Tuesday Luncheon Speaker
John M. Tippets
John M. Tippets is a graduate of UCLA (where he also received an MBA). He served a 42+ year career with American Airlines entities including the last 17 years as the President/CEO of American Airlines Credit Union prior to his 2008 retirement. John is presently living and working in southern California.
John's father is Joseph Tippets who,in the ‘60s, was the FAA’s highly respected Western Region Director. John is the author of “Hearts of Courage" and shares his father’s story with interested aviation and other groups.
Hearts of Courage by John M. Tippets
On January 5, 1943, famed Alaska bush pilot Harold Gillam left Seattle, WA, on a flight to Alaska. The plane crashed in the Alaska wilderness about 30 miles from his intended refueling stop at Annette Island. Gillam and his five passengers all survived the crash. Four of the six persons survived 29 days in the wilderness before being rescued.
Hearts of Courage, published in 2008 is the personal account of Joseph Tippets, one of the four passengers who survived for a month before being rescued. This is a great Alaska aviation story of perseverance, courage, and faith.