We have begun learning about Karl Porisch, who began life in Jackson, the first of four sons born to Imogene Ruth and Adolphe Henry (A.H.) Porisch. Karl attended Jackson’s public schools where he formed bonds that persisted into high school.

“I had three or four really close friends. One was Phil Summers, whose father was pastor of the ELCA Church (Evangelical Lutheran Church of America) in Jackson. We wound up being freshman classmates at Waldorf (College). And there was Kent Borchert. Phil, Kent, and I hunted together, so we had that in common.”

Karl shared another experience that was on the less respectable end of young teen conduct.

“While there was some mischief, I don’t think we did anything dangerous. (Karl chuckled) The parsonage was next to Phil’s father’s church. Phil showed us the way to the top the bell tower. (Karl chuckled) We had access to M-80’s (firecrackers) and we’d get up there with a slingshot at night. We’d take that M-80; light it; and shoot it up in the air with a slingshot. Jackson, being in a valley, (Karl laughed) that thing would go off and it echoed. We’d do silly things like that, but nothing bad.”

Karl enjoyed participating in two high school sports he loved.

“Football was my big sport. I was the center. I didn’t weigh a whole lot, but for whatever reason, that’s where I fit. The coach was the one making the decision. I played varsity during sophomore, junior, and senior years and we had pretty good records in the Southwest Conference. My spring sport was baseball. I loved that sport and played a number of different positions, including third base and outfield. When I graduated I went on to Waldorf (College) and played football there as a center and linebacker. That was a junior college then.”

Participating in high school sports led to other life changes.

“Once I got involved with sports that broadened my friend base. There was a group — John Muir, Jim Olson, and Doug Arends — the four of us. When we were in high school, Doug was the oldest, but the rest of us were classmates. We always double-dated or quadruple-dated. We’d drive to basketball games in the winter and go to each other’s homes and play games.”

Karl’s involvement in high school sports connected him to his father in a way.

“My father, was a very good athlete. When I first started playing varsity football my coach was a fellow by the name of Louis Swearingen. All the adults called him “Louie” — we didn’t. (Karl chuckled) My dad graduated in 1935. (Mr. Swearingen) was his high school coach. That’s how long he coached at Jackson.”

Mr. Swearingen influenced Karl off the football field as well.

“He was a high school teacher, too. He taught social studies and was an excellent teacher.”

Karl recalled other teachers who influenced him in school and later.

“One of the other ones was Sexton Larson. He was a WWII vet and had been a prisoner of war. He taught social studies and history. He’d do his lecture and we’d have reading assignments, but then he’d sit up at his desk and be asking questions. One teacher, John Wensler, had an impact on me later in life. He was our PE instructor and also taught biology. I loved his biology class. He was good and made it make sense. When I went to (college) I had a biology major. Those two stand out. They didn’t demand respect, but you gave them respect.”

The Des Moines River ran through Jackson and provided diversions for the young folks.

“Jackson used to have a power plant there and a dam. There was good fishing there. In the wintertime the Des Moines River was the skating rink. There was Ashley Park — a wide spot in the river there just north of the State Street Bridge. That’s where the warming house was and where we’d play hockey. Sometimes three or four of us would skate up the river about six miles to the Black Bridge, which was a railroad trestle over the Des Moines River, and skate back.”

Karl graduated with the Jackson High School class of 1963 and earned an associate’s degree in biology from Waldorf College in Forest City, Iowa. He continued pursing studies in biology and chemistry at Mankato State. His life lurched in a new direction in 1967 during a break in a human anatomy lab.

“We could go across the street to the student union. I walked through the door and off to one side was a table with all kinds of fixed wing aircraft on it, F-4’s and A-4’s, and two Marine recruiters. I had always wanted to fly. I saw that and thought that might be my chance. I talked with them and they said, ‘If you pass the Airman’s Qualifying Test and Flight Aptitude Rating, we’ll send you to flight school.’ So I agreed to the test.”

Events moved quickly from that agreement.

“I had to go to the Federal Building in downtown Minneapolis. I took the test and they corrected it right away. The guy said, ‘You passed.’ I asked, ‘Well, what’s next?’ He said, ‘Here,’ and gave me the paper to sign. (Karl chuckled) So, I did. That’s how I got into aviation.”

Sharing his news with his parents was a different matter entirely.

“I called my folks and it was pretty quiet on the other end of the line. But, you know I wasn’t thinking of Vietnam or anything. I just wanted to fly.”

©2024 William D. Palmer.