In Memoriam

February 5, 1939 - February 9, 2024

Captain John DeRier, 85, flew west just a couple of days after his 85th birthday in Merced, CA.  He joined Flying Tigers as a mechanic in the early 1960's, fresh out of the Navy.  He learned to fly, using the GI Bill, and gained enough experience for those days to get hired as a pilot on August 28, 1967.  He was a JFK-based B747 Captain at the time of the merger with FedEx.

The following comes Bob Stickler

God bless old hose nose John. He was a great friend and class mate. I’ll see you down the road my friend.

Anyone else wishing to contribute to this page with archived pictures or testimonials is encouraged to contact us at email@flyingtigerline.org