|
Katherine (Kay) Adams Menges (Brick)
KATHERINE (KAY) ADAMS
MENGES (BRICK), born Aug. 8, Dixmont, ME. Graduated Sargent College, B.S.
Ed. Boston Univ.; MA Psychology, New York
Univ.; graduate work Columbia Univ.
Taught Lasell Jr. Coil. specializing in the
dance and aquatics; Dir. Phys. Ed. Staten Is.
Academy (Country Day Sch.). In 1940 while
teaching at Teaneck, NJ High decided aviation held key to future and started flying at
Teterboro Airport, NJ.
When WW II involved USA she was prepared to serve in the WAF (Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron), later entitled WASP
(Women's Airforce Service Pilot) having
previously been actively flying for Civil Air
Patrol. She trained at Houston, TX and
Sweetwater, graduated in Class 43-3 as
Advanced Ferry Command Pilot with single
and multi-engine ratings.
Was stationed at New Castle Army Air
Base. Wilmington, DE, thence to Camp
Davis, NC; Liberty Field, Stewart AFB, GA
where she grad. from "AAF Piloting of Radio
Controlled Aircraft," thence to Biggs AFB,
El Paso, TX where she served as WASP
Squadron Cmdr. and checked out in the Jug.
Missions included high and low target towing, tracking, laying smoke screens, "buzzing" 10 check camouflage of gun emplacements of
anti-aircraft, flying of radio
controlled aircraft; flying formations
through chaff, split beam searchlight missions, low altitude night missions and ferrying. She logged 1016 military hours flying,
now with civilian time 6000 hours in over
51 different makes and model aircraft. As
well as commercial, held instrument and
instructor ratings. Training also included
course at AAF Tactical Center, Orlando, FL;
and TDY at Meridian, MS, 3rd AF Command.
Postwar continued aviation as career: aviation writing, public relations, aircraft sales,
and ferrying throughout USA, Alaska and
co-piloted Beech Queenair to Australia.
Entered numerous races winning Nolde Derby NY to Miami, thence on to Cuba in her
BT-13. Flew 6 Powder Puff Derbies placing
4,8,11th.
Married electronics engineer/pilot, Frank
Reeve Brick in 1947, who had taught her to
fly. One daughter R. Canivet "Bunny" Brick
married to corporate jet pilot T. Michael
Macario III.
As a member of the Ninety-Nines (Int'l
Org. Women Pilots) rose to become Inti.
Pres. 1950-51; Exec. Bd '51.'54. On POWDER PUFF DERBY (All. Woman Transcontinental Air Race) Bd. of Dirs. 27 years serving
as Chr./Exec. Dir. 13 years. Edited its 30
year history in two volumes.
Appointed by the Pres. U.S. to serve on
FAA's (Federal Aviation Administration)
Women's Advisory Board in D.C. 1968-71;
Appointed by FAA 1972.'76 as Safety Counselor. Elected Sec. Bd. of Dirs. NP A (National Pilots Asso.) 1956-'60 and '68.'70;
elected Sec. Bd. Dirs./P-47 Thunderbolt
Pilots Asso. 1970.'74 and 1978-'80. Flew
with rank of Capt. with Civil Air Patrol,
pre-war NJ, post-war NY Wing.
Also member: AWA (Aviation Space Writers Asso.), OX 5 Club; Silver Wings; Altrusa
Int'l; Air Force Asso.
Special projects: Institutor/Co-Chr. "Colt
for Kim and Women of Korea" Comm.
which obtained an airplane for their training.
Institutor/Chr. for obtaining a "votive model of Amelia Earhart's Atlantic solo Lockheed
Vega" to hang in the Protestant Chapel's
"Shrine of Aviation ", JFK Int'l Airport, NY.
Kay was at Republic, Farmingdale, NY
May 2, 1961 with AWA at the "joint party
with WW II aces and pilots who flew the
"Jug" and witnessed Chief Production pilot
for Republic and veteran with 8th-Air;Force
in Europe, Glen Bach, buzz by and land one
of the few remaining P-47s in existence, 20
years after the first flight. It was several years
later WASPs were invited to join the Asso.
Honors include: Lady Hay Drummond-
Hay Trophy from WIAA (Women's Int'l
Asso. of Aeronautics) in 1946; FAA Certificate of Commendation 1966; Boston Univ.
