Foil: 14 Panel: Retired United Pilots Association Column: 2 Line: 6

Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:
Ms. Bonnie J. Hathaway

Jerry's flying career began in the mid 1960's when he was given a certificate of appreciation and a monetary reward for a job well done, as a director, in the Junior Achievement program of Nevada. As a young married man and father, money was short and his dream of taking flying lessons seemed far from his reach until the award fell into his lap. He used the money to take some flying lessons and was hooked!

After soloing and with a whopping 30 hours to his credit he heard from a friend that United Airlines was in the Las Vegas area interviewing for 'stewardesses', as they were called at the time. He contacted them and eventually, United sponsored him to Clinton Aviation in Denver, CO for his required ratings and in February of 1967 he became a line pilot or as he like to say "he was one!”.

His career began as Engineer on the DC-6 and ended 30 plus years later as Captain on the Boeing 747-400. We were told that he flew as though the airplane was strapped to his bottom and many of his cohorts commented that he was a "good stick, a natural." He cut a dashing figure in his uniform and wore it proudly for more than 33 years.