THE INCEPTION OF THE GREY EAGLES

In the spring of 1962, the President of the Kiwis, Boots Johnston Hogate, invited all retired pilots of American Airlines to visit the Kiwi National Convention on May 10, 11 and 12 at the Dryden East Hotel in New York City.

Eleven retired pilots accepted the invitation. They were W. H. Proctor, J. H. Burns, J. B. Glass, Kit Carson, Duncan McCullum, S. R. Ross, V. J. Miller, H. B. Cox, Howard H. West, E. C. Bowe and R. J. Rentz. Being impressed with the strong feeling of fellowship and camaraderie among the Kiwis, the pilots felt a spark igniting their own smoldering desires of six years for an association where they, too, could continue and meld their strong friendships over the future years.

These eleven pilots met at the Dryden East Hotel in New York City on May 11, 1962, at 10:00 a.m. They met again at 9:00 a.m. on May 12, 1962. During these all-day meetings they adopted a name and a set of by laws, and thus: THE GREY EAGLES ASSOCIATION was born.

American Airlines pilots who founded The Grey Eagles in May 1962

Front Row (L to R): S.R. Ross, D. McCallum, H.H. West, W.H. Procter, J.H. Burns, R.J. Rentz.  Back Row (L to R): E.M. Carson, J.B. Glass, V.J. Miller, E.C. Bowe, H.B. Cox

ELECTION OF OFFICERS

President: W. H. Proctor
Vice President: Jimmy Burns
Secretary/Treasurer: Sam Ross
Grey Eagle Treasury: $90.00

For the history of all of the Grey Eagle Conventions click here.

 

Special Recognition Awards

Captain Walter W. Braznell *  1979
Captain Nicholas J. O'Connell Jr. *  1991
Captain Bryce E. McCormick *  1992
Captain C. Max Vickers  1998 *
Captain Robert H. Malone 2004

Presidents

1962   William H. Proctor *
1963   Howard H. West *
1964   Paul L. Carpenter *
1965   Durward W. Ledbetter *
1966   Paul L. Carpenter *
1967   Paul L. Carpenter *
1968   Sheldon T. Shoff *
1969   Cecil M. Hefner *
1970   Hamilton C. Smith *
1971   Harry L. Clark *
1972   Henry P. Luna *
1973   William P. Person *
1974   Bert B. Bruce *
1975   John H. Gibson *
1976   Joseph M. Coppage *
1977   Dwight H. McMillan *
1978   James M. Stanford
1979   William S. McCormick *
1980   Walter P. Moran *
1981   Fred E. Illston
1982   Nicholas J. O'Connell Jr. *
1983   Bryce E. McCormick *
1984   George W. Becker *
1985   Charles C. Shafer *
1986   Elton E. Leach *
1987   Anthony B. DeSalvo *
1988   Martin E. Gellart *
1989   Robert H. Wilson
1990   Joseph H. Gumber
1991   Francis C. Fosdick
1992   C. L. "Cort" Dickinson *
1993   William F. Bettwy*
1994   Thomas E. Eanes
1995   Robert J. Lagerstrom *
1996   Donald G. Allen
1997   Kenneth R. Phelps
1998   John D. Moore *
1999   Robert H. Malone
2000   R. Gary Lopp
2001   George W. McKellar
2002   Jack R. Hinson
2003   Herb L. Dabelow
2004   Bob Mangam
2005   Dale K. Johnson
2006   Martin H. O'Leary
2007   Glenn E. Cribbs
2008   Arthur L.Culver
2009   Donald C. Jensen

(*) "Flown West"

Secretary

1962-1969    Sam Ross*
1969-1978    Dave Little*
1978-1984    Paul Clough*
1984-1987    George Thompkins*
1987-1992    Max Vickers *
1992-1995    Jack Webb
1995-2000    Max Vickers *
2000-2007    James T. Groves III
2008-            Jere Francis

Treasurer

1962-1968    Sam Ross*
1968-1969    Ham Smith*
1969-1973    Bill Person*
1973-1981    Hank Walburn*
1981-1987    Ray Ryan*
1987-1992    Robert E. Dean*
1992-1995    J.D. Moore*
1995-2003    R.J. (Pepe') Lefevre
2003-2007    Bob Hoch
2008-            Bob Mangam

Scribe

1963-1978    Paul Carpenter*
1978-1989    Jim Stanford
1989- 2000   Frank Nehlig *
2000- 2002   Barry Syrett
2002- 2006   Bob Lundy
2007-            George Partlo

Membership Chairman

1992-1995    C. Max Vickers *
1996-1998    Donald G. Craig
1999- 2003   Robert G. Hoch, Jr.
2003-            Roger H. Hill

Historian

1962-2000    Cecil M. Hefner *
2000-2004    C. Max Vickers *
2008-             James T. Groves III

Webmaster

1997-             George Regan

AAL Coordinator

1963-1975      Kay Hanson*
1975-1979      Louise Knowles*
1979-1986      Mary Sullivan
1986-2004      Mary Sullivan Raymond
2004-2005      Michael Marino 
2005-              Webb Bierbrier