Charles N. Brady was one of the lucky ones. He was born to fly and fly he did. He enjoyed the thrill of being aloft as a young man while defending his country right on into civilian life, volunteering his time and talent in the Civil Air Patrol. From start to finish, he felt the heavens call to him and he answered.

Charles was born in Buffalo, New York in 1923 and 'earned' his first wings soon after. A fan of the radio show "Air Adventures of Jimmie Allen," there is no doubt he cherished his Jimmie Allen Club wings and certificate. He identified with the young fictional pilot known for his bravery, problem solving, and high moral character. Charles still had his membership certificate fifty years later, a testament to a young boy?€™s aspirations that became reality.

Like so many of his generation, nineteen year old Chuck answered his country?€™s call enlisting in the Reserve Corp of the Army in 1942 for "the duration of the war plus six months." He was called to active duty three months later and took his place in the Aviation Cadet Training Program of the newly named US Army Air Forces. He received his pilot wings at Lubbock AAFB Class 44-D, and then transitioned to piloting C-47s at Sedalia AAFB in Missouri. It was a C-47 B #42-48637 that Chuck flew from Baer Field, Fort Wayne Indiana, to play his role in the war that would define the twentieth century. That day, a large group of C-47s took off together and gaining altitude, orders were opened. Per orders, Charles and one other C-47 turned together while the remainder continued on elsewhere. His final destination was Shingbwiyang, Burma, the Himalayan Mountains, "The Hump."

Chuck joined the 2nd TCS, 443rd Group and served in all three namesakes of the ChinaBurma-India Theater piloting C-47s and C-46s. Out of Shingbwiyiang, he flew support for Mars Task Force, a behind enemy lines infantry force. From Dinjan, India he piloted his C-46 over the challenging Himalayas transporting supplies to forces fighting the Japanese in China. At the war's end, he was flying out of Chihkiang, China and was a witness to the Japanese surrender ceremony to Chinese forces in September 1945 in Nanking.

Charles was raised to be a humble and respectful citizen, so it is no surprise that he spoke little of his exemplary war experiences. He returned home to his young wife and to finish college. It is only in hindsight that we can piece together the courage and piloting skills it took to fly the Hump and survive. The region was regarded as one of the most challenging to pilot due to its location of high mountains and deep gorges. Unpredictable extreme weather and inadequate navigation tools created dangers not of the enemies making. His planes, though well made and reliable, carried no guns, no armor, and flew with no escorts. So many aircraft and their crews were lost flying the Hump that pilots dubbed it the "Skyway to Hell" and the "Aluminum Trail." Among many other awards, Charles was awarded two Distinguished Flying Crosses for his missions in the CBI Theater, yet when asked what prompted such decorations his reply was "I stayed alive."

Transitioning back to civilian life, it cannot be said when Charles wished for any more time in the cockpit. His time and energies were put to establishing his career, providing for his growing family, and volunteering at his church and in his community of Rockville, Maryland. After an almost twenty year break from piloting, his wife, Eileen, surprised him, for his fortieth birthday, with a gift certificate for flying lessons. It was Charles' runway back to the life of flying he so relished. For the next thirty years he combined his belief in community service with the joy and satisfaction he received from being in the air as a member of the Montgomery Senior Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP), located in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

As a member of CAP, and its closely aligned Congressional Flying Club, Chuck participated in assignments ranging from holiday traffic reporting to search and rescue missions to junior cadet mentoring. As the squadron's Commanding Officer in the 1970's, he guided the squadron relying on CAP core values of integrity, volunteerism, excellence, and respect. As his own six children launched into lives of their own, Chuck focused his natural teaching skills as a patient and kind flight instructor to many young pilots. His positive impact on the flying community in Montgomery County Maryland lives on today. The Missing Man Formation, flown by his friends at his funeral service, was a public acknowledgement of the high regard in which he was held by the aviation community.

Charles N. Brady was of a generation that did not share their deepest feelings but instead revealed them by action. His love of the heavens may have been sparked by his time on the Sky Ride at the Chicago's World Fair 1933 or perhaps one of the many air shows associated with the Jimmie Allen radio show. What is known is that his desire to fly was lifelong and so strong that he found a way to do so while also being a devoted, responsible family man as well as a faithful church member. From perilous missions flying the Hump to Chesapeake Bay Bridge traffic reports, Charles put his faith in his God and the skills his God gave him. And, in turn, he was richly rewarded. As the poem "High Flight' that he so dearly loved reads, he has "touched the face of God."

Submitted in love and gratitude by his children.