In Humble Memory
of those who have:
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"Flown West"
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Captain Vern Pickup
During the very last days of the fall of Saigon
there are some vivid video clips of the mass exodus.
In one of the more famous video shots,
there is a DC-3 going down with one engine smoking and on fire.
The Captain of that DC-3 was my friend Vern Pickup,
as good a pilot and close friend as any man could hope to meet.....
Captain Vern Pickup has flown West with honor.
(tribute from Capt. Enrico Bottieri)
Captain A.F. Myers
My father flew C-47s during the war.
and he passed away
He retired as a chief pilot for American Airlines,
instructing on DC-10s.
No matter how sophisticated the airplane that he was currently checked out on
He always talked about the DC-3 with great affection.
I'm trying to put together a small page regarding my dad
and it just wouldn't be complete without an example
of the green version he used to fly in.
submitted by: Jim Myers - Jeremiah@wavenet.com
In memory of :
Hans Buining, Henk Heus,
Yvonne Keesman,
Mieke Schoenmakers, Herman Karstens and Gerard Huisman,
The
crew members, and the passengers
of PH-DDA,
who died in the crash of
September 1996.
As volunteers, their lives were dedicated to keeping the DC-3 in the sky.
submitted by: "Han de Roos" - han.de.roos@tip.nl
Elrey Borge Jeppesen
Pilot and aviation charting pioneer Elrey Borge Jeppesen
died at 2:40 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 26 1996 in his Cherry Hills Village home.
He was 89.
Services were held this week at First Church of the Nazarene,
with interment in Fairmont Cemetery.
His wife, Nadine, preceded him in death just five months ago,
on June 10, 1996 at age 81.
The father of modern aeronautical charts was born Jan. 28, 1907 in Lake Charles,
La.
He grew up in Hood River, Ore. "Captain Jepp" began flying at age
16,
had a pilot’s license signed by Orville Wright,
and quit high school to fly his war surplus JN4 "Jenny" biplane (that
cost $500)
as a barnstormer with Tex Rankin’s Flying Circus out of Portland, Ore.
That led to the vocation that would put his name in aviation history.
Jeppesen flew the night mail route between Cheyenne and Oakland, Calif.,
wherein the going could be difficult using little more than a compass or the
landmarks below.
So. at age 23 he began doing the first aerial surveys and photographs,
of Mexico first, and drew up his own charts,
complete with elevations, landmarks and obstructions he observed from the air.
"I invented something to prevent me from getting killed,"
he said. In 1934, he would sell his first charts to other pilots, at
$10 each.
United Airlines began business in the 1930s, and Jeppesen became a pilot for
that company,
for which his future wife worked as a stewardess.
Together, around 1936 they began a chart business
- putting together the Jeppesen Airway Manual -
in the basement of their homes in
Cheyenne, Salt Lake City, and in Denver, where they moved in 1941.
They took on college students for art and drafting work.
Jeppesen himself climbed obstacles such as mountains, water towers and the like,
checking their elevations with an altimeter.
Jeppesen had charted most of the U.S. by the time his country entered World
War II,
and his "Jepp" charts became standard issue to pilots in military
service.
In 1954, pilot Jeppesen retired from United, with the prompting of his physician.
He and Nadine put all their effort into the charting business,
eventually selling it to Times Mirror Corp. in 1961,
although Jeppesen served as chairman until 1988.
Today, the business goes by the name Jeppesen Sanderson Inc.,
located in Inverness Business Park, south of Denver,
and run by president and CEO Horst A. Bergmann,
also one of Jeppesen’s close friends.
Among the company’s products were pilot training supplies,
high altitude navigation charts, and other new aviation technology.
Jeppesen is survived by two sons,
Jim of Littleton, and Dick of Longwood, Fla.;
and five grandchildren.
Others will remember Jeppesen by the larger than life-size sculpture of the
"airmail pilot, airline captain, wing walker, air navigation pioneer, barnstormer, air safety pioneer, businessman, instructor"
which was unveiled at the grand opening of Denver International
Airport in early 1995.
That, along with a permanent exhibit of the pioneer’s work and memorabilia
will remain at DIA,
letting future generations know about one of Colorado’s greatest and most
memorable men.
RIP
Memories
Brojak is going to drift away from the norm,
just for today.
memories of, over 50+ years ago,
Valentine Day, Feb. 14th, 1945.
(A, l - o - n - g, step back into time.)
The 318th Troop Carrier Squadron was stationed at "Honey"
Airstrip,
Lingayen Gulf, on the island of Luzon in the Philippines.
Quote from the Squadron History Book, published October, 1945.
