Hall of Honor Recipient

Captain George C. Duvall
Class of 1927
Inducted in 1995-96

George Duvall graduated from DHS in 1927 and took his first flying lesson the following February. With help from his friend, Paul Bloom, George built his own Velie Monoprop N 12030, starting with a purchase of the plane’s main body from Velie. By 1930 he had earned a private license. Demonstrating the business acumen, which would distinguish his post-flying career, George persuaded the Voss Company to purchase advertising from him in the form of the company name painted on the pontoons of his next plan, which he flew off the Mississippi River. In order to raise money for the necessary 200 flight hours to earn a commercial pilot’s license, George sold newspaper subscriptions to rural customers in the winter and worked as a mechanic during flying season at Davenport’s Cram Field.

He was resourceful and persistent in his pursuit of a career in aviation. In 1938 he was commissioned an Ensign in the US Naval Air reserve. In military operations, he flew as far east as Indian and crossed the Atlantic ninety times before the end of WW II. He was one of the pilots assigned to bring wounded soldiers back from Europe.

His civilian career was with United Airlines, and TWA, flying DC3s and Boeing 707’s. The high point of his career was piloting the flight that brought the first papal visitor, Pope Paul VI, from Rome to New York.

George also took a keen interest in young people, establishing scholarships for employees’ children. George also met and befriended young boys in Spain and corresponded with them regarding careers in aviation.

After his retirement from the airlines, George bought a textile company, a baby clothes company that used his textile company’s terrycloth, and Chicmaster, a poultry processing business that brought affordable chicken to 67 foreign countries, including many poor ones. As a successful businessman, a member of Rotary and an elder in his church, he established scholarships at his church and at Augustana College. Captain George Duvall has soared throughout his life, in terms of his careers and his character.


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BACK TO HALL OF HONOR Philip Adler Forrest Ashcraft Patricia Barry Lilah Bell Robert Bickford Judee Burgoon Calvin Burnett Roger Craig Ira Dunsworth George Duvall Roger Emeis Frank Folwell Susan Glaspell Malvin Hansen Oliver Hansen John Hawkinson James Hester Gayle Hopkins James Ketelsen Louise Kirtland Robert Lapham Elmer Layden James Leach James Marks Gifford Mast Carl Matthey Russell Meyer Walter Neiswanger Daniel Palmer Pamela Parker Mary Beth Peil Reed Phillips Patsy Randell Simon Roberts Elizabeth Rochow Royal Rostenbach Herman Schmidt Mark Schoeberl Laura Shawver Donald Smiley Leona Soehren John Sunderbruch Marian & Reinhardt Tonn Lafayette Twyner Kopl Vesole Richard Von Korff Karl Wagner Bill Wundram Paul Ziffren		Hall of Honor Recipient Captain George C. Duvall Class of 1927 Inducted in 1995-96 George Duvall graduated from DHS in 1927 and took his first flying lesson the following February. With help from his friend, Paul Bloom, George built his own Velie Monoprop N 12030, starting with a purchase of the plane’s main body from Velie. By 1930 he had earned a private license. Demonstrating the business acumen, which would distinguish his post-flying career, George persuaded the Voss Company to purchase advertising from him in the form of the company name painted on the pontoons of his next plan, which he flew off the Mississippi River. In order to raise money for the necessary 200 flight hours to earn a commercial pilot’s license, George sold newspaper subscriptions to rural customers in the winter and worked as a mechanic during flying season at Davenport’s Cram Field. He was resourceful and persistent in his pursuit of a career in aviation. In 1938 he was commissioned an Ensign in the US Naval Air reserve. In military operations, he flew as far east as Indian and crossed the Atlantic ninety times before the end of WW II. He was one of the pilots assigned to bring wounded soldiers back from Europe. His civilian career was with United Airlines, and TWA, flying DC3s and Boeing 707’s. The high point of his career was piloting the flight that brought the first papal visitor, Pope Paul VI, from Rome to New York. George also took a keen interest in young people, establishing scholarships for employees’ children. George also met and befriended young boys in Spain and corresponded with them regarding careers in aviation. After his retirement from the airlines, George bought a textile company, a baby clothes company that used his textile company’s terrycloth, and Chicmaster, a poultry processing business that brought affordable chicken to 67 foreign countries, including many poor ones. As a successful businessman, a member of Rotary and an elder in his church, he established scholarships at his church and at Augustana College. Captain George Duvall has soared throughout his life, in terms of his careers and his character.
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Hall of Honor Recipient

Captain George C. Duvall Class of 1927 Inducted in 1995-96

Captain George C. Duvall
Class of 1927
Inducted in 1995-96