Bio: Wirtala, Donald A. – 2nd Lt. (First Solo Flight – 1968)

Contact: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Wirtala

----Source: THORP COURIER (Thorp, Clark County, Wis.) 12 Sep 1968

Marine Second Lieutenant Donald A. Wirtala, 23, son of Mr. and Mrs. V.S. Wirtala, route 1, Withee (Clark Co.), Wisconsin, has flown his first solo flight.

The flight was made in the T…? "Mentor" trainer aircraft, after approximately one month of Primary Flight Training with Training Squadron One at Sanflay Field Naval Auxiliary Air Station, Pensacola, Florida.

The "Mentor" is the military's version of the civilian Beachcraft "???".

He will continue on to more advanced phases of his flight training for approximately 13 more months, before receiving his pilot's "???". (some of the words in this article were unreadable because of the poor quality of the copy)