Personality & Character of Jack Frye

Photo courtesy LIFE Magazine

In all of recorded history there are certain individuals that stand-out as shining stars to me personally and publicly. Since I began this project in 2013, some of them I mention here you may know or may not. Jesus Christ, Maurice Hall, Jeanne Mesquit, my wife Kelly Johnson, Ronald Reagan, Mac Mann, Danny Thomas, Lucille Ball, Red Skelton, Steve Morse, Dale Earnhardt, and here – Jack Frye.

These are individuals that I esteem to have exemplified true love and sacrifice for their fellow man, and have and will leave a legacy of goodness and compassion beyond their years for which we can rely on when we are looking for a role model with superior qualities.

Jack Frye is now my most recent addition to this special list of human beings. May I explore Mr. Frye’s character and personality traits that have shown me a quality human being?

First of all, I want to preface this review with this. My number one human being on the list above, when he walked on the earth that He created, possesses all perfect character and personality traits any human being could ever attain in life. He is virtually perfect. All of the rest are sojourners on the path towards His perfection as best as they and we know how.

Since I decided to tackle the Jack Frye Blog, even before when I was slowly acquiring data, stories and photographic memories about him for some years, I began to sense there was something different, something unusual and special about this man over all other historical figures that have made a huge impact on society at large, and individuals for which he came in contact.

The first trait I have sensed and know to be true is his 'love for of his fellow man’ no matter who they were and how he came in contact. Jack seemed to have mastered the ability to show compassion in all circumstances. This was probably ingrained into him at a young age on the ranch in Texas. This is not an easy trait to acquire later in life. It takes great sacrifice of self to look upon your fellow man as more important than yourself. Just ask me, I know. This is demonstrated in a huge way when TWA and other airlines lost the Air-Mail contracts of the government right in the middle of the new DC-2 contract with Douglas Aircraft. Jack could have easily cancelled the contract and paid the fees and moved on but that would have meant hundreds of TWA employees would have lost their jobs. So what does the compassionate Jack Frye do? He gets on the phone with Donald Douglas and asks him to hire the effected TWA employees until he gets the mail contracts back. He also did this with the Wright Engine company and other vendors in behalf of his employees. It doesn’t end there. Jack informed his maintenance employees that they could find jobs in Santa Monica or Patterson New Jersey and TWA would pay for their travel expenses. The mail contracts did come back and Frye restored the jobs!

Next, Jack is a ‘completely optimistic’ man that knows no bounds or restraints to exploring new and improved ideas of how to make life easier for people. He completely excelled with this quality in his early years on the old airfield when he began to realize people flying in his airplanes were uncomfortable. Jack got to work and began to provide the beginning steps towards passenger luxury by 1939. A first in aviation history. He put himself in the place of his customers to ensure their utmost comfort and accommodations no matter the cost.

The next character trait I have realized about Jack Frye is he was able to mingle with the meekest person all the way up to royalty and Presidents with no sign of tension. He was a consummate ‘people person’. Always inquiring with genuine concern how people were doing on the ground and in the air. He was centrally focused of making sure people were safe and that their needs were taken care of. In his personal life this trait existed without restraint as well.

’His smile’ has been reported as ‘infectious’, attractive, happy and without restriction. I see this in many photographs and just by reading many historical accounting's of his business and personal life. I also have had the opportunity to learn about his wonderful human presence from his daughter in conversations. She has confirmed what I had already sensed about her dad. In the opposite, I am sure Jack Frye had his moments in board room meetings and dealing with company employees (Howard Hughes, Noah Dietrich) that tended to wipe his infectious smile off his face a time or two. Even Jesus Christ himself got upset and mad without a smile a few times, so I don’t measure this perfectly human response against Jack in any way. A smiler he was...

Speaking about better, Jack possessed a character trait of ‘high quality’ to the point it didn’t matter what it cost. Quality of service, safety, schedule and quality of his personal life had no bounds. And I believe even if he hadn’t been wealthy with resources, Jack Frye would have still required high quality standards in all facets of his life. Jack went for the best in life however small or large the decision before him.

In the business world where it was required Jack get things taken care of and progressing forward in the highly competitive airline business, he possessed the trait of a ‘powerful and dynamic empire building magnate’ that was experienced by those around him the minute he stepped into a room. They knew by his positive integrity and ability to set the standard that he meant business. He was smart, quick to the draw of making good business sense and he didn’t hold back.

One of the qualities of Jack Frye’s personality I have learned and grown to love about him was his ‘ability to dream big’. Jack was a dreamer, a visionary that had the ability to make them come true. He could latch onto an idea, work it out and deliver it to a group of business people and then, take the lead and make it happen. This while occupying the Presidents seat. He wasn’t afraid to get his hands dirty and show others how it’s done. This occurred many times when he was establishing new air routes where on-time and fuel issues mattered. His over-weather flying experiments in the Gamma 2D above the clouds with just a bottle and mask for oxygen demonstrated his bravado and willingness to take the chances and fulfilling those dreams of flying smoothly above the clouds. This was a first in aviation history! And there are many more I cannot list here.

Jack Frye possessed a certain ‘charisma and charm’ for a 6’2” cigar smoking burley gentleman. He has been described as a gentle giant among his employees and business partners alike. He also attracted the female side of life with his charming presence to what some may call his demise. But, Jack was never an uptight or out of control individual. He had control over his hidden idiosyncrasies that allowed him to fit in with all walks of life, a character trait akin to our Lord who demonstrates so perfectly.

