Weir Cook has been dead a long time, since 1943, but a military veterans group wants to bring
his name back to what is now Indianapolis International Airport.
The war heroâ??s name was on the airport from 1944, a year after he died in a plane crash, until the airport was given its current name in 1976.
Yesterday, the Indianapolis City-County Council voted to recommend that the airport board add â??Col. Harvey Weir Cookâ?? to the official name.
What do you think?
The war heroâ??s name was on the airport from 1944, a year after he died in a plane crash, until the airport was given its current name in 1976.
Yesterday, the Indianapolis City-County Council voted to recommend that the airport board add â??Col. Harvey Weir Cookâ?? to the official name.
What do you think?
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However, hopping on the current landmark for sale bandwagon might make sense. We might be able to re coup some of the cost over runs at the airport by selling the naming rights (e.g Indianpolis Pepsi Airport)
Just kidding-----sort of
When I was growing up, we only spoke of going out to Weir Cook. (Rarely even said that was the airport.) And we'd fly from there to LaGuardia. And we always knew where we were going.
I'd have told 'em to leave it alone, just add International...
Indianapolis Weir Cook International Airport sounds FINE -
Or Weir Cook International Airport at Indianapolis...
Lessee...
Washington Reagan National Airport, check.
Chicago O'Hare International Airport, check.
Eagle Creek Regional Airpark? Hmm.
In common usage, it's gonna get shortened - but no way TO shorten Indianapolis International - Putting Col. Cook in there, and Voila!
Weircook International... Weir Cook all by itself ( Mostly, I hear
Reagan, not Reagan National...
John Dillinger International
Motto: open up your suitcase or we'll shoot you
Jared Subway Fogle International
Motto: open up your suitcase or I'll eat you
Jeff George International
Motto: open up your suitcase or I'll cry
David Letterman International
Motto: Top 10 reasons to open up your suitcase
Dick the Bruiser International
Motto: open up your suitcase or I'll pile drive ya
Joyce DeWitt International (actress in the T.V. show Threes Company)
Motto: open up your suitcase or I'll make you watch hours of bad sitcom
Albert Von Tilzer (composer of Take Me Out To The Ball Game)
Motto: open up your suitcase or we'll make you go to a Reds game
motto: too much time to think of that garbage.
try crackers comedy club.
Names of locals gives it a distinct identity.
Any airport can be the international airport. The desperation to be hip and cutting edge in the 1970's lead to the removal of the name.
Any airport can be the 'international (insert city's name here.) airport but only one can be Weir Cook.
Even if no one knows who he was the name is far more elegant and timeless than Indianapolis International airport.
Indianapolis Weir Cook Airport sounds a lot better.
We currently care for our military personnel very well and generously honor there service. Please add this request to the recently passed legislation giving Indiana military veterans free tuition to state colleges, extra property tax relief, gambling licenses for all VFW (Veteran Foreign Wars) lodges in the state, expanded state health benefits, free Veteran licence plates among many other state perks. This does not include the increase in Federal benefits recently passed the GI bill over President Bush's objections that significantly increased retirement, health benefits, salaries, signing bonuses of $100,000+, and lifetime PX discounts.
At what point do we go beyond honoring our military for their service and start looking like a third world military dictatorship?
How about US President Benjamin Harrison, Richard Lugar, Eddie Rickenbacker, Kurt Vonnegut, Ernie Pyle, John Mellencamp, Eli Lilly, David Letterman, James Dean, John Dillinger, Jane Pauley, Red Skelton, Dan Quayle, Reggie Miller, Bird (big breath), Wilcom Riley, Gus Grissom, Tony Stewart, Jimmy Hoffa, Michael Jackson, Johnney Appleseed ...............
You get the point.
Indiana currently has more war memorials than Washington DC. Add this request to the Military groups requests to locate a new submarine memorial on the canal in landlocked Indianapolis and plans to eliminate the green space surrounding the Indianapolis War Memorial with a gaudy expansion.
Thanks, but someone needs to have the guts to say enough is enough.
Choosing a name could be bid out to competing non-profits that could raise at least $250 million (Lucas Oil Stadiums standard) through a fundraising drive targeted to benefit the city and taxpayers.
Largest fundraiser gets the naming rights to there favorite Hoosier Hero. Potential uses could include improved infrastructure, economic development, or tourism.