============================
"Tragedy hit the Squadron February
14th.
First Lieutenant Thomas P. Sneckner,
the Pilot,
Flight Officer Jack H. Deacon, acting as Co-Pilot,
Staff Sergeant Freeman F. Stanton, Radio Operator,
Sergeant David B. Browne, Crew Chief,
plus two Glider Pilots,
Flight Officers Jack D. Yates, and
Flight Officer George C. Polovich.
These men took off on a Drop Mission at Antipolla.
It was a difficult drop ANYTIME, but a resupply mission was needed
to add power to guerrilla forces on Luzon. The plane did not return at
its scheduled time. No air to ground contact could be made. As dusk
settled over Honey Strip, it was definitely realized that an accident
had occurred.
Fighter planes were dispatched to search for the missing aircraft, but
weather had "socked in" over the Drop Zone, so that nothing could
be
seen. No news of any kind came out of those mountains.
The next day, one of our planes returned to the drop area and sighted
the missing plane - crashed into the side of a mountain. Word came
through from the guerrillas that no one had escaped, all burned beyond
recognition. Dog Tags and Identification Bracelets made up all that
was found.
We all felt the loss of these men. We know that they gave their lives
in an effort to perform a task dedicated to bringing the strife to a
quicker end. We were proud of their great effort, and their work,
to all of us, will be a guiding star by which we too can carry on doing
their part along with our own."
=====================
End of Quote.
Because today is the anniversary of the crash that took
the lives of our six comrades,
and the ONLY plane we lost on a combat mission,
is the reason for this message.
I am a Catholic and I normally set aside a week-end Mass in our Church,
closest to Valentine Day, in memory of our comrades who did not come back.
I do that, not only to remember them, but also in the hope that those who
did not live during those times, or did not serve in the Military would
realize that somebody, somewhere, paid a high price to give them the
Freedom they enjoy, do not appreciate, and probably did not Earn.
Many people, including the two most notable critics of the Freeedom
preserving efforts of the USA, in the past, - Jane Fonda, and Bill Clinton,
and a good part of Congress are enjoying the fruits of a Freedom paid
for by sacrifices made by our service men in WWI, WWII, Korea, and
especially, Vietman, where U.S. Servicemen suffered the greatest
RAPE in History.
Clinton and Fonda are probably still laughing about "Carnival Archie"
snow job they did on America. I don't want to get started on THAT.
One of the bright lights in Vietnam was the contribution of the
venerable C-47's "Spooky" and "Puff The Magic Dragon."
I get like this on Valentine Day, as I think:
"But for ther Grace of GOD?" The crew of "Army 452" was
on the same
kind of a mission as Sneckner and his crew that same day.
"Keep 'Em Flying" ===brojak===
Flt. Lt. David S.A. Lord
VC., DFC.
The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight based at RAF Conningsby
in Lincolnshire aquired a DC3 for logistical use.
This has been painted with the markings and in the
colours of the Dakota flown by
"The Arnhem VC"
the only VC ever awarded to RAF Transport Command
- For complete story go to:
http://freespace.virgin.net/f.cassidy/arnhemvc.htm
submitted by: Frank Cassidy
Captain Bassel Lamar Knight
Jr.
This would be my memorial to my father, Captain
Bassel Lamar Knight Jr. (1929 - 1997)
Who flew in the 50's and 60's with Central and Frontier Airlines
he accumulated over 10,000 hours
and wrote the last working flight manual for the plane in 1965.
A great pilot!
"J. Clifton Knight" - knightjc@swbell.net
litant@massbar.org
(Bill Litant)
Several years ago, I attended the funeral of my Uncle.
Coming from the English branch of the family,
he had been an RAF radio operator/navigator instructor during WW2
and was loaned to the RCAF, spending most of the war in Canada.
When I was in high school he gave me his old uniform jacket which I wore for
years.
He spent many hours going over his old WW2 logbooks with me
and showing me old photos of his flying adventures.
He was always up for a chat about old planes.
The burial service was small - only about 12 people in attendance.
Following the service, I was walking through the cemetary to the car with my
wife,
my cousin and her husband, when I heard that big plane "Radial Engine"
roar.
Looking up, I was startled to see a B-25 flying overhead!
When I excitedly brought this amazing coincidence to the others' attention they
were
totally uninterested and continued with their conversation.
What a fitting final tribute to my uncle!
Too bad no one else appreciated it!
