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This Day in History – June 10, 1969 – The X-15 gets a place in history

10 June 1969: The U.S. Air Force donated the first North American Aviation X-15, serial number 56-6670, to the Smithsonian Institution for display at the National Air and Space Museum. The first of three X-15A hypersonic research rocketplanes built by North American for the Air Force and the National Advisory Committee (NACA, the predecessor of NASA), 56-6670 made the first glide flight and

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Mason, Charles “C.L.”

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  • Mason, Charles “C.L.”

Charles L. Mason

Preferred Name: C.L.
Nickname/Call Sign: Charlie Brown
Date of Birth: March 31, 1931
Highest Military Grade: 0-3 – Captain
Hometown: Madison, GA
Headed West Date: September 3, 2015
Biography
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Charlie Mason was born in Madison on March 31, 1931. He attended Madison City Schools and graduated from Madison High School in 1948. He matriculated at Clemson University in 1948 and graduated in 1952 with a degree in Agricultural Engineering and was commissioned into the USAF.

He trained as a fighter pilot and earned the apt moniker Charlie Brown. During his service, he traveled the world and was stationed in Indiana, Korea, Louisiana, Turkey, Germany, Texas, and England.

It was while serving in Alexandria, LA, that he met his future wife, Janet Clay of Baton Rouge, LA, who was no doubt impressed when he would fly low over the LSU campus to let her know he was back from an assignment. They were married on December 30, 1961, and promptly moved to Ankara, Turkey, where they began their family.

After 15 years of service, Charlie returned to Madison where he joined his father running the Mason family agricultural businesses.

Units Assigned

  • 612th, 613th, 614th, 615th Tactical Fighter Squadron/401st Tactical Fighter Wing (F-100)
  • 353rd Fighter-Bomber Squadron, Bunker Hill AFB, IN

Awards & Decorations

Flight Info

F-100

Military & Civilian Education

Civilian Education:

  • 1948 Madison High School
  • 1952 BS/Agricultural Engineering, Clemson University

Charles L. “Charlie Brown” Mason “Headed West” September 3, 2015.

Charles Levingston Mason, Jr., 84 of Madison, died September 3, 2015. Charles, or Charlie to his friends and family, was a father, husband, grandfather, civic leader, farmer, and a fighter pilot in the Unites States Air Force. Other than his family, there was nothing he loved more than flying.

He was born in Madison on March 31, 1931. He attended Madison City Schools and graduated from Madison High School in 1948. He matriculated at Clemson University in 1948 and graduated in 1952 with a degree in Agricultural Engineering and was commissioned into the USAF. He took great pride in his service to his country and was a lifelong supporter of the U.S. military. He trained as a fighter pilot and earned the apt moniker Charlie Brown. During his service he travelled the world and was stationed in many places, including Indiana, Korea, Louisiana, Turkey, Germany, Texas, and England.

It was while serving in Alexandria, LA, that he met his future wife, Janet Clay of Baton Rouge, LA, who was no doubt impressed when he would fly low over the LSU campus to let her know he was back from an assignment. They were married on December 30, 1961 and promptly moved to Ankara, Turkey, where they began their family.

After 15 years of service, Charlie returned to Madison where he joined his father running the Mason family agricultural businesses.

After retiring from the family business he returned to his first love of flying full time. He was an involved member of the community and served on the Morgan County Board of Commissioners and eventually served as Chairman. Additionally, he served as Chair of the Madison-Morgan Memorial Hospital Authority. He was a member of the Church of the Advent where he was a member of the Vestry for several terms, including one as Senior Warden.

Post retirement he enjoyed travelling, his longtime friends, his family, and being Poppy to all of his grandchildren. He had a generous, kind heart and was loved by many. His is survived by his wife, Janet and a brother Robert Edward Mason, 4 children, Charles III, and Wendy Mason, Clay and Lisa Mason, Tina and Tom Seetoo, and Sara Mason and Mike Reynolds and 8 grandchildren, Morgan Mason, Rachel Mason, Molly Mason, Bryan Mason, Henry Seetoo, James Mason, Ella Seetoo, and Arlo Reynolds.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles L. Mason, Sr. (C.L.) and Ernestine Ponder Mason and a brother, Ernest Ponder Mason, and dear friend and brother-in-law, Frank Pegues. He will be missed by an extended family of friends, cousins, nieces, and nephews.

C.L. is buried in Madison Historic Cemeteries, in Madison, GA.

Source:https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/234065370/charles-l-mason

Mason, Charlie
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