EDITOR’S NOTE: Superiorland Yesterdays is prepared by the reference staff at the Peter White Public Library in Marquette.

30 years ago

MARQUETTE — A small, twin-engine airplane owned by Simmons Airlines experienced hydraulic failure in flight Tuesday but landed safely at the Marquette County Airport. The Cessna 402 used to shuttle Simmons employees had taken off with three passengers from O’Hare International Airport in Chicago at about 10 a.m., said Peter Piper, Simmons’ executive vice president for marketing. Sometime after takeoff — Simmons officials aren’t sure when, pending completion of their investigation — the plane “apparently had some sort of hydraulic failure in the nose gear that created a loss of hydraulic fluid,” Piper said. The craft touched down at 12:45 p.m., according to airport manager Charles Hohman, who said the airport’s emergency vehicles and personnel had been on alert.

60 years ago

K.I. SAWYER — A helicopter, the first aircraft to be assigned and based at K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base, landed yesterday at the base. The aircraft was piloted by 1st Lt. Earl D. Williams Jr., Dearborn, who was accompanied by Airman 2/C Maynard J. Zoromski, Chicago. Departing from Truax Field, Madison, Wis., yesterday the helicopter was refueled at Green Bay and arrived at Sawyer at 5:45 p.m. Williams and Zoromski, both formerly assigned at Truax are now assigned to the 473rd Fighter Group at Sawyer. The helicopter, designated as the H-13, was manufactured by the Bell Aircraft Corp. The craft is 31 feet long, 9 feet high, has a maximum speed in excess of 100 miles per hour and a range of 280 miles. It carries two passengers plus the pilot, and is also equipped with two enclosed litters, one slung on each side of the cockpit bubble. Maj. John Gruber, staff operations officer, was on hand to greet the crew of the helicopter when it landed. He said the craft will be used primarily in search and rescue work.