dujardin
Well-Known Member
found on this link
http://www.flyingtigerline.org/Locator/Page1.htm
I was born Feb.15,1919 on a farm a few miles from Cope, a town of about 200 people in eastern Colo. I grew up in that area and graduated from Cope High School in 1936, in a class of 10. In Sept., 1939, I enlisted in the Army Air Corps and became a radio operator with the 38th Reconn. Sqdn. We had 2 or 3 B-18A's and 5 or 6 YB-17's. In Nov.,1941, I was accepted for flight training. I graduated from Ellington Field, Texas with class 42-E on May 20,1942. I spent the next 18 months flying bombardier students on practice missions at Midland, Texas, mostly in AT-11's, with a little time in the B-34. In Nov.,1943, I started B-17 training at Columbus, Ohio, then went to Avon Park, Fla. for combat crew training, then ferried an airplane to England. We were assigned to the 390th Bomb group. Between Oct.,1944 and Mar.,1945 we flew 35 combat bombing missions over various German cities, including 3 to Berlin. On Feb.14,1945, our 23rd mission, a very close flak burst killed 2 crew members, wounded another and did extensive damage to the airplane. We managed to get into friendly territory and landed at a US fighter base in Belgium. After completing my tour, I returned to the US and was assigned to ATC. I went to C-54 school, then flew 2 trans-pacific trips to Japan. In March,1946, I was transferred to Shanghai, China in a ground job. In Sept,1947, I was discharged from the Air Corps and was hired by CNAC. I spent the next two years flying to many interesting places in China, Mostly in DC-3's with the last few months in C-46's. On Jan.,30,1949, while on a trip from Shanghai to Tsingtao, my airplane was hi-jacked by 4 passengers. One of the bad guys had his wife and baby along. They made me and the other 2 crew members sit in the cabin and one of them flew the airplane. Since they were the only ones with guns, we had no choice. After their "pilot" almost crashed while trying to land at Tsinan, a city about 200 miles west of Tsingtao that had recently been taken by the communist army, they had my Chinese co-pilot make the landing. Besides the hi-jackers, there were 8 other passengers. They put us up in a hotel, which they assured us was the best one in town. We were all questioned several times during the next few days, but we were never threatened or mistreated, except that they wouldn't let us leave and we didn't particularly like the food, even though it was the same stuff they ate. After 35 days we were put on a train and rode all night. After a day and a night in a small inn, we rode a truck all day, then spent that night at another village inn. The next day we rode a bicycle, a wheelbarrow, did some walking, and finally rode another truck. We arrived in Tsingtao about 10PM. It had taken about 80 hours to make 200 miles. The next day the co-pilot, radio operator and I went to Shanghai on a CNAC flight. I stayed with CNAC until they folded up in late 1949. After coming back to the US I got my ATR at a flight school in Long Beach, Cal. and was hired by THE FLYING TIGER LINE on Jan.9,1951. During the next 28 years, I was based (not in this order) at Denver, Chicago, Detroit, Newark, New York(JFK), Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Burbank and Los Angeles, and two short periods of a few weeks each at Churchill, Man. on the dew line in 1955 and 1956, and 3 months in Tokyo later in 1956. I flew the C-46, DC-4, DC-6, Connie, CL-44, and DC-8. I flew to many exotic and romantic places all over the world, and to several that were not so exotic. On April 5, 1957, I married Emily Hajduk, A Tiger stewardess. We have two children and two grandchildren. I retired on my 60th birthday, Feb. 15, 1979. After retirement, I spent 10 of the next 12 summers in Alaska. I caught a lot of fish and had a lot of fun doing it. Em and I went to our first FTLRPA reunion in 1977, two years before retirement, and have attended every one since. It is the highlight of our year, and we hope to make many more. I have had a long and rewarding life and I expect it to go on for several more years. There have been a few boring times and a few moments of terror, but most of it has been somewhere between those extremes, and it has all been interesting. I am very fortunate to have been associated with many wonderful people.
