By Creighton Grove | Staff Writer

The book “Wyoming Airmail Pioneers” goes into the history of the dangers pilots of the United States Transcontinental airlines had to face through the Rocky Mountains.

Authors Starley Talbott and Michael Kassel met while Talbott was working at the Old West Museum in Cheyenne. Talbott said she worked with pictorial history, and that was when she really got to know Kassel. Although Talbott is based in Cheyenne, she said she still has connections with residents of Wheatland.
The authors recently had a book signing at the Wyoming State Museum in Cheyenne, and they plan to hold another book signing in Wheatland at the Wandering Hermit on August 19.
Talbott said, while she did the actual writing of the book, Kassel did most of the research. Kassel said that because he grew up in Cheyenne, he was familiar with the C-130’s in town. He is also a history teacher at Laramie County Community College. Kassel also said the book was mainly based on the research he used in his thesis in College. He said he only found out how important C-130’s were to Cheyenne’s history when he pursued his master’s degree from 2003 to 2007 at the University of Wyoming. During this time, Kassel said he learned there was a United Airlines Stewardess school in Cheyenne. Kassel said he found a lot of information in the State’s archives. Kassel also said he found a full article written by Andy Rodell that talked about airmail pilots.
“The stories of these guys were just so much fun to tell, they were daredevils, they were pioneers,” Kassel said. “They’re just a remarkable bunch of guys.”
The book centers around the United States Transcontinental Airmail Service and their travels from the East Coast through the Rocky Mountains. The book also depicts a very important part of Cheyenne History. Kassel said this was a very dynamic story.