If there was ever a man who wanted to be ‘a father’ it was Jack Frye. He had lived over 45 years until his first and only child entered this world, a beautiful daughter he and Emily named Nevajac. He so dearly loved his daughter in that he tended her every need day in and day out. Nev has shared with me that her dad was almost like being her mother. This period of his life made Jack Frye complete in character in every way.

The ‘bravado’ this man possessed and demonstrated quite frequently is something to behold. It wasn’t a mean spirited bravado, but a calculated, confident and gentile character trait that caused others to want to follow.

‘Enthusiasm’ was central to Jack Frye’s character. There can be no misunderstanding about this trait he possessed. It was infectious like his smile, it energized his staff, friends and powerful people in high places so much, he was asked to run for the democratic ticket after Harry Truman! They honestly saw Jack Frye being the 34^th President of the United States! But even more revealing of Jack’s enthusiasm was his sheer and positive commitment to leading and expanding the airline industry for all of mankind. He met this incredible task ahead with great enthusiasm and positive thinking in a way that no other could have mustered. Charles Lindbergh in my opinion was the only other aviation hero who could have pulled the airline industry off. In fact the proof is in the pudding as to our airline industry today. Flawed and tainted as it may be, it was Jack Frye’s early innovative ideas filled with this unquenchable enthusiasm that lead the way in airline aviation. Who knows what he would have accomplished if he had the full support he needed back in the 40’s.

The ‘patriotism’ Jack Frye displayed as a civilian cannot be measured in normal terms. It was off the chart during WWII. As TWA President in 1940, he actually saw the need for his airline fleet to be handed over to the Army Air Corps to support our troops and cargo transportation to Europe. This he knew before it was mandated by the Air Corps. Because he had had meetings with the commanding generals prior to this eventuality in that he told them he would let the 307 Stratoliners go to the government to help out . And then the Boeing Constellation. This was before any other airline company even thought of such a gesture. Jack Frye was eventually awarded the Presidential Metal of Merit in 1947 for patriotic duty in the war effort by Harry Truman, and the Italian Cross of Valor.

Jack had the ability to make bold decisions in the face of adversity and the unknown. I suppose this would be characterized as a 'confident see'er' of the future. In religious terms of old, a prophet. People often consider this character trait as arrogance or blind ambition. This would be the negative approach to understanding. But since we can now clearly see Jack Frye's many successes, it can only be deduced that he knew exactly what he was doing when making the many difficult decisions about his company. There are articles that have recorded Jack giving speeches to the aircraft industry and investors alike to fill the skies with 'millions' of airplanes, not thousands, millions! On the surface this may seem outlandish and unneeded, but if we hypothesize this into reality, can you imagine how aircraft travel would effect us today? Heck, there would be systems and support in place for the neighbor or even ourselves to be able walk out the front door, jump into our plane and go shopping. The price of air travel would be drastically reduced from the enormous presence and competition in the industry.

We often take for granted 'citizenship' in our community. Jack was constantly involved with the local citizenry wherever he traveled, including his many home towns across the country. If there were improvements he could take care of, he did. If someone needed help starting a small town business, or needed transportation, he took care of it without repayment. There are many stories of Jack's help he freely awarded to people and businesses across the country. A dutiful citizen he was.

One of the most important character traits anyone can possess is 'trustworthiness'. Jack displayed this trait through his reliability, his doing what he said he was going to do and having the courage to do the right thing time after time. He was extremely loyal to his company of over 17,000 employees by 1947. He was married four times which might suggest some of his trustworthiness faded a bit, only he and his family can honestly address this part of his life. But from what I know he was a dedicated husband to all of his wives and provided the best for them.

Jack Frye was a very 'fair' man. He was able to weigh circumstances and work out whatever needed to happen so all parties were satisfied. He wasn't a president or a human being that tried to take advantage for the sake of destroying the other party. He loved open competition and overcoming it, but with a certain fairness being part of the mix. Howard Hughes on the other hand was quite the opposite and we don't need to delve into that here but to say, if you stand them side by side, Jack Frye wins in the area of fairness hands down.

The character trait of being 'responsible' was paramountly present in Jack Frye's life. This is obvious. In his personal life from what I know, he provided and cared for his wives deeply, he loved his wive's as any good responsible husband would. Each one of them for whatever reason lasted 8-10 years, enough time to invest a lot of emotional support and responsibility for the relationships. Professionally, he always put out 110% this we know. That's responsible. He was self disciplined, he always thought things through before he acted, he knew the consequences. And he was accountable for his words and actions before his staff and professional colleagues. And finally he always set an example for his employees and peers. Smartly dressed, poised, respectful, great attitude and ready to serve, Jack Frye was one of the most responsible aviation leaders the world has ever seen.

Finally, Jack Frye was 'genuine'. He had no pretense of being artificial or phony in any way. What you saw was what you got. But along with this, he displayed this golden trait to his fellow man which legitimizes his genuineness for all to see. There was no hidden agenda about Jack Frye. He had no reason to do so as he was a man of action and responsibility, and accountable. People aren't measured by the mass of things they do or acquire in life. But by their legacy and genuine personality that sets them apart from others. A man could have done all the things Jack Frye accomplished yet with a non-genuine personality, he would have been left with a horrible legacy. Jack was a complete and positively genuine personality many strive for but never attain.

There is more to speak about Jack Frye's personality and character. But at this point I think this covers the subject quite well, and its all true in this writers opinion.

I hope you know a little more about the man, the business mogul, the aviator, the leader of 17,000 employees, the husband, and the father – Jack Frye.

