Walker, Frederick Frye.

Frederick "Fred" Frye Walker was born November 10, 1919 in Brookline, Massachusetts. Being interested in flying from an early age, he attended various aeronautical schools and graduated with a degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the Aero Industries Technical Institute in Los Angeles, CA, in 1941. During his studies, he worked as a B-24 Liberator senior wing inspector for Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation. At the end of 1942, Fred Walker signed up as an Aviation Cadet with the U.S. Army Air Forces and graduated in class 44C at Douglas Air Force Base, Arizona, in March of 1944. Upon completion of his training, he was sent overseas to the China-Burma-India Theater (CBI) with the First Cargo Squadron, 14th Air Force, where he served the remainder of the war. His main mission was to resupply various fighter and bomber groups based in China which included about 60 crossings over the "Hump," a dangerous aerial route through the Himalaya Mountains. Walker was honorably discharged from the services with the rank of 1st Lieutenant on February 26, 1946. During his services, he received numerous decorations including the Distinguished Flying Cross.

After working briefly as a Chief Pilot for the New England Central Airway System, Inc., Walker worked as a pilot for General Claire L. Chennault's Civil Air Transport (CAT) for about a year from 1949-1950. In short succession, Walker worked for Northeast Airlines and for Slick Airways until spring of 1954 when he was furloughed due to a reduction in staff. Again, Fred Walker applied for a position with CAT, later turning into Air America, Inc. with which he spent the next twenty-one years of his professional life. From 1954 until about 1962, Walker flew out of Taiwan scheduled and charter flights throughout Southeast Asia not only in Curtiss, but also Douglas aircraft. In the battle of Dien Bien Phu supporting the French, he flew Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcars out of Haiphong and Hanoi, Vietnam.

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