OCALA, FL (352today.com) – Long before it became a bustling city, Ocala played a quiet but crucial role in preparing pilots for World War II. Now, a new monument at the Marion County Veterans Memorial Park is honoring that legacy — thanks to the dedication of local resident and businessman Terry Crawford.
Crawford, a pilot and CEO of Ocala-based Conimar, has long been passionate about preserving the history of the Greenville Aviation School, a World War II-era flight training program that operated right here at Taylor Field — the original site of today’s Ocala International Airport.
Working alongside fellow aviation enthusiast Tony Baldwin, Crawford helped relocate a nearly 85-year-old flagpole and monument from the school grounds to the veterans park. The pine flagpole, nearly petrified with age, will soon display a vintage-style windsock similar to those used during the school’s training days…