Eric Johnson

Creator/Owner

Jack Frye Aviation Pioneer blog

2016

Jack Frye in the movie, The Aviator

The movie The Aviator directed by Martin Scorsese won an Academy Award for best Screenplay by John Logan. It was and is a fantastic splash of fast airplane action and beautiful cinematography surrounding the life of billionaire Howard Hughes. One of the key characters whom we are most interested in is Jack Frye and his portrayal in the film.

If you have seen the film and would be interested in my review of Frye's character, I have posted a page containing my thoughts in a total of 9 scenes in the movie. If you have not viewed the movie I would like to encourage you to do so. Its very entertaining and worth your time. You can access my review via the link below.

The Aviator Review

-click-

Jack Frye Video Presentation

It’s fitting at this time after covering a lot of Jack Frye's professional life to post this video I produced in his honor. I hope you enjoy the presentation and share it with your friends and family. Especially the immediate and extended Frye family members.

One family member quoted to me recently that, "Jack was the hero of the family." Not to detract from other family members of the Frye clan and their accomplishments, I also feel good about reiterating this simple truth. He really was and still is an American hero, not of the combative duties of his fellow countrymen of his time, but to all of the American public who experienced his amazing airline accomplishments making America a better place than before.

Jack Frye Aviation Pioneer blog

2013

The Men and the History

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Right click on images to view Full size

Jack Frye Plays Howard Hughes Hand...

Since December 1934, our young, energetic, fiercely competitive 30 year old President of TWA stood at the crossroads of aviation history. He had helped steer the DC aircraft revolution, was the first to offer passengers a new way of life in travel, and he made air transportation respectable, safe, comfortable and on time. Jack Frye pioneering through the 30’s saw the beginning of major technological advances in aircraft and many logistical ground support operations. The discovery of calm flight above the clouds and the discovery of 150 mph winds up there we now call the jet stream were Frye firsts. The first pressurized cabin airliner, the 307 Stratoliner. The advancement of radio communications from ground to air crew that enabled great scheduling efficiency. And the introduction to the new Sperry Auto Pilot system. These are just a few innovations that occurred during the Frye legacy. Then onto the 40’s, Jack Frye helped conceive the new Constellation aircraft that opened up International travel. His service as president in working with the US Government during WWII was superior and generously rewarded by President Harry Truman with the Medal of Merit, America’s highest civilian decoration. The huge expansion of travel routes and eventually the establishment of shorter global air routes, Jack Frye was on the cutting edge of airline development.

Standing at the gate of a new frontier in air travel, Jack Frye owned it, loved every minute of it, consumed it 24 hours a day with extraordinary skill and style for 13 courageous pioneering years as TWA’s chief. His modus operandi was always forward thinking and committing to growing TWA and airline travel as a whole, and this cost money. We must remember the airline industry was seeing new advancements and new ideas on a daily basis during the 30’s through the 40’s. This fact couldn’t be helped being an immerging industry since the dawn of powered flight at Kitty Hawk. But to Jack Frye’s demise as TWA’s chief executive, there was and is always the case in any large corporation, bean counting lawyers that were constantly at his coattails. One Noah Dietrich, Howard Hughes chief council just couldn’t stomach Jack Frye spending his client’s money on airplanes and staff. He couldn’t and wouldn’t see the silver lining beyond the clouds with his business management style. Dietrich was about protectionism, Frye was about growth and expansion and so was Hughes. But, as has been recorded, Dietrich got into Howards ear and for the most part convinced his master that Frye needed to go.

Through the pilots strike in 1946 amidst plunging revenue during the recession, Howard Hughes was still loyal to Jack Frye and he still favored Jack’s business style and bravado though guardedly. According to George Spater, “Hughes wanted to retain Frye on the condition that Dietrich have a greater say in the running of the airline” (Serling 1983). This alleged notion was flatly denied by Frye. It has been recorded that Jack Frye during this tumultuous time of friction between him and Howard, he installed long telephone extension cords in his Washington residence that would enable him to have hours long conversations with Hughes while walking from room to room or preparing a meal or a drink without interruption. Some of the private conversations of Jack and Howard was known to have been recorded by Frye, but to this day no one knows what happened to the tapes. My suspicion is Jack either destroyed them or packed them away in a box of many that ended up in a storage facility, somewhere.

Before Hughes could fire him, Jack Frye played his hand and resigned from TWA, February 17, 1947. He had no ill will toward Hughes, and likewise of Howard. In fact Howard really wanted him to stay on condition he take some of Dietrichs financial advice. Hughes was obviously tentative but Jack being the visionary pioneer type refused. And for good reason. Obviously by Jack Frye’s incredible track record of achievements up to 1947, his career was dedicated and purposeful and made fantastic headway in the globalization of air travel. Did Howard forget that? Was he such a whiner and a small man not to see what Jack Frye had achieved for his investment? Sure the company was in the red but was about to rocket into the black if Jack Frye stayed on board and on course. It was Noah Dietrich that saddled Hughes into succumbing. One of the last persons Jack Frye saw before officially leaving TWA was Hal Blackburn. With unbelief he asked Jack, “Are you really leaving us?” Frye sadly replied, “Blackie, I don’t know.” “Under the circumstances, unless things change, I can’t stay.”

The following are some employee memories of Jack Frye from Serling's 1983 book – Howard Hughes Airline.

Buy it here

George Spater – “I don’t know if he’s ever gotten the credit he deserved. He was a great believer in high standards of service. He’d go over the TWA advertising copy word by word to make sure it was in good taste and honest. He insisted that the airplanes be clean. He was a great originator and innovator.”

