"Except for the convenience of the round number the 60th anniversary (diamond) is generally just another year gone by (except for the airline pilot who has reached the magic age limit and has to retire). The pilots retiring this year (at age 60) were just born during 1927, the same year when a number of our former TWA pilots were beginning their airline careers.
Five of them, including two of our current TARPA members, had a 1927 seniority date and
were the ranking top five until 1941 and the others through 1947, when the resignations of
Jack Frye and Paul Richter were effective.

"During past anniversary celebrations there has always been an argument between airline PRO departments as to which is the nation's oldest airline in terms of continuous service. Western (before the Delta takeover) generally was accepted as the oldest with a 4/17/26 date when they began their mail route (CAM #4) between SLC and LA. Much to Western's chagrin,
TWA chose this same date for their anniversary celebrations, claiming that most of Western's
assets were a part of TWA when the merger of WAE and TAT-Maddux was culminated in late 1930. It will be interesting to see who lays claim to being the oldest in the years to come..,Delta ? There was always an argument among several TWA pilots as to who was he most senior. Despite the protests made when the first seniority list was published, in 1934, the # 1 ranking went to Si Morehouse.

"Silas A. Morehouse was born in 1898, and learned to fly in the Army. His early years of flying also included some movie work and test pilot for the Fokker Company. He joined WAE as a pilot and part time mechanic on April 1, 1927, flying the open cockpit Douglas M-2 on the mail run. Si was the pilot on the inaugural flight, in 1928 when WAE originated their "Model Airway" between LA and SF, using the tri-motor F-10 (Fokker). He also was the pilot when WAE began their transcontinental service (fly by day, train by night) in June of 1929, a month before TAT began their 48 hour schedule. WAE flew as far as KC for their train connections to the east. Si was chief pilot for WAE and the pilot when they introduced the nation's first 4-engine airliner, the 32-passenger F-32. During WW II Si was with the Air Transport Command in the Pacific Theater and retired as a full Colonel. Until he quit flying in 1946, Si was always the senior pilot on TWA; a record which will be impossible to top so far as the pilot group. There are other records which will be hard to beat such as Frankie Parent was always the # 1 Flight Engineer from 5/5/40 until he retired in July of 1971, and Lee Flanagin's time as the most senior TWA employee (2/26 to 6/70).

"Unfortunately, for the past several years, Si has been a victim of Alzheimer's disease and is
not aware of his 60th anniversary. According to his wife, Helen, his friends would probably
not recognize him as he has lost a lot of weight and grown a mustache during his stay in a
VA hospital in Virginia."

Trials, Tribulations of Enlisted Men, Officers
Is 'Old Stuff' to Col. Morehouse, CO of 1345th

Served for Many Years as GI Before Getting His Commission

1345 BU, India - Perhaps one of the prerequisites for the job of CO of a base is a knowledge of the trials and tribulations of the enlisted men and junior officers, plus a capability for the job gained through army service and civilian experience.
If such is the case, Lt. Col. Silas A. Morehouse, commander of this, the largest ICD base in India, is well qualified to handle the job. He served in the army shortly after World War I and until 1927 as an enlisted man. As for civilian experience in handling air transportation of personnel and supplies, his record of 15 years with Transcontinental and Western Airlines speaks for itself.
When he entered the Army again in 1942, he left a job as division superintendent for TWA, and took over duties as A-3 officer at Stout Field, Indiana, in the Troop Carrier Command. He was then a captain.

CO of Transport Unit

In September, 1943, Morehouse arrived in CBI as a major. In those days a man was a jack-of-all-trades and soon the newly arrived officer found himself a transport pilot and CO of the China Transport group.
Shortly thereafter, Maj. Morehouse was upped to the rank of lieutenant colonel and assumed command of one of ICD's bases in Assam. His record at that base was indicated by the ever-increasing amount of supplies that crossed the Hump from his field.

Long Flying Record
Col. Morehouse's flying career started back in 1925 when he received his wings as a two-engine pilot at Kelly Field, Texas. he began flying at 27 and in 20 years has established an enviable record, both with the Army and with TWA.
He is married and makes his home at Los Angeles, Calif., although his wife is now living at Alexandria, Va.