Spring 2021

www.panam.org NEWSLETTERCLI OF THEPP PAN AMER HISTORICAL FOUNDATION

From The Chairman, Gene Banning Collection Donated to PAHF — Edward Trippe... Volunteers Help Retrieve, Catalogue and Preserve Historic Materials By Doug Miller

his story goes back decades to a Ttime when a new pilot named Gene Banning became fascinated with the growing empire of Pan Ameri- can World Airways. His interest soon grew into a studied pursuit and then a life-long passion. The COVID-19 virus has stressed us all, but as I write this letter, Spring and Fast forward decades, to the 1990’s. Now a return to normal life are both in sight. retired, Captain Banning had amassed I hope that our extended PAHF fam- a trove of historic Pan Am materials, ily and friends have survived and are not only his own but those of colleagues such as George Price, Bill Seeman and healthy. As we look ahead, and I know Capt. Banning, courtesy Univ. of Miami I speak for many, we will be happy others. The material in his collection Special Collections to turn the page and return to some was instrumental in helping Banning to author what has become one of the very from Mrs. Banning’s residence. The col- semblance of normalcy — whatever the lection was temporarily stored in a space ‘new norm’ is for each of us. best books ever written about “the world’s most experienced ”: ‘The of at the AWARE store in Miami. Remembering Stephen Lyons, Pan American Since 1927’. (Paladwr Press; When it was time to downsize AWARE’s Producer for Across the Pacific Maclean, VA; 2000). storage space, it was critical to find a Notwithstanding COVID, the past year Gene Banning will long be associated new home for almost thirty boxes of has been eventful. While we celebrated the Banning collection. One choice was the long-awaited arrival of ‘Across the with promulgating Pan Am’s legacy thanks to his superlative book. His to send them directly to the University Pacific’, the PBS documentary which of Miami’s Special Collections. But it chronicled Pan Am’s amazing techno- commitment to academic research also led to the creation of the annual Dave might be an unknown hiatus before logical advances in aviation leading to Special Collections Director, Cristina the opening of air routes to Asia, we Abrams-Eugene Banning Fellowship, supported by your Foundation and Favrett, could allocate the required time also mourned the untimely passing of and resources to catalog the documents, Stephen Lyons, the documentary pro- awarded by the University of Miami’s Special Collections. films, artifacts and photographs. And ducer. Steve created the documentary not all of this material belonged in the in association with the Pan Am Histori- When Captain Banning passed away archive. cal Foundation, with major funding in 2005, his wife, Jackie, survived as from the National Endowment for the caretaker of the many boxes of materi- Recognizing the significance of this col- Humanities and others. His incisively als Gene had amassed in their former lection, Nicola Hellmann-McFarland, written history captured the characters home in South Florida. She eventually who serves as the main reference as- of , Charles Lindbergh, Igor decided to donate his collection to the sistant at the Richter Library on the Sikorsky, and others. ‘Across the Pacific’ Foundation. Pan Am Collection, came to the rescue. Along with her colleague, rare book cat- was shown on most PBS stations across Things might have stalled there, but for the country and can now be viewed on aloger Linde Brocato, they volunteered the generous intervention of the late to work on their own time to do what Amazon and other streaming networks. Captain Harvey Benefield, who under- Chairman cont. p. 2 took the actual retrieval of the boxes Banning Collection cont. p. 4 Chairman from p. 1 Flying Boat Graphics Memorializes Miami’s Seaplane History Marine Air Terminal at New Public Parking Complex By Jeff Kriendler The Marine Air Terminal (MAT) at LaGuardia Airport has long been an icon Miami’s new Grove Bay Public Parking of Pan Am’s golden age of the great flying Garage is the canvas for a series of bold boats. It was also the headquarters of Pan graphics that pay homage to the his- Am’s North Atlantic operations during toric Pan Am seaplanes that once flew WWII, continuing until the opening of from the site. Aviation images woven Idlewild Airport (now JFK) in 1952. The on shimmering stainless steel mesh building is listed as a national landmark so fabric are part of Miami’s ‘Art in Public its place in aviation history is secured. To Places’ program and were designed to recognize and memorialize Pan Am’s MAT obscure vehicle