| 1908 |
Born in Kansas |
| 1923 |
Sells his favorite sheep for $10 and pays $7.5 for his first airplane ride with WWI pilot, Preacher Smith |
| 1937 |
Came to Alaska after M.D. "Kirk" Kirkpatrick, president of Cordova Air Service offered him a job as a pilot |
| 1938 |
Glacier Pilot Bob Reeve gave Merle Smith the nickname "Mudhole" after Smitty hit a hole on takeoff and his
Stearman C3B biplane nosed over into the muddy runway. The nickname would stay with him for life. |
| 1939 |
Became president of Cordova Air Service after Kirkpatrick was killed in an accident |
| 1942 |
Works for Morrison-Knudson and Harold Gillam flying mail and cargo, mostly in support of the war effort. |
| 1944 |
Returns to Cordova to rebuild the Cordova Air Service |
| 1950 |
Is grounded because of health problems but continues to build Cordova Air Service into one of Alaska'a
most successful airlines. |
| 1952 |
Cordova Air Service merges with Christensen Flying Service and becomes Cordova Airlines |
| 1968 |
Cordova Air Service merges with Alaska Airlines, Mudhole serves as director and vice-president of
Alaska Airlines until mid 1973 |
| 1981 |
Merle K. "Mudhole" Smith dies on June 16 |