John Collins – “It was Jack Frye who thought up the idea of putting a red carpet down between the boarding gate and the airplane. I laughed at this and talked Jack out of it by claiming the carpet would blow away the first time there was a high wind. But later United adopted the idea and so did TWA.”

Carter Burgess – “God he was a bright guy. He was a great writer, a remarkable master of the English language. Some of his memorandums were masterpieces. I remember one he wrote to John Collins about the size of the cinnamon buns on morning flights. ‘They look like cow pies’, Frye complained. He could be ruthless yet he was a very decent guy, and he could fly an airplane about as well as any pilot who ever lived.”

Bob Rummel – “Easygoing in appearance but very tough and determined underneath.”

Jean Phillips – Frye was reputed to have Indian blood and Jean believed it. She told Jack, “When you come down the corridor I know it’s you before you step foot in my office.” But I never hear Frye coming. I think it’s because he walks on the balls of his feet like an Indian.

Image courtesy Eric Johnson collection

Jack Frye left a huge part of himself with TWA,

                                                 the airline he loved so much...

All that I have read, and the former TWA employees that I have spoken too unanimously concur that Jack Frye was a beloved president. To this day for those who remember him and his story, every single memory and perception of the man who trail blazed TWA into the history books express - Jack Frye was the aviators aviator, the employees favorite boss, and the passengers fondest memory of a man who delivered them the best travel service with style and a pleasure knowing they were in safe and comfortable hands. It was Jack Frye that originally conceived and delivered the idea of safety, on time schedules and comfort for his guest travelers. And it is recorded that many employees in management and in the rank and file truly wanted Frye to return as their chief through his remaining 12 years of life. He constantly put himself in the travelers position to find out what pleased them as America's most personable airline executive... What a Legacy! May he continue to be remembered and honored as such.

We have covered most all of Jack Frye's incredible career pioneering the airline industry, but there is much more to tell of this great American. Stay tuned...

Jack Frye receives Presidential Medal of Merit

I believe Jack Frye being the Texas gentleman and genuine man of service to his employees and customers was never out to be in the limelight, but rather to just do the job the very best he could. We have seen this characteristic of him throughout this blog space time and time again. Especially during the war when duty called for the country to pitch in to defeat the enemy. WWII was a cleansing period of history for which we all today are deeply indebted to the hundreds of thousands of GI's sacrificial service and the thousands of industries who supported them in so many ways. Aviation was key to the defeat of Hitler and the Japanese forever sealing victory for freedom and mankind during this critical period of our history. And being the gentleman he was, Jack Frye freely extended congratulatory credit to all of his employees for their excellent service.

Image courtesy Nevajac Frye collection

President Truman awarded Jack Frye the Presidential Medal of Merit - October 1, 1947, 12:45 P.M.

Click here for the record.

Jack Frye and his company Trans World Airlines was one of the very first key companies led by a man who deeply loved his country. And he was certainly deserving of the award we are sharing with you on this post - the Presidential Medal of Merit. America's top civilian decoration for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the United States. There are only 65 recipients of this honor while it was in appointment!

If you have followed along these many months on the Jack Frye Aviation Pioneer blog, you will have realized this honor was perfectly suited for the man who had a dream way back in 1923. There was never one more deserving of this honor that finally put Jack Frye in the limelight he so richly deserved. If you are just joining the blog. I hope you start at the beginning post and read and learn of this pioneering aviation hero of all time. You will be richly rewarded for doing so... Enjoy

Rumors of Jack Frye Resigning?

The TWA Airline Strike of 1946 — the first real airline strike in America was a seminal event. This was another unfortunate circumstance in a series of events in 1946 including the grounding of the Constellation, the heavy investment to establish International expansion, the post-war recession and the vast differences of Howard Hughes and Jack Frye on how the company should be run. Rumors of Jack Frye resigning began to filter throughout the company, though he denied it.

 

TWA Pilots Strike

The following article is courtesy of http://www.alpa.org/ and is posted for those desiring to read a more in depth accounting of the first real airline pilots strike, a milestone marker in airline history of which TWA was hit first.

Air Line Pilot, September 2001, p. 14

By Capt. Karl Ruppenthal (TWA, Ret.)

Hitler’s defeat and the end of World War II marked enormous changes for U.S. airlines. With the end of years of shortages and rationing came an enormous pent-up demand for travel. During the war years, the airlines’ schedules had been reduced to bare skeletons, providing little service simply because the carriers had few airplanes and even fewer pilots—the military had commandeered both.

War’s end meant that the airlines could once again acquire all the airplanes they might want—not just new ones from the factory but also hundreds of used airplanes from the military at bargain prices. Before the war, the venerable Douglas DC-3 was the industry standard, with more of those 21-passenger airplanes in service throughout the world than the combined total of all the other airliners. But war’s end changed all that. The airlines could now acquire the much larger, much faster DC-4s and Lockheed Constellations. Because of their greatly increased size and speed, one of these new airplanes could do the work of six or eight DC-3s. They were far more productive. Further, they were but precursors to the far more advanced airplanes then on the drawing boards. A technological revolution was in the offing.

