Title taken from front. View of men repairing propeller on steamship "Admiral Watson" as cargo is unloaded, Anchorage, Alaska. Also from front: "A.E.C. G1396." An Alaska Engineering Commmission photo. Photographer's number G1396. July 28, 1919....
Title taken from front. View of men making repairs on steamship "Admiral Watson" at dock, Knik Arm, Anchorage, Alaska, as cargo is unloaded. Also from front: "A.E.C. G-1397." An Alaska Engineering Commission photo. Photographer's number G1397. July...
Title taken from front. View of steamship "Admiral Watson" at dock, Anchorage, Alaska, with group of people standing on dock at left of ship. Also from front: "A.E.C. G-1395." An Alaska Engineering Commission photo. Photographer's number G1395....
Title taken from front. View of coal mines at Eska, Alaska, with railroad cars on tracks at right and trestle for loading coal in background. Also from front: "A.E.C. G1356." An Alaska Engineering Commission photo. Photographer's number G1356. May...
Title taken from front. View of railroad tracks leading to tunnel at coal mines, Eska, Alaska, with power house at left. Also from front: "A.E.C. G1358." An Alaska Engineering Commission photo. Photographer's number G1358. May 28, 1919....
Title taken from front. View of Eska, Alaska, with wagon at left and flagpole toward right. Also from front: "A.E.C. G1355." An Alaska Engineering Commission photo. Photographer's number G1355. May 28, 1919. Photographer: H.G. Kaiser. Original...
Title taken from front. View of Alaska Engineering Commission Railway construction at mile 415 along Tanana River, Alaska. Also from front: "A.E.C. G2026." An Alaska Engineering Commission photo. Photographer's number G2026. Aug. 28, 1922....
Title taken from front. View of materials to be used for construction of Hurricane Gulch railroad bridge being lifted by crane for loading onto railroad cars at Anchorage, Alaska railroad yard, with men standing nearby. Also from front: "A.E.C....
(4:25 min.) (01 of 28) 1. Early years -- Grandfather's influence. Grandfather was involved with early aviation and meteorology. Grandfather flew in a balloon from St. Louis to New York in 1908. They almost landed on Long Island. ...
(4:39 min.) (02 of 28) 2. Early years -- parental influences Father flew in World War I [WWI] and after war, he bought Navy surplus flying boat and flew on the weekends. His mother also got interested in aviation and they flew weekend tours...
(3:32 min.) (03 of 28) 3. Mid-air fire On a shake-down flight over Manhattan, the engine caught fire. George's father turned the controls over to his mother and climbed out of the plane. He sprayed the flames with a fire extinguisher. ...
(4:57 min.) (05 of 28) 5. Parents flying His father got out of the weekend flying business and flying for the Naval Reserve. He died in a flight during the 1930's. His mother could fly but wasn't licensed. George took awhile to get back...
(4:15 min.) (06 of 28) 6. WWII Some of his friends went to Canada to fly with the Royal Air Force [RAF]; many of them did not come home. George went to Africa to build runways and supply aircraft. He was with Pan Am/World Airways (Pan Am...
(5:25 min.) (07 of 28) 7. Across the Atlantic Georgetown, French Guyana was the next stop, not Africa. The ship was zigzagging; the Captain and First Mate would open orders each day and set a new course. On board was a Pan Am navigator;...
(4:41 min.) (08 of 28) 8. Getting to Africa The ship shuddered, then listed and water came in the portholes. They had run into a submarine [u-boat]tender. The Santa Paula was eventually sunk by submarines.
(3:36 min.) (09 of 28) 9. WWII in North Africa
George worked his way across North Africa. He describes air raids in Cairo, how Rommel was pushed back, how war was declared while he was on the ship to Africa. Bombers ferried across the...
(3:09 min.) (10 of 28) 10. Fighter planes
About 50 P-40's (fighters) were shuttled across by the aircraft carrier "Ranger". These planes were destined to replace the worn planes in China. One plane landed hard and lost a landing gear.
(4:46 min.) (11 of 28) 11. Back to the U.S.
Military wanted them to stay and offered George a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant. He wanted to get back home for at least a visit, so he flew back with a cargo of latex rubber. Engine problems...