Fleet Wings of Fame

In 1927 two young American aviators flew from the United States, across an ocean, to an exotic locale, claiming a prize of $25,000. One of them became a national hero who remains a household name to this day. The other enjoyed renown for a couple of years and then faded from memory. 


Charles Lindbergh could have erred 200 miles either way off course and he still would have found a place to land in Europe. If Art Goebel had deviated 30 to 40 miles off course in either direction, he most likely would have over flown the Hawaiian Islands and disappeared.


On September 30, 1927 Goebel and Lindbergh met in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for a parade and banquet in their honor. The next morning, Lindbergh, pointing to a house a quarter mile distant from the airfield, told a throng of well-wishers, that what he had done, was like throwing a rock at that house and hitting the door. Goebel, Lindbergh said, threw his rock and hit the keyhole.


Art Goebel did not mind living in Lindbergh’s shadow. He was confident that, future generations would equitably judge them, based on their individual achievements, and find them to be on par. Once the future generation learns about Art they will likely do just that.