byeeeeeeeee marcel
http://www.flyingtigerline.org/Locator/Page1.htm
I was born Feb.15,1919 on a farm a few miles from Cope, a town of about 200 people in eastern Colo. I grew up in that area and graduated from Cope High School in 1936, in a class of 10. In Sept., 1939, I enlisted in the Army Air Corps and became a radio operator with the 38th Reconn. Sqdn. We had 2 or 3 B-18A's and 5 or 6 YB-17's. In Nov.,1941, I was accepted for flight training. I graduated from Ellington Field, Texas with class 42-E on May 20,1942. I spent the next 18 months flying bombardier students on practice missions at Midland, Texas, mostly in AT-11's, with a little time in the B-34. In Nov.,1943, I started B-17 training at Columbus, Ohio, then went to Avon Park, Fla. for combat crew training, then ferried an airplane to England. We were assigned to the 390th Bomb group. Between Oct.,1944 and Mar.,1945 we flew 35 combat bombing missions over various German cities, including 3 to Berlin. On Feb.14,1945, our 23rd mission, a very close flak burst killed 2 crew members, wounded another and did extensive damage to the airplane. We managed to get into friendly territory and landed at a US fighter base in Belgium. After completing my tour, I returned to the US and was assigned to ATC. I went to C-54 school, then flew 2 trans-pacific trips to Japan. In March,1946, I was transferred to Shanghai, China in a ground job. In Sept,1947, I was discharged from the Air Corps and was hired by CNAC. I spent the next two years flying to many interesting places in China, Mostly in DC-3's with the last few months in C-46's. On Jan.,30,1949, while on a trip from Shanghai to Tsingtao, my airplane was hi-jacked by 4 passengers. One of the bad guys had his wife and baby along. They made me and the other 2 crew members sit in the cabin and one of them flew the airplane. Since they were the only ones with guns, we had no choice. After their "pilot" almost crashed while trying to land at Tsinan, a city about 200 miles west of Tsingtao that had recently been taken by the communist army, they had my Chinese co-pilot make the landing. Besides the hi-jackers, there were 8 other passengers. They put us up in a hotel, which they assured us was the best one in town. We were all questioned several times during the next few days, but we were never threatened or mistreated, except that they wouldn't let us leave and we didn't particularly like the food, even though it was the same stuff they ate. After 35 days we were put on a train and rode all night. After a day and a night in a small inn, we rode a truck all day, then spent that night at another village inn. The next day we rode a bicycle, a wheelbarrow, did some walking, and finally rode another truck. We arrived in Tsingtao about 10PM. It had taken about 80 hours to make 200 miles. The next day the co-pilot, radio operator and I went to Shanghai on a CNAC flight. I stayed with CNAC until they folded up in late 1949. After coming back to the US I got my ATR at a flight school in Long Beach, Cal. and was hired by THE FLYING TIGER LINE on Jan.9,1951. During the next 28 years, I was based (not in this order) at Denver, Chicago, Detroit, Newark, New York(JFK), Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Burbank and Los Angeles, and two short periods of a few weeks each at Churchill, Man. on the dew line in 1955 and 1956, and 3 months in Tokyo later in 1956. I flew the C-46, DC-4, DC-6, Connie, CL-44, and DC-8. I flew to many exotic and romantic places all over the world, and to several that were not so exotic. On April 5, 1957, I married Emily Hajduk, A Tiger stewardess. We have two children and two grandchildren. I retired on my 60th birthday, Feb. 15, 1979. After retirement, I spent 10 of the next 12 summers in Alaska. I caught a lot of fish and had a lot of fun doing it. Em and I went to our first FTLRPA reunion in 1977, two years before retirement, and have attended every one since. It is the highlight of our year, and we hope to make many more. I have had a long and rewarding life and I expect it to go on for several more years. There have been a few boring times and a few moments of terror, but most of it has been somewhere between those extremes, and it has all been interesting. I am very fortunate to have been associated with many wonderful people.
byeeeeeeeee marcel
