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  • Reed R. Clary Jr. RAF
  • Foil: 9 Panel: 2 Column: 1 Line: 77

    Wall of Honor Level:
    Air and Space Friend

    Honored by:
    Mr. George F. Johnson

    Reed R. Clary, Jr. began his aviation career as a teenager in Richmond, Virginia and then his professional career as a Flight Instructor for the Royal Air Force during World War II; first as a 17-year-old LINK simulator instructor and then at 18 as a primary flight instructor.
    Mr. Clary was stationed at Riddle Field in Clewiston, Florida and instructed on Stearmans and later AT-6s. After the war, Mr. Clary moved to Central America, first to Costa Rica and then British Honduras (now Belize), flying such aircraft types as the Ford Trimotor and the Lockheed Lodestar among others and after a very short time checked out as Captain and remained Captain for the rest of his career.
    Captain Clary moved to Miami in the early 50s to work for Tan Airlines where he flew C-46s and later flew for the Peruvian airline Aerolineas Peruanas (ASPA) flying DC-6s, DC-7s and Convair 990 jets.
    Captain Clary then instructed on Lear Jets for short time for Burnside-Ott Flight School in Miami, Florida before finishing his career flying DC-8-73 charters worldwide for TransInternational Airlines, later known as Transamerica Airlines.
    Captain Clary passed his love for flying to many including 2 sons and 1 grandson who are active pilots in the U.S. airline industry. Since retirement, Captain Clary has become an avid aviation post card and wings collector and has been a consultant to the Air and Space Museum and also to the Public Broadcasting Service on their project to document the RAF flying at Riddle Field during WWII. Captain Clary was featured in that documentary which was aired in 2005. Captain Clary's 29,000+ total hours as Captain while flying international transport category airplanes is testament to his stature as a true pioneer of aviation.

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