BUEHLER, Henry Andrews, Sc.D. By right of noteworthy achievements, Henry Andrews Buehler, Sc.D., Director of the Missouri Bureau of Geology and Mines, held a high place among geolo- gists, scientists and the mining industry at large. His services were widely dis- tributed and eminently useful; his mem- berships in professional and scientific so- cieties numerous, and his contacts with colleagues extended all over the world. Dr. Buehler was born at Monroe, W consin, on May 27, 1876, son of Andrew and Kathryn (Bleiler) Buehler, his father, a wagon maker, being a native of Schmer- heim, Baden, Germany, who came to the New World in about 1850. The son at- tended the public schools of Monroe and matriculated at the University of Wiscon- sin, where he was graduated with the class of 1901, with the degree Bache- lor of Science in Chemistry. In 1923, for his achievements in his chosen field of endeavor, he received the honorary de- gree of Doctor of Science, from the Mis- souri School of Mines and Metallurgy. The first professional post held by Dr. Buehler was that of assistant geologist with the Missouri State Bureau of Mines, and he was geologist here from 1903 to 1907. He made an impressive record in lesser capacities that led to his ap- pointment as Director of the Missouri Bureau of Geology and Mines, and as such became a distinguished figure in the American field. During World War I, 1917-1918, he was connected with the United States Bureau of Mines, the Py- rites Division, Washington, D. C. He likewise was president, 1935-1936, of the American Institute of Mining and Metal- lurgical Engineers. A roster of the organizations of which Dr. Buehler was a member discloses best the scope of his interests and activities. Numbered among these were: the Geo- logical Society of America, Society of Economic Geologists, American Associa- tion of Petroleum Geologists, American Association for the Advancement of Sci- ence, Mining and Metallurgical Society of America, the Missouri Academy of Science, St. Louis Academy of Science, Wisconsin Academy of Science and Arts and Letters. His fraternities were Tau Beta Pi and Theta Tau. His clubs were the Noon Day of St. Louis, Missouri; the Cosmos, of Washington, D. C., and fra- ternally he was affiliated with the Mason- ic order, being a member of the Com- mandery, Knights Templar, and of the Temple, Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. In the death of Henry Andrews Bueh- ler, Sc.D., on March 14, 1944, at Jeffer- son City, Missouri, America lost one of its distinguished scientists. Over a period of forty years he served his day and gen- eration exceptionally well, and won rich- ly deserved recognition for his contribu- tions to the development of scientific projects and of phases of major industries in his country. JOHNSON, Earle Levan, Brig. Gen., U.S.A. Aviation Officer One of the least publicized of the civi- lian corps initiated during World War II was the Civil Air Patrol. This was a group of experienced aviators who in the main were beyond the age limit fixed by the regular United States Army Air Corps, but sought to render what servicesthey could in the prosecution of the war. These men from all walks of life volun- teered for patrol activities off the shores of the oceans and the Great Lakes. They flew any kind of plane they owned or could obtain, mostly “crates” good only for limited use over the land. The work the Civil Air Patrol assumed and carried out successfully was extremely danger- ous, for no one knew when he went out over the lonely waters whether he would ever return, or how long his plane would hold together ; to drop into the seas meant death. Earle Levan Johnson was a pio- neer and organizer of the Civil Air Patrol. His promotion to the rank of brigadier general by the Army thirteen days be- fore he crashed to his death, was con- firmed by the United States Senate pos- thumously. Earle Levan Johnson was born at Great Barrington, Massachusetts, on Jan- uary 29, 1895, son of Levan Merritt and Nellie (Hartshorn) Johnson. The father, a farmer and landowner, moved with his family to Painesville, Ohio, when his son was about six years old. He attended Ohio grammar and high schools, and en- tered the Ohio State University, where he was graduated a Bachelor of Science with the class of 1920. He had majored in agriculture, was a member of the Al- pha Gamma Rho fraternity, and played on the varsity football team. He played guard on the first Ohio State football team to win the Western Conference Championship (1916). In the business life of Cleveland, General Johnson was prominent as a realtor, operating under his own name until his death. He was vice president of the Leisy Brewing Com- pany, He had served several terms in the Ohio State Legislature. While there he was on the committee which formulated the Ohio Aviation Code. He figured in- fluentially in party politics, and directed the campaign made by Ingalls for the governorship of Ohio in 1932, Earle Le- yan Johnson was keenly interested in the general progress of Cleveland, being chairman of the Come-to-Cleveland