Aviator to be honored in Cody

The Wyoming Aviation Hall of Fame will honor its 27th inductee Sept. 21 in Cody.

Stephen J. “Jack” Duggleby, formerly of Cody, is the 2018 inductee. Duggleby’s major contributions to Wyoming aviation include his role in developing Husky Oil Company’s aviation department and his involvement in developing aviation in the Cody area, including the expansion of Yellowstone Regional Airport.

An induction ceremony is planned for 3 p.m., Sept. 21 for Duggleby at the airport terminal in Cody in the Duggleby Room named in his honor.

Duggleby was hired by Husky Oil in 1954 to develop the company’s aviation department, which was critical for Husky to advance its North American exploration program. Duggleby increased the fleet to more than 13 aircraft throughout the United States and Canada. One of those was the Howard 500 of which only 17 were built between 1960 and 1963. During his time as chief pilot, Duggleby directed the transition from 1940s-era propeller aircraft to a fleet of jet aircraft, including its first jet, the North American Saberliner. He also oversaw development of the aviation assets required to carry out exploratory activities at the National Petroleum Reserve in the remote region of northern Alaska. Duggleby saw the advantages of inspiring local residents to fly and hired and trained many individuals from around the Big Horn Basin many of whom had successful careers with Husky and Marathon Oil. Having logged more than 20,000 incident-free flight hours, he often was approached by pilots and mechanics seeking his advice and was always willing to share his wisdom and knowledge.

Duggleby was heavily involved in the expansion of Cody’s commercial air service, which involved enlarging the airport and its terminal that served the area from 1981 to 2010. This process included creating a joint powers board and overseeing the commercial aviation growth sequence to its completion. He was chairman of the Yellowstone Regional Airport Board, served on the Wyoming Aeronautics Commission and received the International Northwest Aviation Council President’s Award in 1987 for his contributions to aeronautics in the region.

Born in 1919, Duggleby was raised in Lander. He attended the University of Wyoming before transferring to the Curtiss-Wright Technical and American Air Academy. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II as a ground and flight instructor. After his discharge, Duggleby became a flight instructor in the private sector before joining the military training program staff at Hondo, Texas, in 1951, where he taught flight instruction until returning to Wyoming in 1954 to join Husky. After his retirement from Husky in 1982, Duggleby remained in Cody where he passed away in 1991. He married Mary Vawter in Lander in 1940. They had three children: Dorothy, Dianne and Gary.

The Wyoming Aviation Hall of Fame is a non-profit, publicly supported, tax exempt organization dedicated to honoring individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the establishment, development, and/or advancement of aviation in Wyoming. The organization comprises a board of directors and operates in conjunction with the Wyoming Aeronautics Commission. Founded in 1994 through the efforts of the late Red Kelso of Cheyenne, the Wyoming Aviation Hall of Fame held its first induction in 1995. For more information about the hall of fame or to nominate an individual, please call Board Chairman John Waggener in Laramie at 307-766-2563.