Today I had a very enjoyable conversation with Mr. Roscoe
O'Bannon, Jr. of Tuscumbia, Alabama.   I called Mr. O'Bannon at the
suggestion of my friend and attorney, Mr. Robert Walker of Florence,
Alabma.  Mr. O'Bannon retired at the end of 1993 from his position as
owner of a State Farm Insurance Agency in Tuscumbia.   Mr. O'Bannon is 76
years old.

        Mr. O'Bannon's father was also named Roscoe and was the Dodge car
dealer in Tuscumbia in the early 1920's.  Mr. O'Bannon's father lost his
auto business in the depression, as did many others.   An interesting
family history story of Mr. O'Bannon's concerned his father's acquisition
of the name Roscoe.  His father was not named Roscoe at birth but liked
the name and convinced his parents to have his name changed to Roscoe.
Mr. O'Bannon was familiar with two slang expressions that Roscoe was used
for- a handgun and also a hand slot machine.  He thinks his father took
the name from a Roscoe Conklin- a comedian or preacher, didn't know
which.

       Mr. O'Bannon as a young child remembered Roscoe Turner flying his
Jenny from Gusmus field in Muscle Shoals during that time period which
was all open country.  He remembered Roscoe Turner as being a very tall
and imposing person with his uniform and his manner which always
commanded authority.   As a boy he was always interested in Roscoe Turner
because their names were both Roscoe and because of his interest in
aviation.   He could never convince his father to let him take an
airplane ride with Roscoe, however.  He remembered Roscoe visiting his
father's garage often seeking automobile parts.

       Mr. O'Bannon learned to fly in 1938, largely inspired by his
childhood interest in aviation and the first plane he ever saw flown by
Roscoe Turner.  He managed the Muscle Shoals Airport from 1941-1943.  He
remembers Roscoe Turner flying into the airport on several occassions
during that time period.   He thought someone usually drove over from
Corinth and picked him up by automobile. He remembers that Roscoe
Turner's credit was poor at that time and he always had to insist on cash
payment for fuel and Roscoe always would have the payment when he needed
it.

       Mr. O'Bannon knew M.F.Sharp, called Shorty, who was an automobile
mechanic who did a lot of work for Roscoe Turner.  Mr. Sharp had been
known to possibly overindulge himself at times.  He said M.F. Sharp's son
is James M. who still lives in Tuscumbia.

       Mr. O'Bannon had heard the story that Roscoe's first Jenny was
misappropriated from the Army and had been reported lost.  I told him
that that story was incorrect but there were some factual elements to it.
I told him the complete story would be in the biography of Roscoe Turner
now being written by Col. C.V.Glines for the Smithsonian Press and
scheduled to be released in the Fall of 1995.


        Roscoe O'Bannon to Milton Sandy, Jr. -  April 28, 1994

        Mr. Roscoe O'Bannon
        P.O. Box 1207
        Tuscumbia, Alabama 35674

        205-383-9525