John
Wolcott
John Wolcott's daughter
Diane sent me an E-Mail message the other day telling me that John had
passed away at his home in Ocala, Fl. on Monday, Aug. 8th after a long
illness. John was a long time Flight Standards Retirees Member and a good
friend. John had a very interesting life. He enlisted in the United
States Marines in July of 1941and learned to fly in the Marine Glider
Program. After the Marine Glider Program was cancelled in 1943, John
was sent to flight school and received his wings as a Technical Sergeant,
Airplane Pilot, flying F4U Corsair, fighter aircraft. In
anticipation of being sent to the Pacific for the Battle of Okinawa and the
invasion of Japan John was commissioned a Naval Aviator in early
1945. When WW ll ended John was sent from Okinawa to China to
support the Nationalist Chinese. He returned to the United States in
1947 and qualified in jet fighter aircraft. He returned to the Far
East durinthe Korean War and was assigned to the Korean Marines as a forward
observer. John retired from the Marine Corps Reserve as a Lt.
Col. He joined the FAA in 1959 as a Flight Inspection Pilot at the
Columbus, Ohio, Flight Inspection District Office. John became
Branch Manager of the FAA's Aircraft Programs Branch in Washington and retired
in 1977 as Manager of the FAA's Flight Inspection Field Office in Atlantic
City, New Jersey. After his retirement John and his wife, Shirlee,
became tropical fish breeders and John became a tropical fish
judge. John and Shirlee were married 50 years. I will miss my
friend. It was a pleasure to have known him!
Robert
Marlott
.