ROSE,
LUTHER LEE
Name: Luther Lee Rose
Rank/Branch: E6/US Air Force
Unit: 4th Air Commando Squadron, Ubon AF TH
Date of Birth: 07 August 1935
Home City of Record: Howe TX
Date of Loss: 03 June 1966
Country of Loss: Laos
Loss Coordinates: 170400N 1055900E (XD054858)
Status (in 1973): Missing in Action
Category: 2
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: AC47
Other Personnel in Incident: (all
missing)
Russell D. Martin;
Harold E. Mullins;
Theodore E. Kryszak;
Harding E. Smith;
Ervin Warren
Reported by: "Michael Malone" msm@flash.net
Passing of a Friend
I sadly pass on exerpt from the May/June issue of Airliners Magazine:
"The staff of Airliners is deeply sadened to report the passing of
Arthur Pearcy.
The prolific author author suffered a heart attack
at his Sharnbrook home in Bedford, England on Feb. 28.
Pearcy is best remembered for his tributes to the Douglas
DC-3
and many other fine books."
From: Ernest Szelepcsenyi - ernesto@istar.ca
ARTHUR PEARCY
- March 1926 - 26 February 1998
-
The DC-3 community is all the poorer for the passing
of one of the great people associated with the aeroplane,
Arthur Pearcy,
who sadly passed away suddenly on 26 February 1998.
Born in Yorkshire in March, 1926 it seemed inevitable that he should have an
aviation career
with so many RAF airfields in that lovely part of England.
He joined the Air Training Corps as a boy where he enjoyed many flights in RAF
aircraft.
He went on to become an aircraft recognition instructor during the second world
war.
His aviation career didn't really get going, however,
until he was seconded to the United States Air Force (Europe) at Bovingdon in
March, 1954
serving on a C-47 transport squadron for four and a half years.
It was here he met his wife, Audrey and developed his great love of the DC-3.
After they joined the Ministry of Supply's Air Traffic Control branch in 1958
they spent time at Blackbushe, Farnborough and Llanbedr.
Arthur finally retired at Thurleigh, Bedford, in 1986
having served at the Royal Aircraft Establishment facility since 1982.
Retirement saw him busy at home cataloguing his huge collection of books,
photographs and other aviation ephemera.
He visited the US for long periods biannually continuing his research
into the aviation subjects he so loved to write about,
sharing his vast knowledge with ever eager enthusiasts.
John C. Brizendine, President of McDonnell Douglas from 1973 to 1982,
said of Arthur
'...he is probably the most knowledgeable
person alive
in DC-3 lore...her history, her exploits,
and her enduring contributions to the betterment of mankind'.
Truly, a fitting ephitaph to a great historian.
His contact with Douglas lead to many friendships not least with Harry Gann,
the company archivist who provided Arthur with many hundreds of DC-3 photographs
while head of Media Relations, Don Hanson, hosted Arthur and Audrey on many
occasions.
Not only did the Douglas 'family' think so highly
of him;
in 1973 the US Navy invited Arthur to be a crew member
on the last scheduled Super DC-3 flight in Europe
making him an honourable member of the
Mildenhall Naval Air Facility
at its conclusion.
His books 'Fifty Glorious Years' and 'Sixty Glorious
Years'
are recognised as the difinitive works charting the pictorial history of the
DC-3.
But Arthur didn't limit himself to researching just the DC-3.
He wrote definitve volumes on Lend-Lease aircraft of World War Two
and a superb history of Douglas's propliners ('Douglas Propliners DC-1 through
DC-7')
which filled in yet more gaps in the DC-3 history trail.
Yet another book featured the history of the US Coast Guard Service
showing the diversity of his knowledge and interests.
His final work, 'Berlin Airlift'
published recently,
completes yet another chapter in the DC-3 story.
A painstaking work, Arthur unearthed many new and previously
unpublished photographs of that amazing logistics operation
as well as checking individual aircraft flights
and identifying some of the many characters of the time.
Arthur will be remembered not just for his contribution to the recording of
aviation history.
His willingness to assist other researchers from his own extensive collection
and his great sense of humour endeared him to hundreds of enthusiasts and friends
around the world.
The sympathies of everyone connected
with the DC-3 On-Line Aviation Museum
from the humble reader to the contributors and curator
go to Arthur's widow, Audrey, to his family
and his many friends around the world.
Anthony Harratt
With acknowledgements to FlyPast Magazine and Airlife Publishing.
Glen Cline Moser
While visiting Mike Meyers yesterday in Vancouver, WA, I learned
of this Website.
In searching most pages,
I have not found any reference to Glen Moser or other test pilots who helped
develop the DC-3.
Glen Moser was my uncle.
He, my grandfather and a number of Douglas executives were killed
in a crash of an uncompleted DC-3 on a July trip from LA
to opening ceremony for Albuquerque airport in 1936.
