Friday, January 20, 2023

LBJ, Howard Hughes & Lorain City Hall – Jan. 27, 1973

Here's a familiar sight to those of you who read the Journal back in the late 60s and 70s. It's a typical Page Three layout, with its unusual mixture of local, national and international news. 

This page, from the January 27, 1973 edition, has some particularly interesting bits. 

There's a photographic progress report of Lorain City Hall; an artist's rendering of what American Billionaire Howard Hughes was believed to look like at that time; "The World Over" column, with some Hollywood news, including Merv Griffin's impending divorce; a preview of Lorain's Peace Celebration in honor of the end of direct U. S. involvement in the Vietnam War; and perhaps most interesting, the story of how a former Vermilion man and his family met President Lyndon B. Johnson when they were forced to land on the private airstrip at his ranch due to inclement weather.

As the article noted, "The Texas rain pounded the light aircraft of Chuck Comer, a former Vermilion man.

"Comer, who had his wife and two sons aboard, decided it was time to get down. Spotting a deserted spot on the flat land below, Comer descended, coasting his four-seater Cessna to a halt.

"That decision probably saved their lives and it brought them face-to-face with Lyndon B. Johnson, just two weeks before the former President's death.

"A secret service car quickly converged on the plane as it taxied down the strip, but the family was unaware of who they were."

The Comer family was driven to a nearby trailer, and later ushered to the ranch house. "They were asked into an adjoining room where "low and behold, there stood L.B. J." according to Mrs. Comer.

The former President asked the Comer family about their trip and "apologized for the Texas weather." L.B. J. even passed out gold pens and autographs at the request of Norman Comer, 16, who said, "My friends will never believe this in school."

"The Comers had been flying back to their Spring Valley, California home after a week's stay in Florida," according to the article. "Comer earned his pilot's license while in the Navy. After 20 years of duty, including two stints aboard a battleship in Vietnam, he retired and now is a realtor and stockbroker."

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