Lester Keith Glaze was born in Kearney, Nebraska on June 15, 1920. His love for flying began when his parents took him and his brother for a ride in a Ford Tri-motor in the early 1930’s. Glaze entered the Civilian Pilot Training program in 1940. After completing phase one, he was told to report to Omaha for a written test in the fall of 1942. Fifty young flyers took the test but only fourteen passed. He was then sent to Fort Crook (now Offutt Air Force Base) for a physical exam and told to go home and pack and expect a call to duty within a week or so.

Glaze received his pilot wings at Chickasha, Oklahoma, after training in Coffeyville, Kansas with the Wilson-Bonfils Flying School. Glaze was in the Air Transport Command in the China-Burma-India Theater of Operation during World War II. For his service there, he was awarded the Chinese Pilot Wings. He was part of the group that flew C46 and C47 planes over the “Hump”. Glaze remained in this theater until December 1945.

As an Air Force reservist, Glaze was recalled to support the Korean War effort as a pilot. Colonel Glaze wears the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal among his many service awards and decorations. He retired from Offutt Air Force Base and is the longest living member of the Offutt Officers’ Club.

Glaze was very active in the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) in Central Nebraska. He provided much of his personal resources and time including the purchase and moving of an old rural school to the Broken Bow Airport for CAP meetings, emergency management and communications facility. He and his wife, Maxine, hosted several International Exchange Cadets from Germany and other countries. He also provided service for numerous Aerospace Education training seminars for teachers and CAP members. Glaze also coordinated Air Force airlift flights to further the CAP missions in Nebraska and surrounding states.

Glaze served on the Broken Bow Airport Authority for several years and was primarily responsible for the many upgrades to the airport and terminal services building.

Keith Glaze also served as Chairman of the Custer County Republican Committee, the Hump Pilots Association, the Air Force Association and was a charter member of the Broken Bow Elks.

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