Chambers County WW Ii Pilots and Crop Dusters

The first application of insecticide from the air was done in 1921 in Ohio. A crude metal hopper with a capacity of roughly 100 pounds was built by Etienne Darmoy and bolted to the side of a Curtiss JN-6H (Jenny) WW I aircraft alongside the observer’s seat. The hopper had a sliding gate, operated by a handle in the rear, and a small hand crank mounted near the top. The observer was to sit, or stand, in the rear seat of the aircraft and crank the insecticide out over the trees as the pilot flew across the grove at a low level. The material used was powdered lead arsenate, about the only thing available that would kill most pests when ingested. The Jenny was loaded on August 31, 1921 and flown with WW I pilot, Lt. John A. McReady at the controls and Darmoy in the rear seat operating the hopper, the aircraft flew the first load in the history of agricultural aviation. Excerpt from Low and Slow, An Insiders History of Agricultural Aviation by Mabry I. Anderson.

   PHOTO BY PATRICIA JUNE SMITH, WIFE OF, DAVE SMITH, ONE OF THE CROP DUSTERS 

The end of World War II in Chambers County found many pilots returning home and in need of  a job. That coupled with the surplus of Stearman  fighter planes opened an opportunity for the crop- dusting industry in Chambers County. Not all the WWII pilots who returned home became crop dusters, but many of them did.

Alvin Thomas "A. T." Morgan, born 1911 in Indian Bayou, Louisiana, was a pioneer in the field of crop dusting breaking into the ag flying game in 1945.  After working with Ralph Sneed for a few years, Morgan organized his own Morgan Crop Service, based in Lake Charles, LA.

Morgan apparently introduced seeding rice by air to this section of Louisiana, in addition to offering modern weed control and fertilizing services.  He developed an agricultural flying firm that was to become a leader not only in Louisiana, but throughout the country as well.

Morgan's early fleet was composed of Stearmans, converted to 450 horsepower P & W engines.  His service became so sought after and well known that it attracted pilots from all over the country.  Most operations at this time were "seasonal" by nature. 

Among Morgan's early pilots were Mace Craft, Hank Gardner, Marvin "Lefty" Gardner, Lloyd Steen, Charles White, Charlie Tumminello, John Tunze Jr., Richard Donahue, Charles Dally, O. A. Broussard, "Penny" Rogers, Dale Kelly, and A. J. Harmon.  A pillar in Morgan's firm was Leonce Bergeron, who became general manager in 1948.

Morgan operated satellite bases at Kaplan, Louisiana and Anahuac, Texas.  

Morgan died an untimely death in 1984.

Sam Hill of Anahuac and retired crop-duster, Bob Wheat said  there was an airfield in Bryan-College Station with such an abundance of Stearman’s that they sold them for fifty dollars each filled with fuel. They said M & M of Beaumont, and A. T. Morgan’s Anahuac Flyers of Anahuac each bought 100  planes and Farm Air bought 50-75. Most were stored at the air services with many being stored  in later years at the old bowling alley in Winnie. They removed the wings and landing gear, stood them on their nose and stacked them in there like dominos. Whenever a plane they were using broke down they rolled another one out and reattached the wings and landing gear, putting it in service while they repaired the broken one. 

Bob said when he flew into an airport  in Tyler while logging his cross-country hours for his private pilot’s license the manager of the airport said they had such an abundance of planes after WWII that the army arrived one day with a bulldozer, pushed them all into a pile, and set fire  to them. The following photos are of Chambers County World War II pilots, some of whom became crop dusters. 

Information provided by Sterling's nephew, Sam Hill

Sterling enlisted as a private in the US Air Corps on March 23, 1942, in Houston, Texas. He was a member of the 27th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron flying reconnaissance missions in China, Burma, and India. He served from 1942-1945, then went into the reserves.  In 1950, at the beginning of the Korean War, he returned to active service and remained in active service through the Viet Nam War, receiving an honorable discharge in 1973 or '74.  

Sterling flew P-39s and P-38s, with the P-38s being the last planes he flew.  The P-38s were actually called F-5s, said Sam Hill, but most people do not recognize that name.  The original P-38s were fitted with 4-50 caliber machine guns and a 20 millimeter gun in the nose, but the reconnaissance planes had them removed and were fitted with cameras intead.

"All of the reconnaissance missions were pretty dangerous," said Sam, "and most often the enemy would give chase.  That is why the pilots were told to fly at a high altitude.  There was one pilot who flew with Sterling who always flew low, even though he was reprimanded ofter for doing so.  One day he just never returned from his mission."  

Bill Brown began flying in the 50s with A. T. Morgan and then flew with Harmon Air until finally starting his own agricultural flying service.  

More information will be posted here soon on Bill's career as a crop duster.

Ronnie Jo said when he was quite young flying with his dad his dad flew over their home and did a roll.  Ronnie Jo was not harnessed in and during the roll the hatch came open and Ronnie was hanging upside down hanging onto the dash.  His dad struggled to hang on to him and control the plane at the same time.  Thankfully, all ended well.  I said, "I bet your mom had a few words for your dad."  Ronnie said, "I don't think she ever knew about it."  I told him she will now!   

Commentary Pending

Information Pending

In 1988 the engine in Ronnie Jo's plane failed soon after take-off and he landed upside down in water. with his plane on fire.  Ronnie said his two greatest fears were drowning and being burned.  He almost experienced both in one day.

Commentary Pending

 On July of 1955, a year after his discharge from the Air Force, A. J. narrowly escaped death or serious injury when the engine failed on the plane he was piloting and he crashed into the woods on Sykes Extension Rd.  

Ron Gibson of Whitney, Texas has identified this pilot as Harold Jung.  He said Leroy Edmonds brought Harold Jung and John Richard 'Jack' Tunze to Anahuac to help with the rice industry spraying.  An article in The Progress, Aug. 21, 1947, states that John Tunze and Harold Jung of Lake Charles are now carrying on the operations of Skyharbor where Paul Alexander left off.  They began rapidly completing plans for a GI veteran's flight school so our local veterans could get the free flight instructions to which they were entitled under the GI Bill of Rights.  Henry McCord, high school band director was the ground school instructor as well as carrying on the high school aeronautics course. 

In an April 1947 Progress article it was stated by Paul M. Alexander, former owner, that Anahuac and Chambers County were credited as having more flyers per capita than any other place in the ____.  He further stated that John R. Tunze Jr. and Harold F. Jung Jr. would be their flight specialists. During the week of Dec 7, 1947, Skyharbor was approved for GI Flight Training by the VA. 

A. J. Harmon must have joined the team in March of 1950, as that is the first ad where his name is included as a contact pilot. Perhaps he was brought on board due to the upcoming departure of Harold Jung.

In 1949 the newspaper wrote that Harold Jung had made a trip to Lake Charles to visit his mother, who was sick.  Then in July of 1950, Harold left Texas to begin a job with a crop dusting company in Monroe, Louisiana.  Nothing is mentioned as to the reason of his move. 

Charles Guidry, a Monroe City resident in 1947 and 12 at the time, said Harold Jung was about 30 years old when he first met him at that time, which would put Harold being born circa 1918.