A revolution of a different sort was brewing in the airline boardrooms. For years, strong, charismatic individuals, most of whom had once been pilots, had headed the important airlines. The famous Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker led Eastern; Gen. C.R. Smith steered American; pilot-visionary Jack Frye headed TWA; and W.A. Patterson, a capable, no-nonsense banker, ran United. Each of these men had certain idiosyncrasies, which the pilots recognized (and sometimes used to their advantage). Rickenbacker believed that his captains were the best in the industry. They reputedly would bring their flights to destination when the weather was so bad that the other carriers cancelled. While he was a tough negotiator, Rickenbacker could usually be counted on to give his beloved captains a raise. United’s Patterson was more democratic. In his book, copilots were important, too. More than once, contract negotiations with United had produced an increase in copilot pay. They often were the best-paid in the industry. Traditionally, ALPA negotiated with one airline at a time. Whichever airline was next in line to negotiate a contract (and that was usually TWA or American) would be asked to meet the industry standard. That airline was asked to match the captains’ raise that had been negotiated on Eastern, the copilots’ raise negotiated with United, plus some improvements in working conditions. The airlines had complained long and loud about these tactics, which they called "whipsaw negotiations." Now, they determined to do something about it. They proposed industry wide bargaining, under which all pilots would be covered by one nationwide contract. Pay and working conditions on every airline in the industry would be standard. The entire airline industry would negotiate but a single contract with ALPA, and contract negotiations would occur no more frequently than once a year.

Under this arrangement, all pilots would be subject to one industry wide contract. The two rates of pay would be $l,000 per month for captains, and $300 per month for copilots. Pilots would be paid no formula pay—no gross weight pay, no mileage pay, no pay for training, no pay for weather delays, no pay for any other items that current contracts cover. A spokesman for the airline industry summed up the industry position: an airplane was an airplane was an airplane. All airplanes were pretty much the same.

At that time, the airlines had no formal programs for training their pilots. Copilots basically learned what they could from the captains with whom they flew. They were commonly considered to be trainees, under the tutelage of the captain with whom they flew. Thus, reasoned the airlines, copilots were entitled to no more than a trainee’s pay. During the war years, the airlines had had an acute shortage of pilots. The shortage was so great that meeting the Army’s need for transport would have been virtually impossible unless pilots on wartime transport duties flew more than 85 hours a month, which had long been the industry standard. After much debate and considerable soul-searching, ALPA agreed to a wartime extension. To ameliorate the shortage, and to help in the war effort, flight-time limitations would be waived for the duration of the war, and pilots might fly as many as l00 hours per month (they were sometimes prevailed upon to fly even more). And so, the airline industry proposed an increase in allowable monthly hours. The pilots’ monthly pay would be based on the assumption that all pilots could be required to fly 100 hours a month. They also proposed relaxation of the on-duty limitations.

Postwar turmoil

As the war wound down and U.S. industry returned to peacetime, much of industry—including the airlines—was in considerable turmoil. Wartime legislation provided that no one would be disadvantaged because of having served in the armed services. The law provided that their jobs would be preserved. On the airlines, the seniority system meant that the pilots who returned from military service often displaced other pilots who had been deemed essential to keep the nation’s airlines running and who had not gone off to war. These pilots had stayed at home to make it possible for the airlines to provide at least skeleton airline service. As the servicemen returned, they frequently displaced other employees. Considerable disruption resulted. For a pilot who was accustomed to flying as captain, being "bumped" back to copilot status because of the return of a more senior serviceman was particularly painful. Less evident, but acutely important, were the problems caused by returning colonels and generals. Some of them were very competent executives on loan from the airline executive suites. They, too, returned home from the war expecting to return to the offices they had temporarily vacated. They, too, often "bumped" the presidents, vice-presidents, and other officers who had taken their places for the duration. Well-regarded Paul Richter returned to TWA as executive vice-president, seeking to displace John Collings, his wartime substitute. And Gen. C.R. Smith returned to American, where Ralph Damon had served as president during the war years. For reasons never made public, Damon was selected to head the effort to restructure industrial relations in the airline industry and to institute industrywide bargaining.

At that time, Howard Hughes was TWA’s controlling stockholder. He and TWA President Jack Frye made an exceptional team. They were bold and inventive. Further, they had vision. TWA was the first airline to fly nonstop from coast to coast (albeit with an occasional refueling stop in Kansas City when westerly winds were strong). TWA was the first to pressurize its airplanes, the first to provide coffee freshly brewed on board, the first with in-flight movies. Hughes and Frye dreamed of round-the-world schedules. They were full of ideas. But they were novices in dealing with contract negotiations.

Industry wide contract

The year was 1946. For various reasons (or perhaps by default), TWA was chosen as the battleground for the proposed industry wide contract. Aided by various professionals from the Air Transport Association, Ralph Damon was designated as the industry’s chief negotiator. Although the negotiations were held at TWA’s headquarters (which were then in Kansas City), TWA’s executives had no formal role in the negotiations. The parties talked for many weeks but made virtually no progress. The two sides were simply too far apart. TWA’s pilots wanted a contract with TWA that would provide some modest pay increases. But Ralph Damon and his people insisted that they would negotiate for the entire airline industry and not just TWA. They insisted on an industry wide contract with flat pay coupled with an increase in allowable monthly hours. The negotiations had much talk but no give. Many fruitless days and countless hours of talking made clear that the parties could not reach an agreement. Neither party would budge seriously from its initial bargaining stance. The negotiations were completely stalemated. Privately, several of the pilots on the negotiating team admitted that they were in a particularly difficult spot. Some of them were in a financial bind, as were a number of their friends. In returning to their airline domicile from their previous military base, they had incurred moving expenses. Some had no savings. A monthly guarantee of $1,000 sounded like a lot of money to some captains. And the Damon team offered a raise of $20 a month to copilots who were already on flat pay, because for pay purposes they were considered as trainees. But the pilots had to look beyond their immediate financial needs. An industry wide contract would cost ALPA an important bargaining tool: It could no longer play one airline against another. It could not secure an advantage for the captains on one airline, followed by a raise for the copilots on another. Airline contracts would no longer recognize that the needs of pilots flying for short-haul carriers differ widely from those of pilots on long-haul routes. Gone would be wage differentials for flying faster airplanes, for heavier airplanes, for night flying, for training, for deadheading. If flat pay became a reality, negotiating raises of any kind would be much more difficult. Further, what if the proposed industry wide negotiations should founder? Did anyone really believe that the pilots would be allowed to strike? If industrywide negotiations failed, pilots could, in theory, strike; but that would be unthinkable in America, a country dependent upon reliable airline service. The strike and the threat of a strike would forever be foreclosed from the pilots. The TWA pilots’ Negotiating Committee spent many hours in meetings devoted to strategy and tactics. They had many frank, and sometimes heated, exchanges. The negotiators were told of copilots who had bought houses and were behind in their mortgage payments. Some desperately needed more money, and they needed it soon.

