says . “ He met a girlfriend there , and it was exactly what he wanted to do . He trained young men into becoming pilots for the Navy . He was part of that community and met a lot of people in Ottumwa , and he greatly enjoyed being able to teach people how to fly .”
“ I don ’ t know if these feelings of devotion to country and the defeat of our enemies will ever exist as it did during WWII ,” Peshek adds .
Instructor pilots like Dayton trained Naval aviators who went on to cultivate distinguished careers in the military , government and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration .
Photos : Top : James Dayton was a flight instructor at NAS Ottumwa from Trenton , New Jersey . Below : The telegram sent to James Dayton ’ s mother to notify her of his death at NAS Ottumwa .
President Richard M . Nixon was stationed at NAS Ottumwa after receiving aviation indoctrination training at the Naval Training School , Naval Air Station in Quonset Point , Rhode Island . Nixon served as Aide to the Executive Officer from October 1942 to May 1943 .
Other notable aviators include Scott Carpenter , who completed America ' s second orbital spaceflight during
18 We Are Ottumwa