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Flying Tiger Line Pilots Association In Memoriam... H. P. Watkins We need to find information or pictures from fellow pilots or their family about this person. Email it to webmaster FTLPA |
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“HP”
as he liked to call himself, was fun-loving, laughed often and charmed
everyone ! He grew up in a small nurturing town, Factoryville, Pennsylvania (near Scranton). The family was prominent and he was proud there was a Watkins Street in the town. He graduated from the local junior college, Keystone, then on to Penn State. His cousin Bill Seamans had a dirt runway behind his house, the beginning of a future fine airport, where he began his flying, then the University of Virginia to get his commercial license. He
worked for a year for Pan Am after the outbreak of World War II, then
enlisted in the Air Force. He spent 18 months flying military supplies over distinguished Flying Cross and an air medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters. Shortly after returning from war, he joined the Flying Tiger
Line,
stationed Francisco operation, flying mainly to the Far East and Alaska. He
was a former member of the Palo Alto Elks Club and of the Masonic
Lodge
In Factoryville. He
is survived by his wife, Thelma Watkins of Sunnyvale, two sons, Wayne
Watkins of Santa Rosa, CA and Tucker Watkins of Irvine, CA, and a daughter Melanie Watkins of San Jose, CA. He
went too young, at 56, so missed
a lot of good living with a loving
family and now 4 grandsons. We miss him so.
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