visibility. operations, PAHF has commissioned three The garage’s location at Coral Grove’s bronze plaques. Additionally, a new model Dinner Key was home to the first of the B-314 has been commissioned and Photo credit: Grove Bay Cambridge Architectural continental naval station in the early will hang in the central rotunda of the 1900s. It later became the base for The second and third floors on four terminal building. Pan Am’s Clipper Flying Boats serv- out of five sides of the garage are The plaque at the building entrance ing Havana and destinations in South covered with metal mesh that fea- commemorates the opening of the MAT America from 1930 – 1945. tures eight images of Pan Am’s iconic in 1940 by Mayor Fiorello H. LaGuardia Flying Boats that made Coconut A public-private venture between the and Juan T. Trippe, President, Pan Ameri- Grove the center of America’s earli- City of Miami, Miami Parking Au- can Airways. The plaque also recognizes est international operations. Eastern thority and investors, the garage serves the Architects, William Delano and Airlines and National Airlines are also customers at Regatta Harbour’s shops, Chester Aldrich, who were among the included in the exhibit. The images are restaurants and marina, as well as visi- foremost architects of the period. Delano interspersed with milestone dates and tors to Miami City Hall, the former and Aldrich were also the architects for aviation descriptors that tell the story art deco Pan American terminal. The Pan Am’s terminal buildings at Dinner of aviation history in Miami. garage is directly visible from a major Key and Treasure Island, as well as the street and at the gateway to City Hall. The shimmering steel mesh was hotels on Midway and Wake Islands. The prominent location required that designed and produced by Cambridge The second plaque will be placed at the the building’s façade be attractive and Architectural and was woven by arti- entrance to the MAT rotunda and recog- imaginative. sans on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. ✈ nizes the artist, James Brooks, who painted the huge mural, “FLIGHT”, which sur- mail, and cargo at a cruising speed of 188 growing digital resources and that of rounds the entire gallery of the rotunda. miles per hour. PAHF has commissioned a other institutions, the PAHF digital Three abstract panels divide the mural new model of the “Yankee Clipper” which museum will provide rotating exhibits into segments. The first section shows will hang in the center of the rotunda, drawing from Pan Am’s rich history of vi- the legendary flight of Daedalus and his replacing the old, smaller B-314 model. sual and audio archives. PAHF will work son, Icarus, who fell from the sky after his The new B-314 model has a wing-span collaboratively with other Pan Am history waxed wings were melted by the sun. The of 15 feet and will be a more prominent stakeholders including University of Mi- second section depicts Leonardo da Vinci’s feature in the MAT rotunda. Discussions ami, HistoryMiami, SFO Museum, Duke flying devices, and the Wright Broth- with the Port Authority are continuing University, and the Pan Am Museum ers first flight at Kitty Hawk. The third regarding the ultimate location of the old Foundation (PAMF) to produce digital section is particularly relevant to Pan Am B-314 model. PAHF has proposed that content. Online exhibits will include and the MAT, and depicts Pan Am’s flight it go into a permanent LGA museum. In short documentaries and other story-tell- operations, a departing B-314, and the interim it may be lent to the PAMF ing techniques. The digital museum will well-wishers waving their good-byes. for their exhibit at the Cradle of Aviation be accessible on a new website that will The third plaque provides information Museum on Long Island. be linked to the PanAm.org website. ✈ about the “Yankee Clipper”, the Boeing PAHF Digital Museum B-314 which inaugurated trans-Atlantic PAHF Annual Meeting Our digital team is planning a significant service on May 20, 1939. The B-314 was This year’s Annual Meeting will be a new development for PAHF’s online the largest and most important aircraft to Zoom meeting to be scheduled in June. presence. Plans are underway for “The be built during the era of the great flying Details as to how to access the meet- Pan Am Digital Museum,” a new online boats. It had the range to cross the Atlantic ing will be sent out with the Meeting approach to presenting the story of Pan and Pacific Oceans, carrying passengers, Notice, Annual Report and Proxy. American’s history. Drawing on PAHF’s 2 2 Trauma and the Pan Am Family By Helen Davey, Ph.D.

