The Gift: The Delta Years

During my year in Vietnam, I wrote to every airline in the free world and requested pilot application forms. I sent those back, along with my resume, to all the companies I felt I would like to work for. I then waited for the year to end, so I could get out of the Air Force and start interviewing.

When I separated from the Air Force in April 1970, airline hiring was beginning to slow down. I was concerned that I might not get in before it stopped completely. In late May, I received a letter from Delta Air Lines, inviting me to come to Atlanta for an interview. In that same month, I got a similar invitation from Pacific Southwest Airlines. As it turned out, those were the only two airlines hiring pilots at the time. The others had already stopped. I received job offers from both airlines, and I chose Delta.

This is the story of my thirty-two year career as a pilot for Delta Airlines, and the conclusion of the three-part memoir of my flying career.