Lt. Col. Ted WOLFRAM III
WOLFRAM, EINEM, TIMM, MARKINSON
Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 10/7/2011 at 04:44:28
The Globe Gazette
Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
Saturday, October 1, 2011
by Taylor McGilvray of the Houston ChronicleOne more mission
North Iowa native, 90,
relives glory as military pilotHOUSTON — It was déjà vu for Lt. Col. Ted WOLFRAM III as he dusted off his old Air Force uniform and headed down to History Flight in South Houston on Saturday, Sept. 24.
A retired World War II, Korean War and Vietnam veteran, two months after his 90th birthday WOLFRAM was on his way to fly an AT-6 Texan, the same plane he taught cadets on more than 60 years ago at Pecos Army Air Field near Pecos in west Texas.
WOLFRAM, a native of Ventura, said, “I feel like a million bucks. I’ve never been this excited.
"It's something I've always wanted to do, but I never communicated with the right people."
The flight was a gift from his son, Ted WOLFRAM IV, and his daughters, Deb EINEM and Roz TIMM.
"I grew up seeing him in that flight suit," said EINEM, tearing up as he climbed into the plane. "What's precious is that he's walking taller just because he’s reliving it."
WOLFRAM'S doting family played paparazzi as the 90-year-old waved goodbye and took off in the vintage plane.
"I'm ecstatic. I haven't seen him happier,” TIMM said. "I only hope I can do that much at that age when I reach it." As his family waited on the tarmac, WOLFRAM flew five miles away from the airport to practice his old maneuvers and learn some new ones.
He did a roll, a loop and was given a demonstration of an Immelmann turn. He wanted to try a spin, but the maneuver had been declared illegal since he retired back in 1968.
"He did very well," said John MAKINSON, History Flight's chief instructor and WOLFRAM'S co-pilot for the day. "He did a few maneuvers unassisted."
WOLFRAM also landed just as he had taken off, smiling ear to ear and waving to his family. The veteran climbed out of the plane, posed for more pictures and kissed his wife, Barb.
"I'd like to go up again," he said with a grin.
WOLFRAM was modest in the description of one of the maneuvers he performed. "It wasn't the smoothest slow roll," he said. "If I was in a contest, I would get a zero, but it was exciting nonetheless."
He ended the experience by getting MAKINSON to sign his flight log, the one he's had since his very first flight back in October 1942.
"It was exciting just to do that again after so many years," WOLFRAM said. "We were supposed to go for 30 minutes, but it seemed more like five. It was the thrill of a lifetime."
WOLFRAM is no stranger to thrill-seeking. For his 80th birthday he flew a Stearman, a military trainer aircraft. And for his 85th he went skydiving.
"We don't know what he’s going to do for his 95th," said Carlene WOLFRAM, his daughter-in-law.
Now a resident of LaGrange, Texas, WOLFRAM enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps on Dec. 31, 1941, after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and received his wings on July 28, 1943.
He taught cadets to fly at Pecos Field for nine months, before being transferred to the Air Transport Command.
After that duty, WOLFRAM flew a C-26 Commando on the "Hump," the dangerous 530-mile passage over the Himalayas to supply Chiang Kai-shek's troops fighting the Japanese in China.
He was recalled to active duty during the Korean War, and spent his last days in the military flying a C-130 Hercules during the Vietnam War.
When he retired on Oct. 31, 1968, WOLFRAM had served 27 years, 10 months and attained the rank of lieutenant colonel.
"Not only has he served his country, but he has been a blessing to his family," TIMM said.
Transcribed by Sharon R. Becker, October of 2011
PHOTOGRAPH by Mayra Beltran ~ Houston Chronicle
Barbara Wolfram was waiting on the tarmac on Sept. 24 after her husband landed at Pecos Army Air Field in West Texas in the AT-6 Texan, the same model he trained Air Force pilots in 1944
Cerro Gordo Biographies maintained by Lynn Diemer-Mathews.
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