H.L. George was Born July 19, 1893 at Somerville, MA and died
February 24, 1986, in California at age 92. According to ancestry.com, he registered for the draft during WWI on June 5, 1917, below.
H.L. George, Draft Registration, June 5, 1917 (Source: ancestry.com)
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Relatively early in his career he was photographed, below, in the cockpit of a Martin MB-2, or NBS-1. This photo appeared in the Summer 1988 issue of the Journal of the American Aviation Historical Society at the link.
H.L. George in Martin Bomber, Ca. Early 1920s (Source: Link via Woodling)
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The caption for the photo states, "The “front office” of an MB-2, or NBS-1, with Lt. Harold Lee George, who as a Lt. General commanded the Air Transport Command during WWII."
Pilot George landed five times at Tucson between 1926
and 1934. Interestingly, he signed in as a rank of Captain
in 1927-29, but his promotion to that rank was officially listed
as December 31, 1931.
He flew a variety of aircraft, including Observation, Pursuit
and Bomber models. Only once, in 1929, did he carry a passenger.
His entries of home base and destinations map nicely with
his official record of assignments. For example, he was assigned
in August, 1925 to Washington, DC as an assistant in the War
Plans Division, Office of the Chief of Air Service. His landing
on February 10, 1926 lists his home base and destination as Washington.
One of his flights through Tucson, September 7, 1928, was captured on motion picture film that you can view at the link. On that flight, eight Keystone LB-5A bombers arrived en masse from Langley Field, Hampton, VA, signing in at 1:30PM. He probably looked something like in the photograph below.
He was enrolled in the Air Corps Tactical School at Maxwell
Field, AL in September, 1931. He remained at Maxwell Field
as an instructor until January 1936. His landing on July 29, 1934
lists his home base as Maxwell. George was a founding
member of the Order of Daedalians. He was that organization’s
first Wing Commander in 1934.
In February 1938 and November 1939 he took part in the Army
goodwill flights to South America. He received the Order of
the Southern Cross (Knight) from the Government of Brazil
for his part in the South American Flight in November.
The 1940 U.S. Census placed George at age 46 living at Langley Field, VA with his wife, Violette H. (35). His occupation was listed as a Major in the Air Corps. He earned $5,000 per year in his assignment , a good salary in 1940. Violette was a stenographer, earning $1,440 per year. Their children were not listed on the form (see below).
As WWII approached, in 1940 he became Commanding Officer
of the 2nd Bombardment Group at Langley Field, VA, and in
January 1941 added the duties of Executive Officer of the
2nd Bombardment Wing there. In July 1941 he was appointed
Assistant Chief of the Air Staff for Plans. As Lt. Col. during
WWII he co-authored the Air War Plans Division white paper
on the AAF scope and mission for Hap Arnold. He was promoted
to Lieutenant General on March 16, 1945.
One of his jobs was to decorate fellow Register pilots Nancy Harkness Love and Robert Love. Please direct your browser to her page to see an image of her and Bob receiving their Air Medals. Photograph, below, of another photo opportunity with Nancy Harkness.
Lt. Gen. H.L. George and Nancy Harkness Love, Date Unknown
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The Circleville Daily Herald (OH) of June 26, 1947 descrbed a post-war business that George formed, below.
Circleville Daily Herald (OH), June 26, 1947 (Source: Woodling)
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The article above explains why, on May 25, 1948, he and his family traveled from Lima, Peru to Washington, DC. It is difficult to tell if the airplane was scheduled, chartered or military, since it is not identified on the immigrations form, below. All his children were old enough to have been listed on the 1940 Census form, but they were not. Only one other person, a Peruvian student, traveled with his family.
The airline went out of business in 1949. One of his daughters, Mary Suzanne George, married a Peruvian (she was 16 at the time).
Immigration Form, May 25, 1928 (Source: ancestry.com)
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A professional biography can be found at his findagrave.com page at the link. His obituary from the Los Angeles Times, March 30, 1986, is below.
H.L. George Obituary, Los Angeles Times, March 30, 1986 (Source: Woodling)
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Violette died April 21, 2003. Her obituary, from the Orange County Register, April 25, 2003, is below.
Orange County Register, April 25, 2003 (Source: Woodling)
VIOLETTE H. GEORGE Age 94, died 4/21/2003 in Laguna Woods and was the widow of Lt. General Harold Lee George. Beloved mother of Loretta Palmer; Sidney George; Suzanne George and Francis George; loving Grandmother of 25; Great Grandmother of 48 and Great Great Grandmother of 8. Memorial Services will be held Saturday, 4/26/2003 .... |
Note both obituaries mention their son. I found no information about him.
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Dossier 2.2.47
UPLOADED: 09/22/05 REVISED: 02/13/08, 04/18/18, 05/22/18, 06/14/18, 11/18/18
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