Bush Voights, a highly regarded TWA captain, was a member of the Negotiating Committee. He tried to intervene with Howard Hughes to persuade him to break with the industry. Hughes had often asked Voights to be his copilot when he flew a new airplane or engaged in some flying adventure. Other captains asked Richter for his help. But to no avail. While Richter had returned to his former desk at TWA, he appeared to have been scorned of his authority. The Negotiating Committee could find no easy way out of the dilemma. It could capitulate and accept what Damon had offered. It could continue the fruitless negotiations forever. Or it could call a strike on the airline. And so, with great reluctance, the Negotiating Committee recommended a strike. It would be the first real strike in the U.S. airline industry, and a strike for which neither side was well prepared. The TWA pilots had authorized a strike on March 26, 1946, by an 812–9 margin.

The pilots’ Negotiating Committee, together with the TWA Master Executive Council, announced the strike, stating that the airline would be shut down as of Oct. 21, 1946. And then the problems began. Although the pilots in general agreed that something drastic must be done, to some the idea of a strike was abhorrent. We consider ourselves to be professional people, they argued. True professionals do not strike. (This was well before the day when strikes were called by teachers, nurses, doctors, and various other professionals.) Many pilots, of course, feared that the company might try to break the strike. It could operate some flights using management personnel, and it might persuade some pilots to join their ranks. The strike could disintegrate. Some pilots questioned how they would get home. If the strike began when they were on a flight to Detroit, how would they get to their home base in Kansas City? And what about the pilots stationed in Frankfurt, Rome, and Cairo? Questions concerning money abounded.

The strike begins

Not only did the paychecks stop coming for pilots, they stopped also for the flight engineers, the hostesses (now known as flight attendants), the mechanics, and the other ground personnel. ALPA had no strike fund, and most of the other employees were not even organized. Some pilots in Los Angeles, New York, and Detroit managed to get part-time or temporary jobs. But in Kansas City (TWA’s largest domicile), the situation was more difficult. TWA was one of the city’s largest employers. With so many TWA employees out of a job, the city simply did not have enough available jobs to employ them. Even when an employer had a vacancy, most were reluctant to hire someone who they knew would be temporary. They knew that when the strike was over, most employees would return to TWA. ALPA President Dave Behncke had his hands full. He was doing his best to bolster the Negotiating Committee on holding the line, to get the negotiations restarted, and to provide at least some money to the out-of-work pilots. That last item was not an easy job. ALPA had no strike fund; further, it had no surplus funds at all. Some pilots had never joined ALPA. If dues were raised or an assessment for strike benefits for the TWA striking members was begun, pilots might simply quit the union. Some pilots did not fully appreciate the fact that the battle was not just between the TWA pilots and TWA management, but was a battle that would profoundly affect them all. Such pilots might continue dutifully to pay their dues, but refuse to pay strike assessments. And then what?

For several days, ALPA leaders discussed the importance of strike benefits. After all, they reasoned, the TWA That they alone should bear the trauma and uncertainties caused by a strike, in addition to all of the financial costs, was simply not fair. Eventually, the ALPA leaders voted to pay benefits to the striking pilots. The actual amounts voted were minimal, but the ALPA board members felt that these amounts were about all that the nonstriking pilots on the other airlines would be willing to contribute. But a significant precedent was established: ALPA would pay strike benefits to pilots on an authorized strike. Persuading many pilots to pay their strike assessment was difficult. ALPA had virtually nothing in its treasury, and the strike assessment funds were slow in coming in—so slow that they were not paid to the striking TWA pilots until many months after the strike had been settled.

While the financial pressures on many of the pilots were substantial, for many of the hostesses, they were severe. Poorly paid, they lived from one paycheck to the next. And when those paychecks stopped coming, the hostesses could not pay the rent. Bob Overman, a well-liked, senior captain in Kansas City, addressed that problem. At a general meeting of all Kansas City pilots, he described the seriousness of the problem. Then he passed the hat, asking every pilot who possibly could do so to contribute. Emergency loans were made to those pilots and hostesses who were truly in distress. And thus began the first airline credit union in America. Not only did TWA formally establish a credit union, ALPA did likewise. Further, ALPA members in general began to appreciate the value of an emergency plan. ALPA’s Board of Directors took a realistic look at the Association’s finances and bolstered them. Then, perhaps for the first time, the pilots recognized the importance of a realistic strike fund—not just pious hopes that striking pilots could somehow be compensated, but actual funds on hand, which could be useful in contract negotiations, since their existence could convince recalcitrant management that a strike could actually take place. And, of course, funds could be sent quickly to striking pilots in the event a strike actually was called.