Com- mittee of the Cleveland Advertising Club; member of the Rotary and the Cleveland Real Estate Board. Frater- nally he was affiliated with the Free and Accepted Masons. Other clubs included the Pepper Pike Country Club, the Union and the University clubs. He attended the Protestant Episcopal Church. The military career of the future Gen- eral Johnson began and ended, for the time being, during World War I, when he enlisted and was assigned to the Of- ficers Training Camp at Fort Benjamin Harrison. While there his father died, and the army authorities thought that he might better serve his country by operat- ing his father’s farm interests, which were rated as “ essential.” His brief ex- perience of that time and acquaintance with the larger uses of the airplane, evi- dently aroused his interest in aviation, one that increased with the years, In the 1930s he was appointed by Governor Bricker of Ohio to be director of state aeronautics, and in this position he gave a great deal of attention to the organiza- tion which he started, the Civil Air Pa- trol, of which he was an executive officer before Pearl Harbor. His favorite hobby had been flying since 1930. At that time he wrote occasional articles on aviation, a thing he did much more frequently in after years. When the United States became in- volved in World War II, Earle L. John- son, together with a very few men, real- ized that there was work to be done for the country by men who could fly, but were over age for acceptance by the United States aviation regulations, and as has been indicated, the Civil Air Patrol,a volunteer group, could do what the army and navy were unable to do com- pletely because of a lack of suitable air- planes and experienced aviators. In the National Patrol he rose rapidly and as early as March, 1942, had been’ made ex- ecutive officer and on April 1, by the Army Air Corps, in which he held the rank of captain, he was appointed na- tional commander of the Civil Air Patrol. In the forwarding of his responsibilities, he flew his plane over land and water to many parts of the United States, and he himself went often on the lonely, danger- ous patrols far beyond the sight of land. His activities did not go unrecognized or unhonored, for he received the Dis- tinguished Service Medal; the Legion of Merit; and the United States Army Com- mendation Medal, with the Oak Leaf Cluster, and the American Theater Ser- vice Ribbon. At Painesville, Ohio, on October 15, 1921, Earle Levan Johnson married Doris Doan, daughter of Walter Sawtell and Ella (Prentiss) Doan, members of pio- neer Ohio families. Walter S. Doan was a realtor and held large property inter- ests. As national commander of the Civil Air Patrol, Earle Levan Johnson had his headquarters at Bolling Field, Washing- ton, D. C., from whence he would fly to Cleveland for an occasional weekend. On February 16, 1947, he set out from Cleveland to return to Washington, D. C. Eight minutes after taking to the air his plane crashed in North Royalton, Ohio, causing the death of General Johnson. It was the same plane he had flown con- stantly during the war. He had been re- commended by General Spatz for the Distinguished Service Medal in recogi- tion of his “inspiring leadership and de- votion to duty” in carrying on the peace- time activities of the Civil Air Patrol. General Spatz desribed Earle Levan Johnson as “One of America’s most dis- tinguished airmen.” MICHELL, George Washington Physician An eminent physician of Peoria, Ili- nois, Dr. George Washington Michell for many years was a pioneer and leader in the field of treating mental diseases. In addition to his professional accom- plishments, he gained fame for his work as a civic worker and nationally promi- nent political leader. His integrity and energy merited the esteem and admira- tion of a devoted clientele and all those who came in contact with him, either pro- fessionally or socially, respected and loved him. George Michell was born May 18, 1876, at Gridley, Illinois, son of James M. and Cynthia Ann (Stoker) Michell. The fa- ther, a native of Castle Inse, near Dub- lin, Ireland, came to this country as a young man and traveled west from Bos- ton, arriving at Gridley in 1837 via Chi- cago. In Gridley he became widely known as a general merchant and land trader. The mother was a member of a pioneer family which had moved to Gridley from Kentucky. George Washington Michell as a youth spent much time farming and working in his father’s store. He learned the art of the blacksmith, and for a time plied this trade. Early in life, however, he had a longing for the study of medicine, which he satisfied by reading medical books in the offices of physicians in his home town and at Fairbury, Illinois. After finishing high school at Gridley, he attended the University of Chicago, and, in 1902, was graduated from the Rush Medical School with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. While at college he earned money to payCIVIL AIR PATROL HISTORY United States Air Force Auxiliary www.CAPHISTORY.com www. TeamCAP.org www.GOCIVILAIRPATROL.com