Free Lecture at Champaign Aviation Museum

Sep 21, 2024
2 min read

Updated: Oct 4, 2024

Thursday, October 17th, 2024 at 11am:

"Boxes: The Secret Life of Howard Hughes"

Presented by Major General Mark Musick (Ret.)

Join us in the CAM Library to learn the history-changing story detailing how Howard Hughes spent the last 25 years of his life, in seclusion, with the women he loved. Fabulous wealth, a government-provided alternate identity, an employment of body doubles, media confusion, and a loving wife to preserve the secrets. The mystery is now known! Throughout the mysterious later years of Howard Hughes' life, he was described as a 90-pound pitiful man with long fingernails and declared mentally incompetent at his passing in 1976. Was this the disgusting end of Howard Hughes’ life? No, it was not! The person who died in 1976 was a stand-in for Hughes. Howard hid for another 25 years with the support of the government and a woman he loved and trusted. “Boxes: The Secret Life of Howard Hughes,” describes why Howard wanted to escape and how it was achieved until his actual death in 2001. The story is told by his wife, Eva McLelland, who kept his secret until his passing, at which time she was ready to reveal the truth. Eva chose to tell Mark Musick, co-author of "Boxes: The Secret Life of Howard Hughes" a true story of intrigue and mystery that re-writes history.

About our Speaker: Major General Mark Musick (Ret.) joined the Air Force in 1972 and attended Navigator training, graduating in 1973 with an assignment in the F4 Phantom Aircraft. Mark had assignments in Lakenheath, England and Hahn, Germany separating from the active duty Air Force in 1980. After moving to to Lincoln, Nebraska Mark joined the Air Guard unit flying RF4’s as a traditional guardsman. In 1994 the unit transitioned to KC135 Tanker aircraft and Mark was selected to be the Wing Commander for the Nebraska Air Guard. He was then promoted to be the Assistant Adjutant General for Nebraska and later honored with a second star as the Mobilization Assistant to the Deputy Commander at US Strategic Command at Offutt AFB in Omaha. Major General Musick retired from the military in 2008.

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For more information contact Jessica at 937-652-4710 x.106