Captain James Ross Blackburn Jr.

Jim was born February 28, 1930 and died April 21, 2023 surrounded by his loving family. He was the son of James Ross Blackburn Sr. and Esther Flagle Blackburn. He is survived by his beloved wife, Lynn Gott Blackburn of Maine and his children Linda Blackburn Brown of Miami, Florida, Lisa Joyce Blackburn of Atlanta, Georgia and Andrea Evans Veazey (married to Doug Veazey) of Homestead, Florida; his grandson, Joshua Spires Brown, Jon Evans (married to Ariana Infante Evans), Troy Veazey; and, great-grandchild Sebastian Gonzalez. Linda is a Registered Nurse Case Manager at South Miami Hospital for over 20 years and Secretary of the American Legion Auxiliary, South Miami Post 31. Lisa is a Wine Specialist with Costco in Atlanta. She has sold wine to restaurants for years and won many sales awards and trips. She also judged many wine shows in Oregon and the Dallas, Texas Morning News wine show. Andrea is a Registered Nurse with Homestead Hospital for over 30 years. Joshua is a Freshman at High Point University in N.C. He plays violin in their Community Orchestra and plays on the Ultimate Frisbee team at HPU. Jon is a Chief Financial Officer for Design Interactive (an engineering firm) in Orlando. Troy is a certified EPA (Marine HVAC technician) in Homestead and works on all kinds of yachts at many marinas in South Florida. Sebastian is a sophomore in high school in Orlando. Sebastian and Josh both enjoy video gaming. Jim’s great-grandfather, Andrew Jackson Blackburn (1813-1899), went to Texas from South Carolina, in 1836, right after the Battle of San Jacinto (4/21/1836). He got land in the war, in Burton, Washington County, Texas. Burton is five miles from the nearest “big” town of Brennam, Texas. There is a graveyard with an iron fence around it at Bethany Christian Church that cleans it up once a year. Jim’s grandfather, Wayne Blackburn (1850-1933), had two “tall horses” that pulled a buggy, which was very in style at the time. Blue Bell Ice Cream is next door to their ranch, founded in 1930. They got their milk from their cows. Their headquarters are still there today. Jim’s father, James Ross Blackburn, Sr. went to Blinn College in Texas. He wanted to see action and joined the Army. In around 1916 he was chasing Pancho Villa and other bandits while stationed at the Mexican border under George Patton, then an executive officer. He was also with General Blackjack Pershing in World War I. Jim moved to West Palm Beach, Florida with his family. His mother, Esther was born in 1908 in South Bend, Indiana. She went to Sherwood Music School in Chicago majoring in piano. Jim grew up West Palm Beach and obtained Eagle Scout status. His father worked in the oil business. In 1950, they moved to Tampa, Florida where Esther was a successful realtor. Jim graduated from West Palm Beach High School in 1948. He went to Davidson College and to the University of Miami where he was in ROTC. He graduated from UM with a BBA in Marketing in 1953. He was commissioned as Second Lieutenant, USAFR (Reserve). He graduated from USAF Pilot Training School at Vance AFB in Enid, Oklahoma in 1954 after winning his silver Air Force wings on completion of B-25 multi-engine training. He was given his choice of flight assignments. The only Air Transport Squadron opening available was one based at Harman AFB in Stephenville, Newfoundland. The transport plane he was to be trained on was the C-119 or Flying Boxcar. He opted for it. One of his early flights in the Arctic was a rescue flight. He was assigned as co-pilot on a C-119 crew that was selected to fly replacement landing gear ski parts into a remote Arctic DEWLINE (Distant Early Warning radar) station on Resolution Island, near the Arctic Circle. There was a C-47 (DC-3) transport plane down with a broken landing-gear ski assembly. Since this was in May there was concern that the melting sea ice would soon cause the C-47 to sink through the ice surface, unless they could fly the replacement parts there in time. The thickness of the ice in the area of their proposed landing was checked to see whether it would support their much heavier aircraft. (Jim would write about this, saying “again and again in our Arctic flying, we would encounter our old friend, “calculated risk”). The superiors calculated and they risked. As they landed, their main brakes were not very efficient on sea ice, but their reverse props stopped them quickly. They dropped off the equipment. They were able to get the plane off the rough sea ice before hitting the open sea to return to base. In total, he spent four years active duty during the Korean War, re-supplying the DEW line Radar Sites. He flew in the Arctic