In The Reserves

After the war was over he continued on as a reserve officer in the newly named Air Force Reserves.  Here he is pictured standing in front of one of the earliest jets the United States Air Force had, the P-80 Shooting Star.  Daddy would eventually retire as a Lt. Col.















P-80 Shooting Star

Daddy sitting in the P-80.  I wonder where this plane is now?

Civilian Flying

As I've said earlier, ever since I could remember we had part ownership of a twin engine airplane.  Pictured to the left is the first plance I can remember us having.  It was a 6-seater.  That's 4 year-old me standing on the wing and Daddy is walking toward the camera.

We would be sitting around our house on the weekend, probably just having played golf together and I would say, "Daddy, can we go to the airport?"  And that would be about all it took and we would be on our way to check on the plane, take a quick hop around the area or to hang out with the other pilots on the front porch of the terminal and talk 'Pilot Talk.'  Daddy's brother, Donald, flew in World War II and later flew for what was then called Flowers Bakeries (now Flowers Foods) and eventually DuPont.

Flying From Thomasville



Piper Aztec



Twin Commanche











In reviewing Daddy's log book, his license # was No.89214-41.  The first civilian flying entry I see is on September 22, 1968.  His flights in the Twin Commanche included trips to Sea Island, Anniston, Alabama (coincidentally, I went through Army Basic Training there 17 years later), Baton Rouge, Atlanta.  The planes tail number was N400Y.  He also has flights listed in planes which were not ours including a Cessna 421, Mooney, Cessna 175, Cessna 172 and a Twin Beech.  Our next plane was Piper Aztec N5471Y.  Flights in this plane took him to Savannah, Tupelo, Atlanta, Hilton Head, Nashville, TN, Auburn, West Palm Beach, Athens and Tuscaloosa.

On January 21, 1976, the first entry for a plane I remember well is for N72MH, A Piper Navajo.  This plane we went on a number of long-range trips including, Columbus, Ohio, Cleveland, Ohio, Atlantic City, White Plains, NY, Richmond, New Orleans, Dallas, Augusta, GA.



Piper Navajo



On February 2, 1978, the Navajo was sold and his ownership group purchased Beechcraft Baron N633WC.  He only made 12 flights in this plane.  Sadly, his last flight of any kind, was in this plane on October 17, 1978, just one month before he died at our house from cancer.  One of his old friends from Thomasville, Jack Bracey, owned a lumber company.  My daddy was a very no frills man.  He had pre-arranged for Mr. Bracey's men to build him a simple pine coffin to be buried in.  When word of Daddy's passing made it to Mr. Bracey, the men custom-made this coffin.  I can still remember the coffin with the U.S. flag draped across it.


Beechcraft Baron