John David Hissong

John David Hissong (June 1, 1899 – March 22, 1978) was a farmer, machinist, auto mechanic, mail clerk, airmail pilot and early commercial aviation pilot of the 1930s and 40s. Captain Hissong was one of only ten pilots, and the last, to receive the Airmail Flyers' Medal of Honor.

Early life

John David (Dave) Hissong was the first of two children born to John Mooney Hissong and Elizabeth Jane Spangler. Dave was born in Winfield, Iowa about 14 miles Northeast of Mt. Pleasant.[1] In the first few years of his life his family moved to Scott Township and then on to Olds, Iowa.[2][3] Around 1910 the family went to Clayton, New Mexico[4] for a short time but returned to the Olds area where Dave finished High School.[5]

Pilot

Colorado Airways

Colorado Airways was awarded Airmail Route CAM 12 between Pueblo, Colorado, and Cheyenne, Wyoming, with interim stops in Denver and Colorado Springs.[14] Hissong was assigned flying a feeder leg between Pueblo and Amarillo, Texas, on the inauguration 31 May.[15] Colorado Airways lost its airmail route contract 1 October 1927 and less than a week later the route was turned over to Western Air Express (WAE).[16] Dave continued flying the route between Denver and Cheyenne under the new owner of CAM 12, WAE who already had the CAM 4 contract.

Western Air Express

Save the mail

Hissong was flying a Fokker Super Universal from Denver, Colorado to Albuquerque, New Mexico, on 3 December 1933 when between Trinidad, Colorado and Las Vegas, New Mexico at about 800 feet he smelled smoke. He discovered the engine exhaust manifold was red hot and radioed the T-W-A station in Albuquerque he was going to make a forced landing. He managed to land near Watrous, New Mexico at 10:15 AM and saved all the mail before the plane was completely destroyed by flames. There were no passengers on the flight.[17] After the Post Office canceled all contracts in 1934 Hissong went to Washington, D.C.[18]

Save the mail

Eastern Air Lines, Inc.

When the post office opened air mail contracts to civilian corporation bids again Hissong moved his family to Atlanta, Georgia, where he was flying for Eastern Air Lines.[18]

birth name	John David Hissong
birth date	June 1, 1899
birth place	Winfield, Iowa, U.S.
death date	March 22, 1978
death place	Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.
resting place	Holy Cross Cemetery, Avondale, Arizona
occupation	Aviator
spouse	Vera E Lee Anna Rose Ryan
parents	John Mooney Hissong Elizabeth Jane Spangler
children	John David, Jr. Donald Edward
awards	Airmail Flyers' Medal of Honor (1938)
signature	JohnDHissong1917Auto.jpg

Early life

Pilot

Colorado Airways

Western Air Express

Save the mail

Save the mail

Eastern Air Lines, Inc.

Flight incident of 18 October 1938

Watch and clock repairman

Medal from the President

Medal citation

External links

References