n December 4, 1991, Pan American Psychoanalytic Exploration of the Fall of OWorld Airways, a proud symbol of Pan American Airways’, and is about the U.S. pioneering and technological finesse, trauma and heartbreak experienced by ceased operations. Newsweek ran an article its loyal and steadfast employees as they about Pan Am’s history, beginning with watched their beloved company fail. the statement, “This is not a story about You’ll remember one of our advertising offer whatever help I could. The final fall of planes. It’s about romance….It may be jingles, “Pan Am has a place of its own. Pan Am was a devastating end to a glorious hard for today’s all-too-frequent fliers to You call it ‘the world’. We call it ‘home.’” past. Many of you went on to other airline remember that once, air travel was an As employees, joining Pan Am meant we careers, and then had to face the terrifying adventure; that airlines once had a soul. were given access to that entire world, consequences of 9/11, which set in motion Pan Am certainly did.” and we felt a sense of personal owner- a nation-wide collective trauma. So here we “What,” I wondered from the beginning ship of it. Looking back, it might seem are, once again, in the collective trauma of a of my twenty-year career as a Pan Am a bit grandiose, but Pan Am regularly terrifying worldwide pandemic. How are we flight attendant, “is this extraordinary advertised “Pan Am’s World,” all over the to understand our reactions? feeling within the company all about?” globe. What a glorious sense of freedom! The collapse of one’s world is the essence of It seemed to embody a living, breathing And now many of us are confined to trauma, and it’s the perfect description essence — a feeling of soul that would our homes, worried about contracting of how many of us feel now about the never die — along with its incomparable a virus that could be lurking anywhere. pandemic, as well as the fall of Pan Am history that encouraged deep pride and Even though we may have left our airline and some of the other tragedies. The loyalty toward the company and each careers behind many years ago, we know pandemic may have triggered old feelings other. Pan Am’s essence was much more that the airline industry has been rocked in you that can be described as retrauma- than just a mere airline company. It was a to its core, and many of us have the tization from the past. It happens most very emotional world, with its unrivaled feeling our wings have been clipped. For often when there is a close replication of glamour and expansiveness juxtaposed those of you who continue to work dur- an original trauma, such as a loss of the with the trauma and tragedy that we em- ing this time, you’re facing the incredible way of life as one knew it, loss of a sense of ployees experienced along the way. challenge of managing not only your own safety, or loss of a sense of control. When As proof of that emotional bonding, anxiety, but that of others. this happens, it brings back the same we only have to point to the founda- Pan Am employees faced many traumas, old feelings, such as terror, shock, panic, tions, charities, newsletters, on-line sites, and those of you who continue to work or helplessness. Retraumatization is the groups, networks, and reunions that in the airline industry have vast experi- experience of a painful part of your life that exist thirty years after Pan Am went out ence with it. From the beginning of my feels like it’s happening all over again. Are of business. The Pan Am family lives on, career in 1965, our company experienced any of you feeling this now? and welcomes anyone who cherishes its crashes and hijackings, escalating terror- Feelings of helplessness, isolation, and iconic stature in the twentieth century ist attacks, increasing political pressures, alienation are rampant. The “absolut- and seeks to memorialize and preserve its the tragedy at Tenerife, and many other isms of everyday life” that we’ve taken magnificent history. That’s how families incidents. Pan Am employees faced perils for granted are gone, the world as we’ve have always ensured that their stories live from an increasingly dangerous outside known it seems to be collapsing, and our on for generations to come. world whose target was our company that illusion of safety in our surroundings is As a psychoanalyst and psychotherapist symbolized America abroad. And we were being dismantled. We’re all having to for 35 years, I’m writing this article about on the front lines watching as world his- deal with massive uncertainty about the trauma in the midst of the Covid-19 pan- tory unfolded. future, which puts us in touch with the demic to remind you that as Pan Amers But then there was the bombing of Pan vulnerability of not knowing. Is this ever you’ve already experienced and survived Am 103, which tore at the very heart of the going to end? Will the miracle of the vac- many traumatic events. You’ll survive this company and set the stage for its final de- cines work? Are we finally getting to the pandemic as well. My dissertation for mise. By this time, I was no longer working end of this nightmare? my Ph.D. in psychoanalysis is titled ‘A for Pan Am, but I stayed in close touch to Trauma cont. p. 4

