94-Year-Old WWII Veteran Flies Again
As one of the few remaining members of The Greatest Generation, Jim Calvert, has been “cleared for take-off” in a C-47 transport aircraft like the one he piloted multiple times across the Himalayan mountains in 1945.
Pilots who flew these treacherous missions were called “Hump Pilots.” Calvert will be flown by crewmembers of the Commemorative Air Force, Central Texas Wing stationed in San Marcos, Texas, today, January 19, at 3 PM in the newly restored and historic “That’s All Brother!”
Calvert is the only living pilot in the United States to hold the wings of three air forces: The United States, The Royal Air Force of Great Britain and the Chinese Air Force.
Only one other pilot held this distinction. Calvert has been honored for his service by President George W. Bush in the Oval Office. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross as well as multiple other medals.
As a San Antonian almost his entire life, he spent decades in civic service to his community including helping found and run the San Antonio Symphony.
Calvert will fly again with three generations of his family on a single flight, including his brother, several children, grandchildren and one of his nephews.
“That’s All Brother!” has the distinction of being one of the C47s that flew over France on D-Day during the Normandy Invasion. For that reason, “That’s All Brother!” has been selected to return to France next June for the 75th Anniversary of D-Day.
“That’s All Brother!” will take Calvert and his family up for a reunion flight following another special flight at 2 PM with the University of Texas Alumni Band that has been chosen to play at the D-Day Anniversary events next June.
