Beacon Apr 2024

C O N V E N T I O N A L
Page 8A THE BEACON April 2024
By PG Gentrup
CRAWFORD A.
“HAP” PETERS
Crawford Albert “Hap”
Peters was born in Aurora,
Indiana on Oct. 10, 1895, to
Fred A. Peters and Ida Marie
Hayes Peters. He passed
away on Dec. 24, 1977, at the
age of 82.
Hap was well known here
in Southeastern Indiana and
quite the character while
being respected by all. Hap
was married to Celestine M.
“Lessie” Englert Peters. Hap
& Lessie had two daughters,
Theresa Ann “Tessie”
Peters Lischkge and Shirley
Ann Peters Meyer. Shirley’s
husband was Judge Anthony
“Tony” Meyer. They had four
children- Anthony, Anna,
Nicholas and Rebecca.
I knew Tessie and her
husband, Bobby Lischkge.
Just like Hap, they were both
characters, and everybody
loved them. Like Hap, they
were Aurora Legends. Bobby
was a proud World War II
Veteran and had the honor
of presenting a wreath at
the Tomb of the Unknown
Soldier at Arlington National
Cemetery. Tessie and Bobby
had two children, Lori and
Robert, who continue running
Lischkge Motors in the
Round Barn near Dillsboro.
S
ALUTE
NEW HOURS
TO THE MILITARY
Hap Peters was a World
War I Veteran. He had a passion
for flying and earned his
“wings” to become a pilot.
The soldiers in World War I
were referred to as “Doughboys,”
a term used by the
Cavalrymen to ridicule foot
soldiers because the brass
buttons on their uniforms
looked like the flour or pipe
clay dumplings called dough
cakes that the “Doughboys”
used to polish their white
belts.
Crawford Albert Peters was
a Second Lieutenant in the
Air Service (Aeronautics).
Hap entered the service on
Dec. 14, 1917. He was commissioned
on July 3, 1918.
Stationed at Taliaferro Field
in Hicks, TX for the School
of Aerial Gunnery and then
at Langley Field in Hampton,
VA. Until his discharge on
Dec. 24, 1918. Hap piloted
bi-wing plane models, Dehaviland
4, Dehaviland 9,
and Curtis OX and VX.
Hap enlisted with his
buddy, Jordan T. Olcott who
served in the Air Service-
Ground. Hap trained with
Wilbur Wright, G. H. Roosevelt,
brother of Eleanor
Roosevelt, and Omar Locklear,
a famous wing walker.
Hap was there when the
former Mayor of New York,
John P. Mitchell, was killed
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Hap Peters’ pilot wings.
by being flipped from a plane
because he failed to fasten
his safety belt. A tornado
hit Texas and Louisiana in
early 1918 and martial law
was declared. Hap went to
St. Charles, Louisiana, and
served under Harve G. Rice
of Aurora, Indiana, who was
in the Navy and would later
on be the Mayor of Aurora.
Hap graduated as a pilot
and then served as an
instructor. He sometimes
flew a German Faulker with
a gunnery tow target. Hap
retired as a Captain while
flying in the Reserves for
twenty years. He never
wore a parachute because he
By Alan Thorup
According to the Federal
Reserve Bank of New York,
credit card balances reached
$1.13 trillion in the fourth
quarter of 2023. That is an increase
of $50 billion from the
third quarter, and continuing
an upward trend since 2020.
Also, according to Trans
Union, one of three national
credit repositories, the average
American household credit
card balance in 2023 was
$6,088. Lastly, delinquencies
on credit cards issued by
commercial banks almost
doubled from 1.55% in 2021
to 2.98% in 2023 according to
the St. Louis Federal Reserve.
With credit cards being such
a critical and large portion of
individual and family finances,
it is extremely important to
understand and manage them
effectively.
While there are numerous
resources to help educate
consumers on the understanding
and use of credit cards, I
want to focus on two of them
from unbiased sources, the
Federal Deposit Insurance
Hap Peters in his later
years. (Photo courtesy of
the Lischge family)
found them uncomfortable.
In 1922, Hap flew a “Flying
Boat” from Louisville, KY
to Aurora and offered people
rides at the Farmers Fair. He
was awarded his membership
in the SILVER WINGS
Fraternity of Aviation Pathfinders,
an honor that requires
twenty-five years of flying.
Hap doubled that.
Today, the flying that Hap
Corporation (FDIC) and the
Consumer Financial Protection
Bureau (CFPB). Each of
these is an agency within the
federal government.
The first of these, the
FDIC’s Money Smart Program
has a specific section for
adults:
https://www.fdic.gov/
resources/consumers/moneysmart/teach-money-smart/
money-smart-for-adults.html
Fourteen separate modules
for consumer education
are included, including one
specifically on credit cards.
The consumer guide in this
module details how credit
cards work, disclosures creditors
must provide a consumer,
and terms associated with
credit cards (rates, fees,
‘teaser rates’, rewards, etc.).
Additionally, there is a section
on managing credit cards that
includes reading a credit card
statement, steps for managing
your credit card, and many
tips for managing your credit
card effectively.
On the CFPB’s home page:
https://www.consumer
PG Gentrup and Hap
Peters’ granddaughter, Lori
Lischkge, with photos and
artifacts from Hap’s military
career.
did led to what is now known
as the United States Air
Force. Hap was a great man
to know and he had many
stories to tell. Thank God
such men lived and served
our country.
Resources for Understanding and Managing
Credit Cards Effectively
finance.gov/, there is a
dropdown for ‘Consumer
Education’ that features many
topics, including credit cards.
On the credit card page,
numerous links will guide
consumers through the basics
of credit cards, key terms in
credit card agreements, and
how credit card issuers calculate
interest. Additional links
provide guidance on how to
find the best credit card, how
to fix mistakes on your bill,
how to cancel a credit card,
and, your rights as a consumer.
There are also guides that
detail how to dispute charges
on your bill, how to get a
refund on a product or service
purchased with a credit card,
and how to submit a complaint
to the CFPB regarding
a credit card provider.
Understanding the range of
financial options available for
your specific needs as well
as an understanding of the
agreements you enter into is
in your best interest. These
two resources are very helpful
and valuable in meeting those
needs.
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