I heard the story when I was only a child and, until now,
have not pursued the details.
My fuzzy recollection is that the plane did not yet have de-icing system installed
and ran into icing conditions over the San Francisco mountains.
Can you help direct me to the details? --
Dick Blackmer - easy@wizvax.net
|
Upon receiving this,
I requested assistance from noted Aviation Historian William T. Larkin The following is the report that he provided... Our special thanks to William T. Larkin ... "Bear" |
DC-3, c/n 1938, registered PH-ALP was on a flight from
Union Air
Terminal (Burbank) to North Beach airport (NYC) to deliver the plane to
KLM. It crashed "head on" into Mt Baldy (11,590 feet high) near McNary,
Arizona on April 3, 1937 killing all eight aboard. The plane burned and
"one half of the tail was found 1/4 mile away".
The names go through some changes but this appears to be a correct list:
Glen Cline Moser,
30, pilot
Joe Wolford,
32, co-pilot
E. R. Moser Sr.
(also given as James Moser Sr), 55, father of pilot
Merle Estey,
29, Douglas employee
Mrs. Lucille Estey
Roland Kent,
Douglas employee
Bernard Troyt
Jr., 38,
parking station operator
Mrs. B. B. Bruderlin,
mother of a Douglas employee
The story is covered in the New York Times
for April 5th (page 1),
April 6th, pages 1 & 4,
April 7th pg 1
and April 8th pg 3.
...My thanks to Ken Dowsett
ironclad@rocketmail.com
for letting me know about this great site and
memorial for our brothers in flight..."Bear"
...the recovery of a DAK lost in "Burma" in 1945...
http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/feature/burma/burmamain.htm
six airmen who were declared missing and presumed dead
after their
C-47 Dakota failed to return June 21, 1945,
from delivering supplies to the British 14th Army in northern Burma.
The pilot was Warrant Officer William Rogers
of Halifax
and the co-pilot was Pilot Officer William Kyle
of Perth, Ont.
The others were
Flight Sergeant Charles McLaren
of Campbellville, Ont.,
Flying Officer David Cameron of
Oshawa, Ont.,
Warrant Officer Stanley Cox of
Beresford, Man.,
and Leading Aircraftman Cornelius Kopp
of Duchess,Alta.
We now know the WWII airplane crashed in the thick rainforest,
probably because of severe monsoon weather.
...we add our tribute...
"Bear"
Welcome Home
Memories past dimmed by time
Jarred to life by successful search
Never forgotten we were just delayed
Time to return to those left behind
To close the doors of dread and doubt
Welcome home, Honored DAK warriors
We relieve you, your vigil of command
Your job did make a mighty difference
And you did for all, and we accept
We who survive thank you for your effort
Open the path of Honor, past respectful peers
Time now to rest, time now for Home
"Bear"1998
2nd Lt. Wendell Warren
Lepley
My uncle, 2nd Lt. Wendell Warren Lepley was a Pilot in the U.S. Army Air Corps.
He earned his wings at Ellington Field, Texas, on April 22nd, 1943 in class
43-D.
After transition training at Bergstrom Airbase, he was assigned to troop carrier,
and assigned to the 73rd T.C.G., 434th T.C.S., based out of Alliance, Nebraska.
He was killed in a mid-air collision over Hemingford Nebraska on July 13th,
1943.
I have been in contact with Paul W. Lindloff,
a fellow classmate of my uncles,
and the contact person for the 434th
troop carrier group.
His e-mail, should you want to contact him is:
Paul W. Lindloff
434th troop carrier group.
VFGN82A@prodigy.com
submitted by: "Pete and Lori Lepley" - lepley@cnsinternet.com
In Memorial
to:
Thomas Kepplenan
Joseph E. Wheeler
David Schwartz
Died in November,1943 in crash at
the Russell Islands.
Submitted by: Jerry Gordon gordo97@mindspring.com,
their roommate at New Caledonia,
and the Engineering Officer who was sent up to investigate the crash
Arthur E. Raymond
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) --
Arthur E. Raymond, a Douglas Aircraft
engineer
who was a key figure in designing the DC-3 transport plane
and a founder of the Rand think tank,
died 3/22/99 at age 99.
Raymond was working for Douglas Aircraft in 1932 when he became lead designer
of the DC-1, the prototype of the twin-engine DC-3.
An improved model, the DC-2, went into production, and the DC-3 came out in
1935.
At that time, the DC-3 was a major advance in passenger comfort.
The durable transports became supply workhorses during
World War II and later during the Berlin Airlift.
The military continued to use them during the
Korean and Vietnam wars.
