330:
478:" by 19th Bomb Group pilot, Captain Weldon Smith. The tail of a Boeing B-17D, AAF Ser. No. 40-3091 was grafted onto 40-3097, resulting in a hybrid B-17D. The bomber became "half swan and half goose" just like the lyrics in the then-popular novelty song "Alexander, The Swoose." Before the end of the war, "The Swoose" was scheduled to be scrapped and melted down for its aluminium content. Kurtz then convinced the City of Los Angeles to retrieve his by-then famous bomber for use as a World War II memorial: It was the only B-17 that flew from the beginning of
308:
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107:
46:
434:
Kurtz joined the Army to train as a pilot, anticipating a career in commercial aviation. Before the war, he held the national junior transcontinental speed record and established half a dozen other speed marks for light planes.
875:
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342:
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s first name "Swoosie" (rhymes with Lucy, rather than woozy) is derived from his two B-17s named "The Swoose" and "Swoose II", which he piloted with the 19th and
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782:
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Kurtz was born in
Davenport, Iowa, the third child of Dora Lee (née Fenton) and Frank Allen Kurtz, Sr., an insurance salesman. He grew up in
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until the end. Today, "The Swoose" is the oldest surviving B-17 and the only early "D" model still in existence. It is located at the
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383:. Kurtz became interested in flying at age 16, and in 1935 flew an open cockpit plane, setting a speed record flight from
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bomber using a combination of parts from other wrecked B-17s. At that time, the repaired B-17D was nicknamed "
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Kurtz died in 1996 from complications following a fall. In 2012, he was inducted into the
8:
509:), Kurtz retired and became a top executive at the William May Garland development firm.
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Armstrong, A.C.; Vitale, S.A.; Who's Who
Historical Society (Calif.) (1979).
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112:
479:
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388:
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Betz, P.R.; Carnes, M.C.; American
Council of Learned Societies (2005).
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467:
45:
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After 24 years in the service of the United States Armed Forces (
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especially to join the diving team. He won a bronze medal in the
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Armstrong, A.C.; Who's Who
Historical Society (Calif.) (1976).
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Kurtz married
Margret "Margo" Kurtz and had one child, actress
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Kurtz's diving abilities impressed
Olympic champion swimmer
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Olympic bronze medalists for the United States in diving
360:(September 9, 1911 – October 31, 1996) was an American
422:, competing with an injured shoulder. He also won the
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United States Army Air Forces pilots of World War II
730:"Colonel Frank Kurtz (USA) 2012 Honor Pioneer Diver"
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16:American diver and United States Air Force officer
494:, for restoration work to enable future display.
822:
577:Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen;
551:List of University of Southern California people
402:, who encouraged him to train with famous coach
787:National Museum of the United States Air Force™
614:. Vol. 12. Who's Who Historical Society.
484:National Museum of the United States Air Force
454:(1944–45) and a survivor of the air attack at
649:. Oxford University Press, USA. p. 328.
669:
765:"Frank Kurtz; World War II Aviation Hero"
646:American National Biography: Supplement 2
418:at the 1932 Olympics and placed fifth in
462:, two days after the Japanese attack on
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896:United States Army Air Forces officers
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891:Medalists at the 1932 Summer Olympics
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738:International Swimming Hall of Fame
534:International Swimming Hall of Fame
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856:Divers at the 1936 Summer Olympics
851:Divers at the 1932 Summer Olympics
763:Oliver, Myrna (November 7, 1996).
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841:American people of German descent
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412:University of Southern California
258:Kurtz (left) and Swendsen in 1931
901:United States Air Force colonels
703:. Who's Who Historical Society.
587:Olympics at Sports-Reference.com
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44:
488:Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
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440:463d Bombardment Group (Heavy)
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871:Recipients of the Silver Star
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369:United States Army Air Forces
158:United States Army Air Forces
191:Distinguished Flying Crosses
153:United States Army Air Corps
94:North Hollywood, Los Angeles
7:
783:"Boeing B-17D "The Swoose""
539:
395:, and back to Los Angeles.
19:For the comics writer, see
10:
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846:USC Trojans men's swimmers
673:The history of the Fowlers
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521:(born 1944). His daughter
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466:on December 7, 1941. In
438:He was Commander of the
426:platform title in 1933.
700:Who's who in California
611:Who's who in California
406:. Kurtz graduated from
163:United States Air Force
125:United States Air Force
367:and an aviator in the
203:Presidential Citations
21:Frank Kurtz (director)
670:Fowler, C.C. (1950).
472:B-17D Flying Fortress
408:Hollywood High School
381:Kansas City, Missouri
358:Frank Allen Kurtz Jr.
59:Frank Allen Kurtz Jr.
881:American male divers
744:on February 25, 2017
591:Sports Reference LLC
503:U.S. Army Air Forces
499:U.S. Army Air Corps
446:, Celone Airfield,
410:and went on to the
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237:William May Garland
597:on April 18, 2020.
400:Johnny Weissmuller
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74:September 11, 1911
886:Deaths from falls
769:Los Angeles Times
527:463rd Bomb Groups
416:10 meter platform
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740:. Archived from
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593:. Archived from
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337:1932 Los Angeles
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148:463rd Bomb Group
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430:Military career
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375:Life and career
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232:Other work
216:Margaret Rogers
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179:Croix de Guerre
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581:; et al.
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507:U.S. Air Force
492:Fairborn, Ohio
444:15th Air Force
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404:Clyde Swendsen
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91:(aged 85)
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583:"Frank Kurtz"
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519:Swoosie Kurtz
513:Personal life
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302:Representing
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235:Executive at
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113:United States
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50:Kurtz in 1935
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814:. lanbob.com
790:. Retrieved
786:
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746:. Retrieved
742:the original
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595:the original
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579:Mallon, Bill
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480:World War II
464:Pearl Harbor
437:
433:
397:
378:
357:
355:
290:Medal record
185:Silver Stars
89:(1996-10-31)
25:
836:1996 deaths
831:1911 births
812:Frank Kurtz
460:Philippines
456:Clark Field
389:Mexico City
385:Los Angeles
246:Frank Kurtz
38:Frank Kurtz
825:Categories
792:October 5,
557:References
505:, and the
476:The Swoose
227:(daughter)
197:Air Medals
101:Allegiance
70:1911-09-11
56:Birth name
734:ISHOF.org
709:0511-8948
630:0511-8948
468:Australia
221:Relations
213:Spouse(s)
748:July 18,
540:See also
356:Colonel
119:Service/
458:in the
362:Olympic
135:Colonel
33:Colonel
707:
680:
653:
628:
618:
448:Foggia
311:
272:Diving
172:Awards
121:branch
110:
96:, U.S.
79:, U.S.
523:'
452:Italy
365:diver
269:Sport
264:Sport
794:2019
750:2017
705:ISSN
678:ISBN
651:ISBN
626:ISSN
616:ISBN
420:1936
304:the
277:Club
181:(Fr)
141:Unit
131:Rank
84:Died
64:Born
490:in
486:at
424:AAU
391:to
387:to
205:(5)
199:(3)
193:(3)
187:(3)
827::
802:^
785:.
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736:.
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717:^
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589:.
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565:^
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529:.
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371:.
796:.
771:.
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711:.
686:.
659:.
632:.
72:)
68:(
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
