Round the World Flights: Difference between revisions
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Colonel Joseph Randall "Randy" Holzapple, Commander of the 319th Bombardment Group was, by all accounts, a good commander. He made a career out of the Air Force and retired as a full General. He got his start with the Air Force during WWII and commanded his bomb group from one end of the Earth to the other, literally. But after the war was over he wanted to mark his place in history before the dissolution of the wartime Army Air Forces. He wanted to be remembered as something more than a good commander. He obtained Pentagon permission to demonstrate the capabilities of the Douglas A-26 Invader on a flight round-the-world. He selected Lt Col Charles R Meyers as his co-pilot and Lt Otto H Schumacher as navigator. Corporal Howard J Walden joined the crew as radio operator. | Colonel Joseph Randall "Randy" Holzapple, Commander of the 319th Bombardment Group was, by all accounts, a good commander. He made a career out of the Air Force and retired as a full General. He got his start with the Air Force during WWII and commanded his bomb group from one end of the Earth to the other, literally. But after the war was over he wanted to mark his place in history before the dissolution of the wartime Army Air Forces. He wanted to be remembered as something more than a good commander. He obtained Pentagon permission to demonstrate the capabilities of the Douglas A-26 Invader on a flight round-the-world. He selected Lt Col Charles R Meyers as his co-pilot and Lt Otto H Schumacher as navigator. Corporal Howard J Walden joined the crew as radio operator. | ||
On November 25, 1945 they departed Savannah GA heading westward on their flight round-the-world. Four days later they returned to Washington DC having successfully circumnavigated the earth. They demonstrated to the world that US light bombers could be dispatched to any point in the world on quick notice. | On November 25, 1945 they departed Savannah GA heading westward on their flight round-the-world. Four days later they returned to Washington DC having successfully circumnavigated the earth. They demonstrated to the world that US light bombers could be dispatched to any point in the world on quick notice. They circumnavigated the globe in 4 days. | ||
===Itinerary=== | ===Itinerary=== | ||
Revision as of 06:03, 21 September 2019
After World War II A-6 Invaders made two separate around-the-world flights, one by the US Military, and another by a wealthy civilian a few years later.
Colonel Holzapple's Flight
Colonel Joseph Randall "Randy" Holzapple, Commander of the 319th Bombardment Group was, by all accounts, a good commander. He made a career out of the Air Force and retired as a full General. He got his start with the Air Force during WWII and commanded his bomb group from one end of the Earth to the other, literally. But after the war was over he wanted to mark his place in history before the dissolution of the wartime Army Air Forces. He wanted to be remembered as something more than a good commander. He obtained Pentagon permission to demonstrate the capabilities of the Douglas A-26 Invader on a flight round-the-world. He selected Lt Col Charles R Meyers as his co-pilot and Lt Otto H Schumacher as navigator. Corporal Howard J Walden joined the crew as radio operator.
On November 25, 1945 they departed Savannah GA heading westward on their flight round-the-world. Four days later they returned to Washington DC having successfully circumnavigated the earth. They demonstrated to the world that US light bombers could be dispatched to any point in the world on quick notice. They circumnavigated the globe in 4 days.
Itinerary
- Savannah, GA - Departure on 11/25/45
- Sacramento, CA
- Honolulu, HI
- Johnston Island
- Majuro Atoll
- Eniwetok Atoll
- Saipan Island
- Okinawa
- Manila, Philippines
- Calcutta, India
- Agra, India
- Karachi, Pakistan
- Abadan, Iran
- Baghdad, Iraq
- Cairo, Egypt
- Tunis, Tunisia
- Casablanca, Morocco
- Santa Maria, Azores
- Bermuda
- Washington, DC - Arrival on 11/29/45