Mother: Lulie Bell Lemons, father dec'd prev. Crop Dusting for Finkles Bros. Dusting Co. in Leland, MS and Aero Crop Dusters in Avon Park, Florida Address in 1940: Box 704, Belle Glade, Palm Beach FL Postings: 1FPP, 14FPP, 16FPP, 4aFPP Suspended for 1 week in November 1941; Suspended for 7 days for Low Flying over Carlisle, in Sep 1942 2 accidents, neither his fault; - 1 Mar 1942, he ran into a snow bank when landing a Spitfire in slippery conditions, and - 16 Nov 1942, the starboard inner engine of his Fortress failed, but he landed successfully on the remaining three. "Has proved to be satisfactory as a pilot, but has a poor sense of discipline" "Since his arrival at this Pool (16FPP) he has carried out his duties well and is now showing a creditable sense of discipline." Sailed back to the USA on the "Queen Elizabeth" on 25 Jan 1943 with fellow ferry pilots Howard L Cooper (M.512), Robert F Sliker (b. 1904 in Morrisroe NJ), Andrew J Burke (b. 1902 in Bonham Texas), Nelson E Brown (b. 1921 in Guilford, PA), Raymond P Hoover (M.345) He was engaged to a Miss Isobel Swift in April 1943; "Miss Swift was associated with Pan-American Airways"... ... however ... m. 24 Jun 1944 Carol 'Tootsie' [Bryant] of Dearborn, MI, the grand-niece of Henry Ford
William was "a test pilot at Henry Ford's Willow Run bomber plant" They moved to Winter Haven, FL in 1958. d. 12 Jan 1979 (age 61) - Winter Haven, FL. "He was a former Winter Haven City Commissioner" His son David (b. 1947) earned his solo flying license at the age of 16 in his father's J-3 Cub and became an airline pilot for Pan American and then Alaska Airlines, retiring in 2007. Carol d. 2012, David in 2013 Download ATA Pilot Personal Record (.zip file): |
1944
