The Board of Aviation Commissioners and the City of Warsaw honored Dr. Paul Grossnickle Tuesday afternoon for his 27 years of service on the board. The board announced his resignation at the January meeting. Grossnickle, who served on the board from January 1987 to this January, said that he just felt it was time to hand the responsibility to someone else. He turns 90 years old in June. “I have to take it kind of easy,” he said. Grossnickle said he initially accepted the position on the board because of his background and interest in flight. He served as a fighter pilot in the United States Navy during World War II from 1942 to 1945. The board presented Grossnickle with a photo of himself and his fellow service men posing in front of a Grumman F6F Hellcat in January 1945. Grossnickle said only he and two others in the photo survived their service. The board also presented Grossnickle with a plaque in recognition of his service to the City of Warsaw. “I am very appreciative,” he said. While Grossnickle said he looks forward to more downtime, he will also miss serving on the board. “These guys are fun,” he said. “I have enjoyed it very much, but it is time for someone else to take over.” Former Mayor Ernie Wiggins will succeed Grossnickle on the board, though Wiggins will not be sworn in until the March 11 BOAC meeting.
