Pan American clipper, Vol. 5, No. 14, August 21, 1946

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PAN AMERICAN
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ATLANTIC DIVISION
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Volume 5
August 21, 1946
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Number 14
J. C. Leslie Lauds
John €. xeslie Transfers To New York;
Atlantic Division In Parting Message
TO MY FRIENDS IN THE ATLANTIC DIVISION
I wish that I could say au revoir to each of you individually before moving from the Division to the System Executive Office.
We have been through a great deal together since I came to the Atlantic almost six years ago. Most importantly, we have fought a war together, with all its mixture of high purpose, personal sacrifice, economic dislocation, general stress and strain. You can be proud of our record while in war service for the Navy and Army Air Transport Services.
During the past year we have been swinging back into our real reason for being: peaceful international air transport. Great decisions have been made affecting, for better or worse, not only our Company, but American aviation as a whole. We have made the transition from seaplanes to landplanes; we have prepared for vital new routes; we have had the long-awaited opportunity to initiate more efficient and profitable methods of operation and sales promotion.
During all these years I have been blessed with your friendship and support. Whatever we have accomplished has resulted from your ability, your hard work, and your team-play. I am deeply grateful; I can only say “thank you,” from the bottom of my heart.
Sincerely,
John C. Leslie.
BERTUS DE KRU1FF, PAA baker, completes a final confectionery flower on the wedding cake which was flown by Clipper to London for the wedding of CHARLES J. HERVISH of Maintenance in London, and his English bride, CECILIA WALKER.
James H. Smith Becomes Division V-P
Vice President John C. Leslie, associated with the Atlantic Division since 1941, has been transferred to the System executive office in New York, it'is announced by President Juan T. Trippe.
Searle Is Appointed NBA Superintendent
The appointment of Robert F. Searle as station superintendent is announced by Donald N. Anderson, station manager at North Beach.
Mr. Searle, a native of Westfield, Mass., was graduated from the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis in 1941. That same year he joined Pan American as a navigation instructor and flight navigator, a position he held until 1943 when he was granted a military leave of absence to go on active duty as an officer in the Navy.
For 21 months Mr.
Searle was assigned to sea duty in the Pacific.
On his release from the Navy last fall he returned to Pan American as administrative assistant in the office of F. C. Ruegg,
Field superintendent.
In May he was transferred to the airport office as airport operations officer.
Mr. Searle’s new title, station superintendent, designates a job comparable to that formerly held by the assistant station manager. He is responsible for the administration and coordination of all operating and transit activities at North Beach, with the primary objective of assuring safe, efficient, and economical aircraft transit activities.
Mr. Searle is married and has one daughter, Robin, aged 2V-z.
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EXCURSION RATE TO SAN JUAN
A 45-day round-trip excursion fare of $150 is now in effect for the 3200-mile flight (1600 miles each way) between North Beach and San Juan, Puerto Rico. San Juan is eight hours from LaGuardia Field on the DC-4 Clippers which make three roundtrips daily between the two points.
Making Puerto Rico especially attractive to tourists is the fact that it is a United States possession and no passport is required. Puerto Rico is an island about the size of Rhode Island with a moderate climate the year round, excellent hunting and fishing, beaches lined with caves that were once pirate haunts, and golf and tennis clubs in the larger cities. Prices are comparable to those in the United States.
James H. Smith John C. Leslie
Succeeding Mr. Leslie as Vice President in charge of the Atlantic Division is James H. Smith, Navy pilot and former assistant manager of the Atlantic Division and of Pan American Airways-Africa.
A native of New York, Mr. Smith attended Harvard University and Columbia Law School and prior to joining Pan American served in the State Department specializing in aviation matters.
Mr. Smith joined Pan American in 1936 as assistant to Vice President John C. Cooper. Two years later he was transferred to the Atlantic Division as assistant manager and he served next as assistant manager of Pan Ameri-can-Africa and was in Africa for a year.
Having originally enlisted in the Naval Reserve as a S 2/c in 1930, Mr. Smith went on active duty as a carrier-based pilot in Torpedo Squadron 24 in February, 1943. Later he became Operations officer on the staff of Commander Support Aircraft and then Air Operations officer for one of the carrier divisions in Task Force 58 in the Pacific. He took part in actions at Tarawa, Wake, Makin, Kwajelein, Saipan, Tinian, Guam, Palau, Leyte, Formosa, China Coast, Iwo Jima, Tokyo and Okinawa.
Was Lieutenant Commander
Mr. Smith was released from the Navy with the rank of lieutenant commander last fall and returned to Pan American in October as assistant vice president. He lives in Manhasset with his wife and two children and is a member of the Institute of Aeronautical Sciences, the Royal Aero Club of London, the Wings Club and the Aviation Country Club.
Mr. Leslie joined Pan American in 1929 as assistant to the chief engineer and served in turn as assistant to the Division engineer in the Caribbean Division and as engineer and Operations manager for the Trans-Pacific Division. He was transferred to the Atlantic Division as Division manager in 1941, and became vice president in charge of the Division in 1945. He was temporarily detached from the Atlantic (Continued on page 3)
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