Master Mechanic John Gill

John "Corky" Gill served several years in military and aviation field. Today, he was honored with the FAA's Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award. Highly regarded as their most prestigious award, the Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award awarded by the FAA recognizes the lifetime accomplishments of senior aviation mechanics and is given to mechanics who have exhibited exemplary aviation expertise, distinguished professionalism, and steadfast commitment for at least 50 years of aviation maintenance experience.

People flooded the Harris Hill Youth Camp reception hall to help honor Corky and celebrate him and his achievements. Many of those people were members of the Harris Hill Soaring community where Corky has spent a lot of his time. He mentioned he recorded having over 8,300 flights in the glider.

An attendee at the event even referred to Corky as "the grandfather of Harris Hill."

In addition to honoring Corky with the award, a surprise was organized on his behalf.

"I was very happy to see that and, not just one Thunderbird, but a few, several of them there," said Corky, the award recipient. "That made me real happy because the Thunderbirds was a big three and a half years of my career in the Air Force and I'll never forget that."

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