NEWSLETTERS -- SUMMER 1999 Page 3

My grandfather was an Air Mail Pioneer, James P. Murray. I wonder if you have any pictures, articles or any correspondence that may refer to this wonderful man? John Murray, Grandson johnm@intercom.net.

Response: I e-mailed him an 8x10 photo of his grandfather that came from my father, Ernest M. "Allie" Allison’s, scrapbook. Also text from two books on his grandfather’s participation in the first day/night transcontinental flight and on his dramatic forced landing in the Wasatach Mountains.

My wife is looking for material re: her great uncle Burr Winslow. She
believes he was an airmail pilot, and family lore has it that he taught Jordan’s King Hussein to fly. Can you point us to any internet site which would have a full list of airmail pilots? Do your own archives contain any reference to him? Much thanks. Doug Nystrom dnystrom@ix.netcom.com.

I love your site. I own a Stearman 4D "Jr. Speedmail" biplane that actually carried the airmail a few times. I've flown the famous "hell stretch" over Pennsylvania on many occasions, sometimes in poor weather, with only VFR instrumentation. As a result, I have an appreciation for the trying conditions that were encountered by the airmail pioneers. I also had the honor of meeting and talking to E. Hamilton Lee about 6 months before he died. We had a nice conversation regarding flying the mail and I was impressed with how sharp he was at his age and how fine his recall was of the historic events in which he had participated. My wife, Carol and I have a web-site dedicated to the Golden Age of Aviation, with an emphasis on Stearman Aircraft. Address:www.pig.net/~stearman/airshow Our airplane is painted in the colors and logo of Western Air Express, the pioneer airline. Best Regards, Ron Rex

I'm seeking information for a library customer. Mr. Mill's father was Charles B. Mills, who flew with the Air Mail Service. He would like information about a film made in about 1925. According to The Film Encyclopedia by Katz Douglas Fairbanks Jr. starred in the film called The Air Mail circa 1925. Do you know if Charles Mills was in this film and if so how my customer could get a copy? My customer thought the film was actually entitled "The Mail Must Go Through." Could there be more than one film? Lucinda Shelden Ref. Librarian lshelden@spokpl.lib.wa.us

Response: I’d heard of the movie but could not direct her to it. Charles B. (Bruce) Mills, as listed in AMP members roster, worked for Service – 10/3023 to 7/31/27 but not as a pilot.

I am looking for any information available on an early woman aviation pioneer by the name of Dotty Dalton. Have you heard of her? Any information would be helpful for a book in progress. Thanks, Bill Soderberg SODER@IX.NETCOM.COM.

Response: Not heard of her but offered to include his request in this News issue.

Would you know of anyone interested in an old postcard from my collection? It was posted on 9-27-12. The number on the plane is 13. It says "Dragonfly" on the wing.  M. Spaan BLESSDMOMM@aol.com.

Response: I recommended she contact the American Air Mail Society and said I’d include her e-mail in the News.

Today, my Son-in-Law( married to my daughter, Missy) was showing us how information can be obtained from the Internet. We came across this web site while looking for information on Air Mail pilots. I am astonished with what you have done and my thanks to my daughter, Heather, for her efforts in getting my information to you. I am still working on this project and hope to communicate with you in the future concerning new or added material you can use on this glorious web site. It renews my energy in accomplishing this task. Alice Marks vandrewr@essex1.com

Response: Alice is the daughter of Paul V. Eakle, emergency field caretaker at McGirr Waterman, grass air strip field north of Chicago. Alice remembers when she was a little girl going out to the field with her dad to light the beacons. She proposes as a memorial to the Air Mail Service, a string of lights marking airmail emergency landing fields across the old transcontinental route. The lights, which would flash on at 6:30 p.m. and remain on until 7:30 p.m., would commemorate the hour when the nation's night mail took off into the gathering dusk. To make the airmail trail memorial a reality, Alice must first present a proposal to the Illinois Historical Preservation Agency.  Her daughter runs a beautiful website for Alice at http://www.halcyon.com/cliffsan/airmail/air_mail.html.