Dates

• Existence: 1925 April 29 - 1971 June 15

Biographical Note: Clarke C. Cole

Clarke C. Cole served in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. Then he worked as a pilot for Cordova Air Services and Alaska Airlines during the company's early years and eventually became its Chief Pilot in 1971.

Clarke Clinton Cole was born on April 29th, 1925, in Albany, Oregon to Clifton Cole and Inez Haines Cole. After graduating high school, Cole enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Forces and served during World War II from 1943-1945. He received his flight training while he was stationed in Luke Air Force Base, Arizona.

Shortly after his honarable discharge from the Army Air Forces, Cole moved to Cordova, Alaska, where he had family members, to begin a career as a pilot. He first flew for Cordova Air Services. Following his employment in Cordova, in 1947, Cole moved to Anchorage, Alaska and became a pilot for Alaska Airlines. During his early years with the company Cole flew a Douglas DC-4 and participated in many airlift operations. He flew in the Berlin Airlift, where he traveled from Westover Field, Massachusetts to Frankfurt, Germany. Following his service with that operation, he participated in Alaska Airlines' work with the American Jewish Distribution Committee on a mission called Operation Magic Carpet, also known as “On Eagles’ Wings.” This mission moved displaced Yemenite Jews from Aden, Yemen and Jewish refugees in Shanghai, China to Tel Aviv, Israel. Cole was responsible for establishing a base in East Africa and conducting the first flight with passengers to Israel. He also assisted John Thompson, Alaska Airlines senior captain at the time, with an airlift operation out of Hong Kong, China to Israel. He also participated in the Korean Airlift in 1951. In addition, between the operations, Cole flew commercial flights for the airline. In 1969, he transferred from Anchorage to SeaTac, Washington and continued as a pilot with Alaska Airlines until 1971.

Cole met Blanche Kathleen Stensland, a flight attendant with Alaska Airlines, while they both worked for the airline. The two married in 1951 and had four children together.

Clarke C. Cole passed away on June 15, 1971, in Mercer Island, Washington.

Occupations

• Air pilots

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