1946 Manifests of UNRRA Crews
One bewildering, unfamiliar U. S. Immigrations Crew Manifest surfaced in Ancestry. There were others.
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1st Prague crew returns. 23 April 1946. UNRRA
1946 press clipping with prized photo. 2015 face-to-face details from Martz and Cowart! Come see.
1946 film of UNRRA Prague crew arrival
A pride hard to verbalize shudders through me every time I see this film footage of my Dad’s crew members disembarking from the Veterans Air Line DC-4 in Prague. Saunie Gravely was 22 when he got the idea of an all-Veterans air service. And this amazing footage is proof of his dream-become-reality. Come watch. Sorry, no popcorn today.
Broughton, Martz, Cowart: Breaking News
Look who I found!! Two sons, Craig & Robert, of 1945 1st Officer Richard Broughton. And two original crew members, Edward Martz, navigator, living in NJ and Thomas Cowart, flight engineer, living in SC. They ALL flew multiple trips for the Veterans Air Express United Nations war relief contract to Prague, Warsaw and Athens. It’s intriguing! And I am psyched!
17 year old “flys” baby cows to Greece
Almost hidden, Constantine Kaloss, young Greek-American livestock handler for UNRRA Athens flight, tucks between 3 calves crates in DC-4 transport.
Thomas E Cowart. International Flight Engineer. Walker Recruit.
In 1942 & ’43 the Army Air Corps turned Thomas E. Cowart from a farm boy into an aircraft mechanic and later a flight engineer. He flew the world as part of an Air Transport group led by Captain Cooper Walker. And after the war, Walker encouraged Cowart to join him at Veterans Air Express and fly the world again. Thomas tells me his vivid-memory story. Come meet him.
Edward F Martz Jr. International UNRRA Navigator
Veterans Air Express Navigator Edward Martz regaled me with stories I have not heard before. In our face-to-face meeting last month in New Jersey, Ed Martz shared vivid memories from his 1946 flights behind the Iron Curtain. You don’t want to miss the full story!
1945 Crew list grows from 22 to 62
Researching the airline in April 2015, the list of men who flew, crewed and managed this non-sked airline was 22. Within months, it grew to 62.
Thomas Cowart dies. Fond farewell, Kind Sir.
Thomas Cowart, our Veterans Air DC-4 Flight Engineer, died on December 20, 2016. He crewed during the 1946 United Nations post-war relief flights to Prague, Warsaw and Athens. Thomas and I shared many hours, many stories and much laughter in person and over the phone. Today I share the immediacy of my emotions at his passing.
Researching for 1945 crews or their families
Research begins again for the1945 Veterans Air crews and non-flight personnel. Meet Gracie, my magic “carpet.”