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[[caption]]In 1934, Army swore in officers as postal employees, took over air mail. After series of disastrous crashes, turned it back to the air lines.[[/caption]]

gone down in the lake. Miller was all for climbing back into his ship and starting a search, but I stopped him. There was a fireworks display at Soldier's Field, and when it was over, Max begged them to do it again, hoping that Eddie might see the rockets. They actually did put the show on again. 

Finally a phone call came through from Eddie. He had made a forced landing at Westville, Indiana, and would be in as early as possible in the morning.

(Gardner on his return flight with his Liberty-powered plane established a record: from Chicago to New York in a "single day.")

This, then, is the "calibre" from which the airline pilot of today is descended. 

Pilots Part Important
To the thousands of members of your outstanding organization, The Air Line Pilots Association International, I respectfully pay homage and tribute for the important part of you have played in the past, and will continue to play in the future development of Air Flight and National Defense. Pioneers only start important projects in every scientific undertaking; the further development is always inherited by posterity, each contributing a part with each succeeding hour. The present status of aviation, represents the sum total of all human effort, sacrifice, study, research, and perseverance to go forward, as has been done in the first fifty years of heavier than air powered flight.

The first successful powered flight by the Wrights in 1903 was a matter

DECEMBER, 1953

of feet. Now, we have broken the "Sound Barrier." We can fly many thousands of miles, at such high altitudes and at such terrific speeds, that it staggers the imagination. Even ordinary three-cent mail is now transported by air.

Just as the Wrights were influenced by such great scientists as Lillienthal, Chanute, Langley and others, so is each succeeding generation constantly adding to our common stock of knowledge and understanding, through its study, research, and experimentation. Numerous scientists engineers, metallurgists, electronic experts, students in advanced aerodynamics, together with the assistance of a far sighted aggregation of manufacturers and industrialists, have made possible the greatest contribution to World Travel, Air Mail, Commerce, and National Defense. Whole stories could be written on each phase of each branch that made possible this almost ultimate success in Aviation -- from the important task of perfecting the first "Liberty Motor," by the Packard Motor Co., to the perfection of the first aircraft lubricant by the Texas Company, during the first World War (and in which I am proud of having participated). Yet in spite of all these marvelous achievements, what good would all these achievements, what good would all these successful inventions and subsequent research and perfection translated into thousands of wonderful planes amount to, if we has no such experts as you to pilot and navigate them?

There is nothing outside of the realm of human possibility. 

Today whole families can board jet-propelled giants of the skies, entirely unmindful of any hazards, reassured by experience that, in a matter of a few hours, they will alight in perfect safety thousands of miles away, by a crew of highly efficient, trustworthy, and competent airmen. You, therefore, are the unsung heroes to whom a grateful nation is eternally indebted. You are the nucleus of a great vital force of important instructors, who could transmit your vast knowledge and experienced skill to the future defenders of out liberties.

In order to devote its entire space to the Golden Jubilee of Powered Flight, all regular features are being omitted from this issue of THE AIR LINE PILOT.

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[[caption]]Now, it's first-class-mail-by-air. Postmaster Gen. Summerfield arrives on plane inaugurating Washington-Chicago service on Oct. 6, 1953.[[/caption]]

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