Luther Conway “Skip” Shelton born March 12, 1923, in Cleveland, Ohio, turned 90 this Mar. 12, 2013.
Skip, as he is known, is a decorated WWII veteran and part of what the writer considers the “greatest generation” – those who gave all to save the world from dominance by Germany and Japan. Skip was raised in Greenville and joined the Air Force in 1943, halfway through the war. He trained as a pilot in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. Skip attended bomber school in Washington State and was sent to England later in 1943.
Skip flew 17 bombing missions over Germany in the B-24 Liberator. Often returning to base with a plane shot up, he and his crew would paint circles around the holes shot in the plane. After only a week in Norwich, England, Skip started painting nose art on planes. He and his crew had eaten their last meal in the US in San Francisco. The plane had the letter “F” with some numbers on it already, so Skip and the crew decided to paint “Frisco Frisky” on the plane. Skip didn’t consider himself a very good artist then, but the rest is history. He became one of the staff artists for the “Stars and Stripes” newspaper in Europe.
One of Skip’s fondest memories of the war is his relationship with big band leader Glenn Miller. Skip, also a musician, considered Miller one of his mentors. Oddly, Skip and Glenn Miller had dinner together the night before Miller went down in the English Channel.
After the war in Europe ended, Skip had a 30 day leave in Greenville and was then sent to train in Las Vegas for the war in the Pacific on the B-29. Skip never had to go, as the war with Japan ended. Skip returned to Greenville and became a flight instructor at the Greenville Airport.
Skip has lived what many would call several lifetimes. He was a Greenville policeman from 1948-1956. From 1956-1999, he was a corporate pilot for industries of the area including Milliken, Greenwood Mills, US Shelter, and JP Stevens. During this part of his career, he flew such well-known celebrities as Jim Nabors, Bob Hope, Jack Benny, Johnny Carson, James Brown, and President Gerald Ford. If you ever get a chance to talk to Skip personally, he is full of stories of his corporate pilot days.
But, it is art which Skip is well-known for in the upstate during his later years. He and his wife Shirley have an art studio in the basement of the Greenwood Arts Center in the Federal Building of Greenwood. Skip teaches art, paints 5 or 6 days a week, and during good weather paints murals on buildings. He has done over 100 murals in Greenwood, Laurens, Clinton, McCormick, and in homes of individuals. Skip’s creations of Civil War scenes are displayed in the SCV Camp 40 building in Laurens and in the home of Thomas Sawyer on Lake Greenwood.
Skip orchestrated his own birthday party held in the Greenwood Arts Center! Serving as Master of Ceremonies himself, Skip presented an hour long show to a crowd of several hundred. The big band era was the theme with a salute to Glenn Miller at the beginning. There were several lip sync acts, but live entertainment included Skip at the piano, Cheryl Baer in her well-known portrayal of Patsy Cline, and an appearance by Sarah Palin, portrayed by Taylor Wilson Tucker. Senator Floyd Nicholson of Greenwood presented Skip with a resolution passed by the SC Senate honoring him for his service to the country in WWII and to the communities in which he has lived. In a touching manner, Skip, the man of the hour, turned the attention away from himself, and had the Armed Forces Medley played, asking veterans to stand, dropping red, white, and blue balloons, and raising an American Flag at the end.
A champagne toast to Skip was given by Billy Baer of Greenwood and guests enjoyed cake and other refreshments. On Sunday after the party, the writer of this article talked to Skip and asked him how he was doing. He said, “Oh, pretty good for a 90 year old. Today we went to a Fly-In at the Greenwood Airport, then to church. In the afternoon, Shirley and I rode the motorcycle 70 miles.” I guess it all can be summed up in the banner which hung at the entrance to the party with words by Hunter S. Thompson, “Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body. But rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming ‘Wow! What a ride.’” This member of the Greatest Generation is still riding.
Thanks, Skip for your service to our country and for making a difference in the lives of all who have known you. As a personal note, as I attended this birthday celebration and witnessed the smiles on the faces of friends and family members alike, all I can think of is how sad it is that we live in a world that measures the wealth of one’s life by how fat their bank account is. If I may offer a personal toast to you, Luther “Skip” Shelton, and borrow a line from the American classic, “It’s a Wonderful Life” - To you, Skip, “the richest man in town.”
