Great fun recently meeting sons of Richard Broughton…Craig and his wife Carol in Florida and Bob and his wife Mary in Kentucky. Plus the visit unveiled an unexpected story about their dad and mom. Come read about the Veterans Air Line romance that surprised us all.
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Research begins again for the1945 Veterans Air crews and non-flight personnel who helped Saunie Gravely, my Dad, establish the air line. While still in pursuit of undiscovered families, my current adventure takes me across the country to meet a few of the families I’ve located since April 2015. Come read about my new venture and meet Gracie, my magic “carpet.”
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Hollywood star Carole Landis christened Veterans Air Line DC-4 on July 24, 1946. The aircraft and attending celebrity Mrs. Gloria Vanderbilt both got champagne-splashed. Still searching for press photo coverage of event.
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Seeking Veterans Air Line memorabilia from 1945 passenger/cargo air carrier like this Captain Wing insignia, luggage labels, advertisements in old newspapers. Especially looking for Veterans Air Crew members or their families. Full story at VeteransAir.org
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There’s a lot of Veterans Air Express information “out there.” Lots of it needs cross-checking. Much needs verification. And challenge. And discussion. Some of that input will best come from World War II vets…especially ex-Army Air Corps and their families…aviation buffs….and research librarians. Are you one of those folks? Or know them? VeteransAir.org is my website where I share what I know & what I need to know. I invite you to follow me here.
Read more →Finding Veterans Air crews is like a rubrics cube. Lots of movable parts and possibilities. Two days ago (20 May), I discovered & told you about a news article authored by Don Turnbull. He reported on a flight to Warsaw in May 1946 to deliver hatching eggs
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Veterans Air flight to Warsaw. 69 years ago today, May 20, 1946. Countless times, Dad told me about the Veterans Air flight to Warsaw – multiple flights actually to both Poland and Czechoslovakia. The company had won a contract from UNRRA (United Nations Relief & Rehabilitation Administration)
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This handsome young man is Bernard Francis Shmanske wearing his U.S. Army Air Forces uniform. Bernard entered service when he was 21 years old on 2 September 1942. He completed Flight School Pilot Training in December 1943, served on the pilot training staff, and then flew Martin B26 Maurader twin engine attack bombers.
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DC-3 “Snowbird” flights from Newark to Miami via “The Veterans’ Air Line.” (New York Times classified 18th and 21st January, 1946). And summer vacationers in Cape Cod are lured to relax and fly to the Cape via the “modern” Veterans airliner. (Newark NJ paper display ad, date unknown.)
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Saunie Gravely founded an all-veterans commercial air service in 1945 that flew freight and passengers out of Newark Air Depot and Teterboro. Meet my favorite DC-3 named GAYE LYN…that’s me. Read about some of the GIs who helped form & flew for Veterans Air Express and Veterans Air Line.
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