Juan Terry Trippe learned to fly in the U.S. Navy in 1918 and graduated from Yale University in 1922. Seeing a bright future for commercial airlines, he joined Long Island Airways, and in 1924 became managing director of its successor, Colonial Air Transport. Trippe competed for Government air mail contracts and was awarded Air Mail Route Number 1, between Boston and New York. With a Fokker trimotor aircraft, he established the first scheduled air passenger service along that route. In 1927 he gained other air mail routes south to Cuba, establishing Pan American World Airways to service these larger operations. As president of Pan American, Trippe continued to expand with his step-by-step development of an airways network, providing an air service which completely encircled the Caribbean and South America by 1931. Meanwhile, he laid plans for commercial operations of a much greater scope, the conquest of the oceans. By 1935 these plans became reality when the famed Martin China Clipper flight crossed the Pacific Ocean. Because of its global services and experience, the government turned to Pan American to lead the establishment of aircraft ferry routes to bases in all theaters of operations, when the United States entered into World War II. These ferry routes carried ultra priority personnel and freight to the fighting fronts. In the post war years, requirements Trippe established for intercontinental flight played a major role in the development of both piston- and jet-powered, high speed, long range commercial aircraft. Under his direction, Pan American was the first airline to fly across the Pacific, first to cross the Atlantic, first to order and fly American-made jets, and first to order the jumbo Boeing 747. Juan Trippe's foresight and dynamic leadership built this company into the world's largest international air carrier. He retired as its chairman of the board and chief executive officer in 1968.
Inducted in 1982.
Portrait Location: Near R-44 and B-5 Brougham