Capt. Ruppenthal was a member of the TWA MEC during the strike and later served on the pilots’ Negotiating Committee for various contracts, as MEC chairman, and as executive vice-president of ALPA for a short time. He later earned a Ph.D. and taught at Stanford University.

Jack Frye reelected TWA President for13th Year

 

On April 25, 1946, Jack Frye was re-elected TWA President for a record 13th consecutive year. He was only 42 years old. By this time in his career he had navigated the company to great heights and many notable firsts as the worldwide leader of airline travel. A global way of life impact rarely if ever seen even in modern times today. The only real comparison I can think of is the introduction and explosion of the first real personal computer by IBM in 1973 called the SCAMP. From then on the rest is history, just like air travel when Jack Frye, Paul Richter and Walt Hamilton worked the dusty Burdett Field in 1925 in those rickety and cumbersome Fokker's.

Yes, Jack Frye to this point had seen it all and done it all. We owe a great debt of thanks and remembrance to this man and his team of pioneers at TWA for expanding mankind's vision to frontiers beyond where one could never have imagined prior. Oh sure, someone else would have come along and threaded a path to airline greatness sometime during the early 20th century, but I dare say it would not have come close to the purposed bravado and success in the big way Jack Frye pioneered. He did it his way, the Frye way...

 

Below is a company memo in April 1946 of the Flying Presidents thoughts and leadership regarding some new challenges as a result of TWA's incredible industry leading progress which came at a large cost... The pioneering airline was about to endure some great challenges even Jack Frye couldn't tame as little did he know, 2-1/2 months later the Constellation, the airliner with all the hope of TWA's bright future  upon its wings would be grounded nationwide! Could it be that lucky 13 was about to turn - unlucky?

A positive, forward thinking letter from the President:

 

 

Images courtesy WHMCKC

 

'Three Muskateers' of TWA Together Again

Images courtesy WHMCKC

Since the early days when stick and canvas planes were the standard tools of the trade for Aero Corp and Standard Airlines, these three gentleman, Hamilton, Frye and Richter had a common bond and determination to build a company the flying public would have full confidence in, and experience a travel mode second to none. Glamour, comfort and safety were these pioneers normal way of doing business and they did it better than any other during the pioneering era of the 1920's.

 

Later, Walt Hamilton served in the USNR and as an executive with Douglas Aircraft, and Paul Richter served as assistant chief of staff of the Naval Air Transport service. The three reunited in 1945 with TWA as the original trio again with old friend, pilot and president, Jack Frye. Resumption of business and forward thinking from the top with the Three Musketeers running the show infused excitement and a positive outlook to the future throughout the company. TWA employee's loved The Three Musketeers and they loved their employees. They were glad to be back together again.

 

Jack Frye Receives Italian High Award

 

 

The "Order of the Grand Officer of the Crown of Italy" is awarded to Jack Frye in May of 1945 from Ambassador Alberto Tarchiani for Frye's leadership in restoring air service within Italy. This is just one of many awards and accolades presented to Frye in his illustrious airline career.

Jack Frye spends $30,000,000

Jack Frye and TWA are first to receive 36 new Connie's, routing their first commercial flights coast to coast in 10 hours, and from New York to Paris in less than 14 hours. Trans Atlantic air travel time is now officially being reduced quite significantly since the launching of Stratoliner service in 1940. The photo on the front page of the September 1945 Skyliner issue below is of the signing of this new contract by Frye and Lockheed officials in Washington, DC.

Open image in a new window to read.

Image courtesy WHMCKC

Jack Frye with Colleagues & Dignitaries

Assembled are some photos of Jack Frye addressing employees, colleagues and president Harry Truman at various occasions. Not only was Jack an incredible pilot of all types of aircraft even as an executive. He was also a very personable human being that loved his employees whom he often mingled with. As a business executive he was obviously very successful. As an airline pioneer, one of if not the best and most innovative in his field during his tenure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

President Harry Truman presenting Jack Frye the Medal of Merit

 

 

Images courtesy WHMCKC



Historic Constellation Flight, April 17, 1944

The Constellation makes History
“She Flew Like a Dream”
(Jack Frye headline quote after landing)

Around 3:00am, a tall husky man walked up among the watchers. It was Jack Frye, wearing the same tan jacket and trousers he had all week as he and Howard Hughes put the Connie through her final pre-flight trials. He shook hands, glanced at his watch and started up the ladder to the cockpit. As he reached the top, a photographer called to him and snapped a picture. With a wave, he disappeared in the inner darkness of the plane.”

In what would change Transcontinental and International air travel forever, Jack Frye and Howard Hughes devised a secret plan to shock the world by allowing a first glimpse of the new super airliner, the Constellation via a record flight across the United States. Adorned in full blown TWA colors with the words - ‘The TRANSCONTINENTAL Line’ painted and displayed above the passenger windows in bright TWA red, the secret plan was set. The first commercial flight of the Connie did indeed produce shock and awe. The Army Air Corps had already taken possession of the new fleet of aircraft on paper for the war effort and quite frankly were expecting this #2 plane to arrive at National Airport DC, in Army drab colors and markings. Much to their surprise (furious!), Connie #2 appeared gleaming in all its polished glory on the tarmac as Jack Frye taxied her to the terminal among a large crowd of dignitaries, civilians, military reps and the press. The damaged ego’s didn’t last long for soon after the landing and greetings, the Army boys were all smiles greeting and congratulating Frye and Hughes profusely.

