AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE, August, 1970

                             Roscoe Turner Dies

            Roscoe Turner, 74, of Indianapolis, Ind., longtime chairman of
    the Aeronautics and Space Committee of the Legion's Nat'l Security
    Commission, died June 23 in Indianapolis hospital after a two-month
    illness.  Although known to the public as probably the most successful
    and flamboyant airplane race of the scarf-and-goggles era of the 1920s
    and 1930s, Turner's interests were actually the development of aviation
    and the security of this nation.  (He utilized his racing, stunts
    picturesque uniforms, and his pet lion, Gilmore, to pubilicize aviaton
    and rally support for it from all citizens, especially the young, and
    from the government.)
            From WWI to the time of his recent illness, Turner worked toward
    these twin goals by serving on the Legion's Security Commission which is
    also interested in national security and the development of aviation.
    Turner was almost as active on this body in his later years as he had been
    earlier.  He never missed a neeting of the Security Commission.  He was
    the Commission's vice chairman in 1954-55. From 1943 until his death he
    served on the Aeronautics & Space Committee, being chairman 19 of those
    years and vice-chairman the other years vice chairman the othcr years.
            Turner won the Thompson (Air Racing) Trophy three times, the
    Harmon Trophy twice, and many other top prizes.  Seven times he broke the
    trans-continental speed records.  In 1952, the Air Force awarded him the
    Distinguished Flying Cross for his racing exploits and wartime training
    contributions.
            In some of his obituaries.  Turner was honored almost solely as a
    relic of aviaton's pioneer days, but his expertise on aviation problems
    of 1970's and beyond was quickly apparent to a generation that that
    hadn't known him earlier.  Mike Schlee, a newcomer to the Legion's Nat'l
    Security staff in 1968, and a 9th infantry veteran of Vietnam, found that
    Turner's foresight, professionalism and guidance in the last year of his
    life were still dynamic and invaluable to the Legion's Security
    Commission.  He was still a man of aviation's future till the day he
    died.
            An extensive article on Roscoe Turner by Pete Martin, appeared in
    the Nov. 1963 American Legion Magazine.  Martin noted at that time that
    was one of the three greatest aviation pioneers who were still active--
    the others:  Eddie Rickenbacker and Jimmy Doolittle.
            Among those attending Roscoe's basically Legion funeral were Sen.
    Barry Goldwater, Gen. James Doolittle, Indiana Gov. Edgar D. Whitcomb,
    and Tony Hullman, owner of the Indianapolis Speedway.  Gov. Whitcomb
    ordered the state flags flown at half-mast for two days.  Floral wreaths
    depictcd a balloon topped by a one-propeller plane and a lion, with a "G"
    for Gilmore. A floral flag, and a floral checkered (racing) flag, sent by
    the speedway, set the tone of the tribute.

                                    AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE, August, 1970



    Data transcription by:  David M. Sandy, May 31, 1993.