`Icarus` By William McVey At North Texas Regional Airport In Denison, Texas. Editorial Photo

Pictured is a larger than life-size granite monument titled `Icarus` by William McVey at North Texas Regional Airport in Denison, Texas. It was created in 1990 as a memorial for the pioneer pilots of Texas, especially those who gave their lives in various wars. In Greek mythology Icarus and his father Daedalus were imprisoned in a tower by King Minos. They planned to escape by flying with wings made of wax and feathers. Daedalus warned Icarus not to fly too close to the sun, but he didn`t listen. The wax melted, the feathers came off, and Icarus plunged to his death. This statue was commissioned by Harold Thomas Hastings, a decorated WWII fighter pilot serving in the Pacific theater. Following the war, he flew for Trans World Airlines for over 30 years. He died in Denison, Texas in 1999 at the age of 81.