7 March 1989

Chronology:

Joined Navy V-5 NavCad Program at San Francisco, July, 1945. Reported to CalTech that fall semester, billeted in Ricketts Hall. Rivalry amongst dorms was great, remember putting soap in the stew at Flemming to get even for them tearing up our beds. In January [1946] we went by cattle car to Cal Berkeley for a semester. In the summer of '46 all the AvCads went to Livermore, now the site of Livermore Lab, for solo in the yellow peril [SNJ]. We were all terrified that we wouldn't make it, most did. Again by cattle car to San Pedro where we were released for a year on our own to get two more semesters of college. I went to Fresno State and the social life was a real revelation to me. Reported to Pensacola in March or April 1948 for class 11-48.

Pensacola! Remember the six man to a table in the mess hall and being last to get the milk pitcher? And after lunch running all the way to the swim pool for a 45 minute swim? Standing in the hot humid sun in a fresh set of khakis while Sgt Paranzino gave us some fine points on military behavior. Those four months seemed like four years.

Went through all the stages and pretty much an average student. If anyone thinks I am going to send off to Pensacola for my flight records before they are destroyed, they are crazy. Flew Eisenhower’s Cessna 120 to Corpus Christi and got lost. Graduated with wings in PBMs in August 1949 and assigned to San Diego.

This was a good life! 1936 Ford convertible sedan, surfboard, drinks at the Mexican Village, and 4 hours a month in the right seat of a PBM! During the ditching drill I first became aware of helicopters and applied for training at [NAS] Ellison [FL]. Hurry and wait. Helicopter endorsement about $1326. Back to San Diego and plane guard duty for the remainder of my tour. Released from active duty 6/2/52.

By this time I realized that I was not really prime Naval Aviator material and decided to move on with my life. Most of my buddies were flying [ADs], etc., in Korea and working hard on their career status. Much later I discovered the wisdom of [my] opting for the civilian life.

Spent the next 27 years in most phases of the civilian helicopter field working for the smallest and the largest helicopter companies and finally retiring at age 50 from my own company in 1977, operating seven Hughes 500s in a Canadian bush operation.

In 1978 I started a small company in Santa Rosa, CA manufacturing propellers for R/C [remote control] models. Carolyn and I have raised three children just now finishing up their college educations. We hope they will follow us in the manufacturing business. My hobbies are model airplanes, a Porsche collection, travel in our company plane. Presently I am restoring an Enstrom helicopter for trips to Grass Valley [CA].

I am currently affiliated with the American Irish Foundation; the Technical Advisory Committee, SRJC [Santa Rosa Junior College]; and the Experimental Aircraft Association [EAA].

Frederick T. Jamieson, C-508179, 0-508179

 

[Note from Lou Ives: Fred joined our commercial helicopter operating company (Stockton Helicopters) in central California in the late '50s and flew with us for a couple or three years. Fred was an outstanding fingerprint pilot in all phases – on forest fires, crop dusting and spraying operations, powerline patrols, industrial sling loads from below sea level to the 14,000’ Sierra. There was nothing he couldn't do--especially in his pristine 1956 one-holer T-Bird. From there he went to Hiller Helicopter Company (San Jose) in flight test.]

 

 

Class: 
Pensacola Pre-Flight Class 11-48