by Randy Godwin

Created on: May 15, 2008   Last Updated: September 09, 2008

Air Force One is well known to the citizens of the U.S> as the personal transportation of the president. The arrival or departure of this presidential conveyance has been the scene of many television news events. The walk down the steps, or sometimes the fall down the steps as exhibited by Gerald Ford, is usually included.

However, little is heard about the conception of this well known aircraft, or the people who made it possible. Like many other American beginnings it is a mixture of daring and adventure. It is truly an American tale of courage and innovation by a larger than life character.

It's amazing how you can live in an area all your life and still discover new things about the local history. I live about ten miles from Tifton, Georgia, a pleasant little town bisected by I-75. The airport, which has been renovated in the last few years, is named Henry Tift Myers airport and has been as long as I can remember. I have flown out of this facility many times without bothering to find out how it got its name.

A couple of years ago I went to the airport to see two World War II bombers on display for the public. Before walking out on the tarmac I decided to inspect the new terminal. While looking at the memorabilia displayed inside, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that "Hank" Myers was the original pilot for Air Force One. The details of his life include many tales of aviation history and innovative design.

Some of his many accomplishments are:

Fist American to fly non-stop to Paris after Lindberg.
Flew FDR to the Yalta Conference.
One of the first Americans in Berlin after the fall of Nazi Germany
Set an air speed record in 1934 that stood tens years until broken by Howard Hughes.
First non-stop London to Washington, DC.
First non-stop Hawaii to Alaska.
First non-stop Ceylon to Australia.
First to fly around the world at the equator.

He was a larger than life hero years before I was born and was a particular source of pride, not only to the Tifton residents but to the state of Georgia. This scion of the founders of several South Georgia cities played and worked hard similar to Howard Hughes. He hobnobbed with the rich and famous including Hollywood starlets, presidents, kings, and other dignitaries of the time.

His career started at the University of Georgia where besides football, boxing and, of course, beautiful women, he also took flying lessons which led to his eventual graduation from the Army Air Corps at the top of his class. This led to his employment with

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