First-time author wins awardfor book on World War II flyers
The National Aviation Hall of Fame (NAHF) has named Jane Gardner Birch recipient of its Fifth Annual Combs Gates Award. The first-time author will be recognized with a $20,000 cash award for her soon-to-be-published book, “They Flew Proud,” inspired by the World War II experiences of her father, Gardner Birch, a flight instructor in the Civilian Pilot Training Program (CPTP) at Grove City College and Airport in Pennsylvania.
The Combs Award grew out of a 2001 donation by the late Harry Combs, a 1996 Hall of Fame enshrinee. As part of his $1.3 million gift for the creation of a NAHF research center, Combs stipulated that the Combs Award be established to encourage and support aviation history research and preservation efforts.