In 1946, industrialist Donald Douglas approached the Army Air Force with a plan
for government and industry to work together on long-range strategic planning.
The idea was dubbed Project Rand, a name Raymond
coined as an
abbreviation for ``Research and Development.''
Project Rand separated from Douglas Aircraft Co. in 1948 and became Rand Corp.,
well known during the Cold War years for its focus on national security issues.
During his 35 years with Douglas, Raymond was involved with a variety of projects,
including the DC-8 commercial jetliner and antiaircraft missiles
that were placed around major cities during the 1950s.
After retiring as vice president for engineering in 1960,
he became a consultant to Rand and an adviser to the Apollo space program.
AirAmBrat@aol.com wrote:
Mac,
Just think of all the fans that were already there waiting for him!
I always heard there was a special place in heaven for DC-3 folks!
Leigh
Willard George (Bill) Mumford,
Willard George (Bill)
Mumford, 77, of Santa Maria, California,
died September 28, 2000 at Marian Medical Center in Santa Maria.
He was born May 8, 1923, in Council Bluffs, Iowa
and graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in 1941.
He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps, later known as the Air Force,
during World War II as a pilot flying supply missions from Burma to China.
He received the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal and silver stars.
"I flew the Gooney Bird over the Hump, - with a full load, and we never flew at less than full load, the C-47 would only get 14,500 altitude. That was only a few thousand below the tops of the mountains. Guess you could say we flew through, not over! My base in CBI was 1348th AAFBU, Myitkyina South in Burma. We flew in on about January 30, 1945 with 20 C-47s, 40 crews and all of our tents, etc. to activate the base. I made my first trip to China on February 3, 1945 and my last trip on August 8, 1945. During that time I flew 509 hours and 30 minutes "operational" time and 30 hours and 30 minutes of "Other CBI" time. When added to 382 hours and 50 minutes of "other theater" time the total got me on rotation. I was on the last rotation flight out of India. Every one who left after that came home by boat!"
Willard Mumford on the web:
http://www.bmumford.com/willardmumford.html
http://www.geocities.com/~341stbombgroup/humpflyer/storywill.htm
http://www.geocities.com/~341stbombgroup/humpflyer/will_jacket.htm
http://www.dvhi.net/poetry/veil.htm
RIP... We Miss you Billl... "Bear"
Air Force Sergeant John L. Levitow,
Has flown West...
WASHINGTON (AFPN) --
Air Force Sergeant John L. Levitow,
one of only 16 airmen awarded the Medal of Honor
for exceptional heroism during wartime
died Nov. 8
at his home in Connecticut after a lengthy battle with cancer.
He was 55.
Levitow, the lowest ranking airman to earn the medal,
received the honor as
a result of an incident on Feb. 24, 1969.
At that time, the airman first class served as loadmaster
aboard a severely damaged AC-47 gunship flying a
mission over Long Bihn, South Vietnam.
Suffering from more than 40 shrapnel wounds in his back and legs
caused by a mortar blast, he saw a smoking magnesium flare
amid a jumble of spilled ammunition canisters.
Despite loss of blood and partial loss of feeling in his right leg,
the 23-year-old threw himself on the flare, hugged it close,
dragged himself toward an open cargo door and hurled the flare out.
Almost simultaneously, the flare ignited harmlessly
outside the door and away from the munitions.
President Richard M. Nixon
presented the Medal of Honor
to Levitow on Armed Forces Day,
May 14, 1970, at the White House.
After Levitow left the Air Force,
he worked in the field of veteran's affairs for more than 22 years.
His most recent work was for Connecticut
developing and designing veteran programs.
Further details and funeral arrangements
for a military burial at Arlington National Cemetery are pending.
My mother died ten years ago. In the early 1940's she served
with The Red Cross in Assam.
A few days ago, I was going through some old papers which had been my mother's.
I found a couple old photos of her in Assam -
one of her standing under a Douglas C-47 with some
pilots and crew.
I also found two
poems and a hand drawn map.
The poems were written by men who flew over the hump -
they do convey something of what it must have been like.
My mother's maiden name was Aline Webb.
After the war, she married a DC-3 airline captain named John
Menefee.
He flew in Central America for TACA Airlines.
They had two children, Jacquelyn Menefee and Robert
Menefee.
POW-MIA
Matejov, Joseph A. USAF Laos,
EC47Q, Baron 52, believed
to have been captured according to
analysts in 1973 based on NSA intelligence reports.
POW-MIA
Melton, Todd M. USAF Laos, EC47Q,
Baron 52,
believed to have been captured according to
analysts in 1973 based on NSA intelligence reports.
More DC-3 information:
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