3 3 disposition, but for this interim period, Trauma from p. 3 “Tropical Dreams” Dr. Hobson is arranging for appropri- Perhaps it was a trait learned in childhood, ate, environmentally-correct storage at World Wings International or a way of being that we developed in the Belmont University, acting as temporary Invites Pan Am-ers to context of our working experiences, but caretaker on PAHF’s behalf. Convention Cruise Pan Amers have always been an adaptable, And what a treasure this collection is self-reliant, and tenacious group. We’ve turning out to be! Eric has been carefully been through a lot and survived and stayed reviewing, and in some cases, reorganizing connected. This trauma, as with our other what he’s uncovering. For example, Gene difficult experiences, has begun to lessen, Banning was an inveterate correspondent even as it’s changing our lives as we’ve with his former Pan Am colleagues, and known them. It’s extremely important dur- the collection includes hundreds of let- ing this time to stay close to those we love, ters he saved. These are filled with details if only through technology, and to share that will prove a gold mine for historical our fears and feelings. Anxiety slips into research. The collection contains scores of panic when it has to be borne in isolation. photographs, which he is carefully pulling We’ll endure the pandemic, get our vac- out and protecting to prevent any further cinations, and be back in the world. deterioration. For now, we’re all part of a worldwide Pan Manufacturer’s plate from Sikorsky S-42 Am family, so let’s be sure to reach out to anyone who’s in need of help. That’s what World Wings International invites all families do. ✈ former Pan Am employees and guests to attend the 2021 Annual Conven- tion, Tropical Dreams, on board the Banning Collection from p. 1 luxurious Celebrity Equinox for a might be termed an “emergency catalog nine-night Southern Caribbean cruise operation.” They reviewed all the material sailing round-trip from Fort Lauder- stored at the Aware space working under dale, October 29 to November 7. strict CDC guidelines for Covid. Sailing through the turquoise waters And that brings us to the next player in of the Caribbean Sea, the cruise will this drama, Dr. Eric Hobson, Ph.D., visit picturesque islands including Professor of English at Belmont University Grand Cayman, Aruba and Bonaire. in Nashville. Eric, who is a PAHF mem- Special all-inclusive fares include ber, volunteered to assist by picking up Retrieved from the wreck of the “West exclusive private parties and an on- the material at the AWARE store. Eric has Indies Clipper,” NC823M. In an earlier role, board credit to use at the passenger’s maintained a close relationship with the this airplane, under the command of Edwin Foundation and was intensely interested Musick, had flown the initial transpacific discretion. This year’s convention survey flights as the “Pan American Clipper.” speaker is Camille di Maio, the popu- in the material. He has done extensive lar historical fiction novelist. She research and his articles have appeared in Dr. Hobson, while careful to maintain a is writing a new book, “Come Fly this newsletter and on our website. professional approach to his work with With Me” featuring two fictional Pan When he learned that Gene Banning’s the collection, is not averse to undertak- Am ‘stewardesses’ in the 1960s with collection was in need of immediate ing the task with a sense of fun. When he input provided by numerous World intervention, Eric quickly responded with picked up the black mini-van he used to Wings members. Her presentation is an offer that proved to be exactly what was transport the boxes, in a homage to the bound to bring back memories of the needed. At his own expense, he offered days of yore, he dubbed it the “Ebony Golden Age of Travel. to fly down and retrieve the collection, Clipper.” Although this vehicle never left bring it back to his home in Nashville, and the ground, it carried a sense of mission With vaccinations now in progress, continue the examination and cataloging as it rolled north that reflected the very the Celebrity Ships adhere to all of the material. It was an offer we couldn’t best traditions of caring for Pan Am’s requirements issued by the CDC. refuse. Not only was the collection now historical heritage that motivated Gene For registration information, fees and assured of physical safety, it was going to Banning and continues for so many deposit schedules, visit www.world- be available as an historical asset possibly others, such as members of the Pan Am wingsinternational.net//cruise2021. years sooner than what was likely to be the Historical Foundation. case otherwise. The Foundation maintains There is a lot more to come from this ownership of the material, pending further endeavor, and we’ll keep you posted. ✈ 4 4 During this past year, we have been socially distancing… masking…zoomin’…researching, reading and writing. Here is a selection of the latest volumes on the Pan Am Bookshelf. — Ruth Maron Editor