Sargent College Alumni Special Award
1967; Amelia Earhart Medals 1949,1960,
1976; Paul Tissandier Diploma awarded by
F AI (Federation Aeronautique Internationale) Int'l aviation world body in 1973 at its
69th Annual Conference, Dublin, Ireland.
Inducted into TeterborojNew Jersey Aviation Hall of Fame 1978.
Listings in: "Notable Americans of the
Bicentennial Era:" "Who's Who of American Women", 7th Edit. 1972-3; "Who's
Who in East"; "World Who's Who of Women" 1978, 4th Edition.
Following the death of her husband, Kay moved from NJ to Fallbrook, CA. She is still active in aviation circles, continues her writing, but is concentrating on her lime ranch at "Casa Brick".
|
Pilot Name
|
Biography Summary
|
|
John Abbotts
|
P-47 transition followed at Pocatello, Idaho and Greenville, Texas after which he was assigned to the 56th Fighter Group in England. When the news of his arrival reached Berlin, Hitler retired to his bunker with his cyanide capsule and revolver. Eva found the news equally depressing.
|
|
Asa A. Adair
|
He returned to the States in August of 1944 after participating in the invasion "D" Day. He flew P-63's, P-51's, F-80's, T-33's, F-84's, T-38's, P-47's in numerous assignments during the following twenty years in in, Japan, U.S.A. and Europe before retiring after twenty-six years of Active Duty.
|
|
Edward B. Addison
|
The 507th Fighter Group, equipped with P-47N's, won the Presidential Unit Citation for destroying 32 Japanese aircraft in the air on one mission to Seoul, Korea. The average flying time for raids to Korea and Japan would be 7 to 9 hours flying time. In a total of 31 months, the 507th not only provided top cover for B-29's, but also
dive-bombed, napalm-bombed and flew low-level on strafing missions.
|
|
Levon B. Agha-Zarian
|
It is rumored that he, took his primary training on a flying rug. He flew Spits, briefly, in England, but as the, war moved to the East, he was sent to India as a Sgt. Pilot and first saw action from Ceylon, flying the Curtiss P.36, the Brewster Buffalo, and the Hurricane. At this point he might have opted for the rug! This was at the time of the fall of Singapore and the sinking of the Prince of Wales and the Repulse.
|
|
George N. Ahles
|
Posted to A-20 light bomber squadron Barksdale Field, Louisiana. . Group moved to Hunter Air Base Savannah, Georgia. Qualified for Pilot training November 1940. Entered Aviation Cadets January 1942. Presented wings November 1942 class of 42-J. Married Mary Louise while in Advanced Pilot Training at Craig AFB, Selma, Alabama, September 1942.
|
|
Roy J. Aldritt
|
Shortly after the group moved to France he ran into some unseen flak and was forced to make a nylon descent behind the lines; some evasion and a lot of luck had him back with his unit
in 24 hours.
|
|
Eugene J. Amaral
|
After graduation from Stonington High School he enlisted as an Aviation Cadet in December 1942 and was called to active duty in March, 1943. He received his wings and commission at Spence Field, Georgia as a member of the Class of 43-C.
|
|
Talmadge L. Ambrose
|
Flew 84 missions thru VE Day, was downed by 22mm ground fire over Siefried Line. He destroyed 11 enemy aircraft, 9 known confirmed in air and on
ground, including 4 FW 190-D's in one afternoon over Hanover, Germany, April 8, 1945. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross,
Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal, 17 man, Oak Leaf Clusters, Good Conduct Medal, Pacific Theatre and European Theatre Meda1s with 5 Battle
Stars and Unit Citation Medal.
|
|
John C. Anderson
|
After P-47 transition he was assigned to the 406th Fighter Group, 512th Fighter Squadron. (E.T
.0.) He flew 56 missions through January, 1945 destroying supply routes, bridges, and railroads; he also flew close support missions with the ground forces, with attacks on tanks, artillery and enemy positions.
|
|
William Anderson
|
It was not always flak,two ME-109's beat the hell out of me one day. The central controller called me and said "Basher-Red Leader do you have contact Bandits," I replied, "I sure do, I'll bring them over the field in 3 minutes, they're chasing me home." Got all the usual medals including two Belgium and two French but one I'm most proud of is the Silver Star -it is the greatest.
|
|
|