Caption above reads:

This was a big moment in the life chart of the Constellation. Shrouded at Burbank in the darkness of the night, the photo was shot at the moment her wheels left the black runway and she rose into the air for her first trip across the continent. On she went following the Great Circle route across America. Six hours and 58 minutes later she was reflecting the bright sunshine along the Potomac. Howard Hughes and Jack Frye, co captains were the first to leave the ship at the National Airport in Washington.

Actual video of the historic flight courtesy AIRBOYD

Jack Frye lands and taxi’s Constellation #2 at Washington D.C.,

April 17, 1944, The Historic record flight of the ‘CONNIE’

The record flight was completely successful with co-captains Howard Hughes on the stick the first leg and Jack Frye the second to DC. Lifting off the runway at 3:56am Monday morning, April 17^th, the record time to DCA was 6 hours 58 minutes nonstop. The flight crew was Bolton, Glover, Proctor, Chiappino and De Campo. R.C. Loomis was the radioman. Passengers were Olson, Minsor, Baron and Spruill. Lockheed observers were Stanton, Thoren and Watkins. Government personnel aboard were Lt. Col. Shoop and Mr. Solomon of the Air Transport Authority.  The flight route first passed over Kingman, AZ, then onto Taos, NM headed to Wichita, KS. Then onto St. Louis, MO, to Cincinnati, OH through to Washington DC. Average speed of the historic flight was 332 mph. Jack Frye in the anticipation of demonstration flights and for photographic publicity purposes had Ida Staggers and eight other hostesses at National Airport to greet the plane.

Hughes (L) and Frye (R) disembarking the Constellation after its historic flight.

Caption reads:

The Constellation, new queen of land planes, zoomed across the girth of the nation this month in 6 hours, 58 minutes, setting a new transport record on her maiden flight from Burbank, California to Washington D.C. Jack Frye, left, and Howard Hughes, right, co-captains of the trip are shown immediately after their arrival in Washington. Jesse Jones, center, secretary of Commerce, was the first to greet the two pilots of the record flight.

Caption reads:

Among the persons who congratulated Jack Frye upon arrival of the Constellation at the Washington National Airport were, left to right, Col. Frank H. Collins, Commanding Officer, ATC, Washington National Airport: Oswald Ryan, (Jack Frye) and Josh Lee. Ryan and Lee are members of the Civil Aeronautics Board.


Letter from Frye and Hughes to TWA employees. It is this writer’s opinion Jack is the actual author of this letter. It just has that Jack Frye flavor we have read in other notes to his employees.

Some images courtesy WHMCKC

After this historic flight, the Constellation became the worlds star airliner. It was the biggest, the fastest and the most beautiful airliner ever built. It’s sleek and slippery shape ushered in a new understanding of what global air travel can become (Frye, Hughes & Johnson already knew this). The glamour of it, the speed in which one could travel from New York to Europe overnight in record time and comfort put into the minds of the public new horizons never before imagined. The plane literally threw a fast ball propelling air travel into the coming jet age we now enjoy. At this point in Jack Frye’s illustrious career the Connie had become his crowning achievement.

This magnificent feat and genius of Jack Frye and Howard Hughes remains one of those special moments in history that serves as a milestone marker in the world of aviation. From this writers opinion if it weren't for the Constellation’s conception, the vision from a single man, Jack Frye, the man who saw into the future more than any other airline executive of his time, its my opinion the airline industry would have looked different in some respects and probably less safe and secure until other men could have caught up to Frye’s unwavering dedication in this respect. By then and I wouldn’t wish it, many more airline accidents and the loss of life could have occurred. Remember, one of Jack Frye’s foundational treatises with determined focus since the 1920’s was ‘Safety’. He was the man who brought this commandment to the forefront of American airline aviation, and he forced the issue everyday he sat in the presidents seat. I can imagine him sitting with himself thousands of times in some office or cockpit seat alone thinking, “Did I do enough to ensure our passengers safety.”

I have served in the US Navy on carrier flight deck duty launching and retrieving jet aircraft, probably the most dangerous workspace in the world. And I am the safety coordinator in my business career of which I have witnessed some horrific accidents militarily and in the private sector. I know how important safety measures are to curtailing injury or worse. So in a sense I think I can relate to Jack’s genuine concern about safety. It had to be his top concern.

I hope you can appreciate by now on this blog through all of the notable firsts, articles and recollections of Jack Frye just how much he impacted the airline industry. I am in awe every week more and more as I learn about him and I find myself often attempting to get into his head to know the man more. This may be due to him being my cousins husband as there is a connection there that tends to inject a little more importance from my perspective of Jacks legacy, his career and his personal traits. Nevertheless, its easy to understand his drive and conviction to assuring everything was given great attention to detail on the Constellation project in all aspects of the design. It is true this great plane would not have happened without Jack Frye’s vision and Howard Hughes money.

Unlike Hughes, Jack Frye has not received the notoriety he deserves for his contribution to the airline industry and aviation at large, not even a tenth. This we know because he was a humble and gentile man with a big hearted personality beaming with confidence. He didn’t seek the limelight, he proved his worth and effectiveness in the cockpit and the board room. He is not a household name, he is a silent public figure that is begging to break out. His story has yet to be told to America in a big way, and for this reason he should now finally be put on the pedestal of greatness for all to see in the 21^st century. This accolade he at least deserves, and the Constellation he conceived surely helps to place him in his proper historical seat.

He wasn’t superman but he came damn close!

To follow along with the 2014 Flight of the Connie re-creation, click this link.

Eric Johnson

Owner/Creator

Jack Frye Aviation Pioneer blog

2013