GULFPORT, Miss. (WLOX) - This week, the Mississippi Aviation and Heritage Museum celebrates its five-year anniversary.
“The mission of this museum is to tell the story of Mississippi aviation from the Delta to the Coast,” museum executive director Francisco Gonzalez said. “Anything that’s happened in aviation in this state, we’re going to tell it right here.”
More than two decades ago, Gonzalez first got involved in what was originally an idea to celebrate John C. Robinson from Gulfport, who made a name for himself in the early stages of World War II in northern Africa.
Robinson laid the groundwork for what would become the Tuskegee Airmen.
“A group from Gulfport decided that it was time to honor John Robinson, the Brown Condor of Ethiopia, who had grown up in Mississippi and became the commander of the Ethiopian air force,” Gonzalez said.
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Many other stories like Robinson’s are told in the museum. Hands-on learning is woven together with informative exhibits from the Mississippi Aviation Hall of Fame to the state’s role in the Vietnam War.
In the years before the museum opened, the Seabees and other volunteer groups played a key role in transforming an old furniture store on Pass Road into what it is today. The museum continues growing thanks to the work of volunteers and donations.
“If you look around, everything you see when you walk through the door is a donation,” Gonzalez said. “You have the Navy helping us, people like Todd Young, and others walking in with donations of airplanes and jeeps. You name it, it’s all like that.”
Gonzalez walked away from a job on a golf course to run the museum.
“Since I was six years old, I’ve been flying. My dad had an airplane in Venezuela, and we flew all over the place. To me, aviation has always been a passion, but history has been developed over time.”
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Now, he is passing on his passion to thousands of visitors every year, including children during summer camp.
“The summer camp has kept this place open because parents recognize that 10-17-year-old kids that come here get an education into how to use their hands with welding and riveting. We’re building a brand-new experimental airplane back there.”
The planning to make the museum better is a continuing process. Francisco wants to create an observation deck for people to watch planes take off and land at the nearby airport, but the building will need a new roof to make it happen.
“We have to build that observation deck because when airplanes come by, you can see the eyeballs of the pilots going right by us because the runway is right there.”
On the five-year anniversary of the museum, Gonzalez is focused on making the next five years even better.
“Our community deserves this place, no matter how hard it is to build it. I know that they want it and enjoy it. I’m so grateful that I’m doing this because God has given me this opportunity to give back to my community the best that I can.”
The five-year anniversary of the museum will be celebrated with a gala on Friday, October 3. It’s called ‘A Celebration of Resilience in Aviation.’ You can find more information on the museum’s website.
Gonzalez personally thanked Charles Dubra, Rev. Harry Tartt, Col. Lawrence Roberts, Kaite Booth, Will Smith and George Carter Wise for their contributions to the museum.
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