The governor said the airport was named for (Cook) for a long time, which was appropriate, and that now we should honor Cook and his memory in other ways, such as hanging his portrait in the new airport terminal, said Daniels' press secretary, Jane Jankowski.
It's the way of the world, dust to dust, said Burt SerVaas, who is 87, retired from politics and philosophical. To take Indianapolis International back to Weir Cook would be a step backward, he said.
Several years ago, the large room where Indianapolis' City-County Council holds its meetings was named for SerVaas. He has no illusions it's for keeps.
And so what, he said. They'll change it, and I won't be alive to care.
Weir Cook International Airport has a great ring to it. (No apologies to those
who can't see past the end of their own nose or who have no respect for
those older military folks. I have had a rude awakening today to the IBJ reader
demographics. WOW.)
Indianapolis Colts International Airport, Simon Malls International Airport,
I have a few other names. Naptown International Airport. Circle City International AIrport. I like Circle City!!!!!!
Folks were upset about the proposal to rename Michigan Road after MLK for these reasons, but that same ire seems to have disappeared when it comes to renaming the airport.
I say re-instate it. As an earlier post stated, it's hurts no one and gives the airport a unique name.
It's simple, descriptive, forward looking, and represents all of our community, not just old military people, political leaders, successful business founders, education notables, artists, musicians, authors, etc....
Give Weir Cook a portrait and plaque at the new airport that explains his contributions and history behind our city airport and end this.
Now lets talk about the future, lets get light rail from the new airport to our new downtown stadium, fieldhouse, museums, theatres, hotels, restaurants, business district, and shopping area. This will positively change Indianapolis and give a boost to tourism and economic development.
Weir Cook served in Eddie Rickenbacker's Hat in the Ring squadron in WWI distinguishing himself by downing seven enemy aircraft becoming one of eight aces in the squadron, while also receiving the Distinguished Service Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster for bravery under fire.
In the years following the war, Cook continued his avid interest in aviation by becoming a pioneer in air mail delivery. He was primarily responsible for the selection of Indianapolis as a stop on the New York-St. Louis air mail route. He was actively involved in civic affairs, serving as a prominent member of the Chamber of Commerce aviation committee. In this capacity he helped to select the location of the new Indianapolis airport.
I'm sick of Int'l. Back to back w/Indp'ls is too long and sounds phony.
O'Hare, Logan, JFK, Reagan: You do not need to put the d--- city's name in the title.
This idea ranks up with the idea to change the name of North Dakota to Dakota in an effort to make the state's winters more appealing and distinguish itself from constantly being confused with South Dakota.
Changing the name is a poor idea.
Giving recognition to Weir Cook and the airports past in the form of a portrait and plaque in the new $1 billion midfield terminal is a good idea.
Do you know of Oklahoma City? Have you ever heard of St.Louis? Does Austin, Texas ring a bell? Could you name a thing or two about Cleveland? Has Milwaukee dropped off the face of the earth? The Will Rogers, Lambert, Bergstrom, Hopkins, and Mitchell in their names doesn't seem to cause confusion nor deteriorate their staus in the world, so I don't think the name Weir Cook is going cause Indianapolis to vanish.
If anything it will give Indy a touch of color, and distance us from the plain brown wrapping that comes with the generic City Name International Airport syndrome.
Cleveland, Oklahoma City, St.Louis, Austin, Texas, and Milwaukee give me a much better sense of where the airport is located and an impression of the community from my visits.
So since the entire name of an airport after the city name is completely irrelevent, thereby making Indianapolis International Airport and Indianapolis Weir Cook International Airport identical in all eyes, why not do the right thing and restore the proper name to the airport title?
You know when an honor is given - - it shouldn't be taken away. PERIOD.
We honored Weir Cook for a reason. Maybe some of you who don't know who he was and the type of person that he was-- should read some history. He had a very colorful life. Did some very daring feats (ever see the movie Flyboys? - this is the type of plane Cook started out flying), was a good father and family man, wanted safety for pilots, was forward thinking in business (establishing airmail), and just an all around good guy.
I think we could do a LOT worse - lets give the name back before it goes to some politician who has a more dubious record, or gets named for some corporation.
Cook - was even a Hoosier to boot! Born in Wilkinson, Indiana (Hancock County).