An “experimental” DC-4. A high-energy group of hardworking ex-servicemen. A Veterans Air Express UNRRA contract for cargo flights behind the iron curtain. And Newark/Miami winter passenger flights. By mid-1946, the all-veterans organization was becoming recognized and starting to thrive.
“Experimental” DC-4 expedited for UNRRA war relief flights Read More »
First DC-4 in the fleet makes first over-flight of Russian occupied territory enroute to Warsaw, Poland, with Captain William Jakeman in the left seat.
Russia demands 1946 Warsaw overflight permit Read More »
Dirty weather, dangerous runway conditions and Russian overflight permission define Jakeman and Stettner’s UNRRA flight to Warsaw behind the “iron curtain.”
1st Warsaw UNRRA war relief flight makes history Read More »
Radio loss forces Veterans Air Crew to land in Portland ME enroute to Prague. Press photo identifies six Crew known by name only prior.
#3 Prague trip. Radio loss forces Portland Maine landing Read More »
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.
1946 film of UNRRA Prague crew arrival Read More »
In 1946, contracted by United Nations Relief & Rehabilitation Administration, Veterans Air flew five war-relief cargos of fertilized hatching eggs to Prague and Warsaw and one flight to Athens of dairy breeding calves.
1946 Veterans Air Crew Manifests for UNRRA War-Relief Flights Read More »
In 1942-43 the Army Air Corps turned Thomas E. Cowart from farm boy to aircraft mechanic, then later to flight engineer. Flying the world with Air Transport group, he meet Captain Cooper Walker. And after the war, Walker recruited Cowart to join Veterans Air Express and fly the world together again. Thomas tells his vivid-memory story. Come meet him.
Thomas Cowart. Flight Engineer. Cpt. Morgan Walker’s recruit. Read More »
YOU WROTE ON THE WEBSITE: E-mail: <redacted> First Name: William Last Name: Jakeman Nickname: Jake You were or are: Related to VA member Biographical Info: Captain William C. Jakeman was my father. Captain Jakeman flew UNRRA 1st missions behind the Iron Curtain in 1946 …. I have an old newspaper clipping of the crew on
From “Captain W. Jakeman” To “Gaye Lyn Gravely” Date 1/7/2020 3:14:35 PM Subject Re: Veterans Air Express newest story. And YOU are part of the plot… Hey Gaye Lyn …. It looks like you hooked up with Embry Riddle …. That is my Alma Mater – I was there between furloughs at Zantop ..1970-75 Senator