A REVIEW BY DIAN STIRN GROH AND REBECCA SNIDER SPRECHER Food and Aviation in the Twentieth Century — the pan american ideal FROM THE PAN AM BOOKSHELF By Dr. Bryce Evans

Not only would it have been impossible the chemical reaction that causes eggs to for an to fly long distances with- turn green at altitude, flight attendant out some sort of nutritional sustenance, Helen Davey tells us the queen of all but Pan Am had the additional challenge egg stories. In a section about marketing of flying to countries where food safety it- the choice of entrées, Susan Taylor Da- self was sometimes in question. Dr. Evans vis recalls an outbound details how safe-handling and preserva- menu that stated if they ran out of fish tion techniques developed as a result of on a Friday, Juan Trippe had received these concerns, leading to company din- special dispensation from the Pope for or such a small book (six by nine ing halls and a major catering industry. passengers to order another option. And Finches and 151 pages) ‘Food and Also significant is how Pan Am’s partner- to highlight the unique culture that still Aviation in the Twentieth Century’ by ship with Maxim’s of raised the bar exists among former Pan Am employ- Liverpool Hope University professor, Dr. for many Americans on fine and leisurely ees, the author wisely accepts an invita- Bryce Evans, takes the reader on quite dining, served course by course with tion to dine with Renate Van Kempema a culinary journey. To date, the body of paired wines. Beginning in 1952, Juan and Harry Frahm in Miami, where they work examining the history of airline Trippe arranged for Maxim’s chef to cre- perform a re-enactment of a Number food has remained very general in nature. ate and produce meals for Pan American One service complete with carving a Memoirs written by former catering flights using the specially designed ovens prime rib from a cart. personnel contain interesting anecdotes on the Boeing 377 Stratocruiser, using It is regrettable that the book’s strato- but stop short of formal detail. More the newly-perfected method of fast freez- spheric pricing of over $100 will deter specifically, there has never been a serious ing to preserve flavor. By the time the Jet the very people who would enjoy it academic study that carefully documents Age arrived, Pan Am was presenting a most: former Pan Am’ers and other air- Pan Am’s groundbreaking contributions “United Nations” experience for the pas- line employees. However, Dr. Evans re- to food service — until now. senger, not only making the “local global” cently informed us that a paperback ver- Dr. Evans fills in the important blanks by offering dishes adapted from different sion is soon to be released, available on about Pan Am’s involvement in spear- countries, but hiring multinational cabin Amazon. Well-written and researched, heading the development of refrigera- attendants fluent in many languages. ‘Food and Aviation in the Twentieth Cen- tion processes, hydroponic gardening on What gives the book added dimension tury’ is an academic validation of the life Pacific atolls, and flash freezing foods to and authenticity, however, is the fact that Pam Am crews flying the line lived preserve flavor. The book explains the sci- that Dr. Evans takes the time to speak to every day. If you want to give a unique ence underpinning the food service, and former cabin crew members. After all, gift to someone, be they an aviation buff, how the airline blended the Old World nobody knows more about what went on a foodie, or someone who just loved to with the New through gastronomy, and during the actual service aboard than they fly when elegance aloft was the standard, ✈ draws conclusions about how food has do. For example, after a discussion about this little book is hard to beat. been used throughout history as an en- gine of economic expansion. MORE FROM THE PAN AM BOOK SHELF CONTINUES…

5 Come Fly the World: The Jet-Age Story of the Women of Pan Am Pan American Airways: By Julia Cooke Missions of Mercy and Evacuation Flights By Charlie Imbriani

