Briefly, PAAF came into being when the U.S. went officially to war following the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. However PAAF was only a name change from Atlantic Airways Ltd. which began in June, 1941 when President Roosvelt decided to provide aircraft to Great Britain in addition to providing "surplus" U.S. Navy destroyers on a "lend lease" plan to circumvent U.S. peace treaties with Germany.

I got into this organization as it was being formed secretly in MIami. I was one of the first key personnel hired and the 14th man to shoiw up at old Miami Municipal Airport just south of the Navy field at Opalocka. My official ID card issued the first week showed the number 39. The number discrepency is due to the number of other officials and administrators who had showed up at the time the cards were handed out.

We were sent to Miami Beach to the Raleigh Hotel as the official residence so we could be contacted with the minimum of effort and told to stay put and keep our mouths shut. We would be called to begin work in a few days. We were to get 300 a month pe rdiem for our food and lodging which was more than sufficient. I had a great room on the 3rd floor overlooking the swimming pool and the ocean. The pool seemed to be full of young and attractive ladies with few men around. It took me no time to get into swimming trunks and join the fun at the pool.

The next morning I awoke with the sun flooding my room with light. I lay in bed a few minutes thinking of how lucky I was and how would I spend all that money which was enough to live on quite modestly without touching my grand salary?

Sorry - gotta go. Be back later with the story and pictures.

ORIGINAL: 2/7/97 JWW Rev. March 19 1997 at 0136 EST