“Our Final Chapter”: The Day an American Aviation Icon Ceased All Operations

By Rev. Dr. Miriam Lopez

On December 4, 1991 one of the most famous airlines in aviation history ceased operation. The famous blue and white logo was grounded.

After pioneering most of the worlds air routes that are in use today, and introducing the travelling public to a variety of new aircraft, as well as introducing the world to the jet age, the "worlds most experienced airline" succumbed to the financial and regulatory pressures of the airline industry in this new age.

The following stories will recount some of the many experiences these employees faced in adjusting to life without Pan Am. To this day, the public cannot understand how these thousands of employees remain as close as family wherever they are in the world

On the following pages, many of the terrible predicaments that these employees faced will be recounted. Some are humorous some are sad and many show the resilience of the Pan Am family when faced with a crisis.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Dec 8, 2010
• ISBN: 9781456822019

Book preview

Copyright © 2011 by Rev. Dr. Miriam Lopez.

Library of Congress Control Number:       2010917443

ISBN:         Hardcover                               978-1-4568-2200-2

                   Softcover                                 978-1-4568-2199-9

                   Ebook                                      978-1-4568-2201-9

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted

in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system,

without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This book was printed in the United States of America.

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

Xlibris Corporation

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

[e-mail]

84354

Contents

INTRODUCTION

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

CHAPTER 1

Mrs. NELLIE BECKHANS and Mr. JOSEPH BECKHANS

CHAPTER 2

Ms. DORIS DOMENECH

CHAPTER 3

Mr. RAYMOND FINKELSTEIN

CHAPTER 4

CAPTAIN CLAUDE HUDSPETH

CHAPTER 5

MIRIAM LOPEZ

CHAPTER 6

Mrs. RAQUEL MORIYON

CHAPTER 7

Mr. AL PINEIRO

CHAPTER 8

EMILY RAMIREZ-CESHKER

CHAPTER 9

Mr. JOHN J. SHEDD

CHAPTER 10

Ms. BETTY STANGO

CHAPTER 11

Mrs. DONNA VALDES and Mr. MARK VALDES

CHAPTER 12

Ms. ESTER ZAYAS

DEDICATION

To Mom and Pop

Monina and John G. Lopez

And to my Pan Am Family especially my Dearest friends

whose stories made this book possible.

Introduction.jpg

November 22, 1935—Alameda, California. Captain Edwin Musick

and First Officer R. O. D. Sullivan stands next to the China Clipper

before it leaves San Francisco for Manila with the first trans pacific

airmail. On the ground (left to right) are Postmaster General

James Farley, Assistant Postmaster General Harllee Branch, and

Pan Am President Juan T. Trippe.

INTRODUCTION

On December 4, 1991 one of the most famous airlines in aviation history ceased operation. The famous blue and white logo was grounded.

After pioneering most of the worlds air routes that are in use today, and introducing the travelling public to a variety of new aircraft, as well as introducing the world to the jet age, the worlds most experienced airline succumbed to the financial and regulatory pressures of the airline industry in this new age.

On this day, the employees of Pan American World Airways were shocked to learn that their beloved company was forced to go out of business, leaving thousands of them reeling from the realization that wherever they were in the world they would have to find their own way home. Those that were fortunate enough to be at their home base began scrambling to look for work now that they no longer had the