“I would often hear adventurous and hair-raising stories from crew members coming from places like Beirut, Tehran or Saigon — seeing these stories later on the 11 pm newscasts.” Charlie did extensive research includ- Evacuation flights and missions of ing interviews with many of the Pan mercy were part of the Pan Am culture Am-ers featured in this book. He made and an enduring source of pride for the numerous trips to the Pan Am archives airline’s employees. at the Richter Library in Miami, ‘Come Fly the World’ tells the story of In his well-researched new book, ‘Pan digging through newspaper articles, The Jet-Age stewardesses of Pan Am American Airways: Missions of Mercy letters, teletype messages and official from 1966 – 1975. They were required and Evacuation Flights’, Charlie Imbri- reports. He also used the Freedom of to have a college education and speak ani takes us from Pan Am’s earliest days Information Act to elicit information two languages. They also had to be through World War II, the Cold War, from U.S. government sources. The between 5’3” and 5’9”, weigh between Berlin, Cuba and Vietnam. He also end result is a book that places Pan Am 105 and 140 pounds, unmarried, and covers the Iranian evacuation of 1979 in the middle of many major historical under 26 years of age at the time of hire. and other missions of mercy in times world events. They also had to meet strict physical and of war, revolution, acts of terrorism Charlie is currently working on a sec- aesthetic requirements outlined in detail. and natural disasters. When called on, ond book about Pan Am entitled ‘Pan Sounds familiar? Financially indepen- Pan Am was always there — and there Am’s Last Mission’. This book focuses dent, they traveled the world unchap- was never a shortage of volunteers. on Pan Am’s participation in the Civil eroned living a life of glamour and ‘Missions of Mercy and Evacuation Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF) during the adventure. No wonder so many women Flights’ places Pan Am into the histori- 1990-1991 Gulf War. In addition to wanted the job. cal context where it belongs in Ameri- interviews with Pan Am crew mem- Author and journalist, Julia Cooke, can history. During his 27-year career bers, Charlie draws on his own experi- tells the real-life stories of a group of with Pan Am, Charlie witnessed many ence making 27 flights in and out of stewardesses who epitomized the smart, of these events from his vantage point the region as a Pan Am operations ✈ sophisticated women who helped at JFK where he worked in Passenger supervisor. change the world. Launched in March Service, the Clipper Club, and as a ‘Pan American Airways: Missions of 2021, ‘Come Fly the World’ took six station trainer. “It was always exciting Mercy and Evacuation Flights’ is avail- years of interviewing, researching and working for Pan Am,” Charlie said. able on Amazon. writing to complete. FROM THE PAN AM BOOKSHELF FROM THE PAN The daughter of Pan Am senior vice archives to confirm the details around zones; they hosted the Beatles aboard Pan president and general counsel, Roger what my interviewees told me.” Am on their first trip to the U.S., and Cooke, Julia began roaming the world ‘Come Fly the World’ includes glamor- flew with the White House press corps as a young child. After meeting two ous stories of the Jet Set life—dancing on chartered Pan Am flights. ex-stewardesses, now in their 70s, at an all night in Nairobi, a near-downing in A ‘must read’ for everyone in the Pan event at JFK, her interest was piqued. Liberia, layovers at Inter-Continental Am family, ‘Come Fly the World’ tells the She soon selected her cast of characters Hotels in or Beirut. There are first-hand stories of events that many for her book and began her research. “I also the harrowing stories about Pan Am’s will remember and some we have never read a lot of books, from really valuable role on the geopolitical stage — the gritty heard before. ✈ academic studies to mass-market nonfic- accounts of the Pan Am stewardesses dur- ‘Come Fly the World’ is available on Ama- tion that were a great help at the start,” ing the Vietnam War — ferrying troops zon and at local bookstores. she said. “My approach was to toggle and Operation Babylift evacuating 2,000 between reading a lot, interviewing a children during the Fall of Saigon. The THE PAN AM BOOK SHELF lot, and then going to newspapers and women of Pan Am flew in and out of war CONTINUES ON BACK COVER

6 6 6 PAN AM HISTORICAL PAN AM HISTORICAL FOUNDATION NONPROFIT ORG FOU N DATION 1559-B SLOAT BLVD. #144 US POSTAGE , CA 94132 PAID SAN FRANCISCO, CA OFFICERS & DIRECTORS PERMIT #11882

Edward S. Trippe RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Chairman C.W. (Pete) Runnette President Sally Andersen Treasurer Darlene Laster Secretary VP, Asia & Pacific William Lange VP, Europe and Atlantic Chair, Memberhip & Marketing, Lilian A. Walby VP, Latin America & Caribbean Chair, Archives & Memorabilia John H. Hill Chair, Museums & Exhibits Jeffrey Kriendler Chair, Communications Ruth Maron Clipper Editor Doug Miller Webmaster

Peter M. Leslie MORE FROM THE PAN AM BOOKSHELF! Ron Marasco Charles W. Trippe, Jr. Flight to Freedom By Allan (Al) Topping

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Ten years in the making, Al Topping has published ‘Wings of Freedom’, an on-the-scene Emilia De Geer [email protected] report of the final departure of the historic Pan Am flight from South Vietnam on April 24,

WEBMASTER 1975. Six days later, North Vietnamese tanks Doug Miller rolled into the city. As Pan Am Director for [email protected] South Vietnam, Al was witness to these events and participated in this dramatic rescue. CLIPPER EDITOR ground during those Ruth Maron “During these last days in South Vietnam when final days and hours, [email protected] the government was in free-fall but still in there were significant control, the safe and legal evacuation of the Pan events that were left out. Those missing and WEBSITE Am staff and their families from a perilous war important events were some of the motivating www.panam.org zone was the company’s top priority,” Al said. factors behind this endeavor.” “The protection of our volunteer pilots, flight attendants and aircraft were of great concern for Autographed copies of ‘Wings of Freedom’ are ARCHIVES available for $18.95 plus tax, shipping and han- www.library.miami.edu/ this life-saving mission.” archives/panam/pan.html dling. Total cost $23.50. To order send a check or This final departure from South Vietnam was money order to Allan Topping, PO Box 771831,

memorialized in a movie called ‘Last Flight Ocala, FL 34477. International rates vary by Out’ that aired on the NBC-TV network on country. For more information, contact Allan April 22, 1990. “I am very pleased that the film Topping at [email protected] was made,” Al said. “However, as I was on the