for two years with the North East Air Command as aircraft commander in the 6614th Air Transport Squadron. He was honorably discharged from the military and joined Eastern Air Lines in 1957. He flew with Eastern Air Lines for over 31 years as pilot, flight engineer and Captain, taking early retirement in June 1988. He flew over 23,000 hours in his career. During the Viet Nam War, from 1967-1970, Eastern Air Lines had a contract with the Military Air Command (MAC) to fly troops back and forth from Viet Nam. The last flight for the MAC operation was from Cam Ranh Bay, Viet Nam on December 15, 1970. He flew to Ireland, England, Spain and Germany during the MAC operation. As a Captain, he flew to South America including Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru, Chile and Argentina. He took his daughters, Linda and Lisa, on his last flight. They had a great time in Santiago, Chile and in Buenos Aires, Argentina. As he left Argentina, he played “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina” on his harmonica over the PA system on the plane. He would play his harmonica on several flights. Jim had several businesses during his Eastern Air Lines years. He was President of AeroInternational Corp., in 1993, where he was an aviation consultant to clients such as: Pan Am International Flight Academy, Continental Air Lines, ING/Barings Bank and Palm Beach Air Lines. In an article titled ‘Operation Repo’ by Capt. Jim Blackburn, EAL, Retired in 1997, Jim was asked to put together flight crews to fly two corporate jets owned by ING from Hong Kong to England. He put together an A-300 flight crew and Jim and two other old Pan Am pilots landed in Hong Kong August 23, 1997 to begin to take possession of the two jets in two separate trips. Note: The Operation Repo article was published in the Retired Eastern Pilots Assn Magazine, Summer Issue, 1998, and Fall issue of the Retired Airline Pilots Assn. Magazine, RAPA Rapport, 1998. Jim was honored to participate in the Honor Flight for veterans on May 20, 1997. Jim remained very active in Grace Immanuel Bible Church, where he served as an usher and helped with meal prep and serving on Wednesday night dinners. He was President of Gideons International Palm Beach North Camp for the past six years and a member for much longer. He was a member, Steering Committee, U.S. Senatorial Business Advisory Board, Washington, D.C., 1981, a co-founder, Republican Presidential Task Force with President Reagan, 1981, member of the Republican Senatorial Inner Circle, 1983, Decorated, Knight Hospitaler, Order of St. John of Jerusalem, 1994, Founding member, American Air Museum in Britain, 1997, a long-time member of Quiet Birdmen, REPA (Retired Eastern Airline Assn), National Aero Assn, FAI (Federation Aeronautique Internationale), Smithsonian Air and Space Museum Charter Member, Sigma Chi Fraternity life member, NRA Golden Eagle charter member, National Eagle Scout Assn member, S.A.R. (Sons of the American Revolution (past President of Florida), listed in Who’s Who in America 1990, listed in the Social Register of Greater Miami, member of Sons of Confederate Veterans, member of Swords and Roses Cotillion Committee, where both Linda and Lisa were debutantes in Miami, and a member of Descendants of George Washington’s Army at Valley Forge Society. In 2007, Jim was awarded the FAA Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award. It was given in recognition of his over 50 years of safely flying aircraft, and was signed by the FAA administrator. He always loved to fly and said that any time he was flying, he was not working. Jim had the plane repossession and other adventures that gave him great stories that he regaled his family and friends with. He had done extensive genealogical research which led to many of his memberships in such type organizations. Jim was a strong Christian who witnessed to many people he just met and others he knew through friends over the years. He would hand out the Gideon bibles to all he met including at Fairs and other events with other Gideons. As an active member of his church in Jupiter, he contributed advice to pastors and other members over the years. He visited many people in hospice and the hospital. The family is so grateful for the many special visitors who were able to visit him in the hospital and in hospice. A Memorial Service for Captain James Ross Blackburn Jr will be held on Saturday May 13, 2023, at 11:00 AM, at Grace Immanuel Bible Church, 17475 Jonathan Drive Jupiter, Florida 33477. A Reception and Lunch will follow, at Grace Immanuel Bible Church. The service will also be live-streamed for those who are unable to attend the service by accessing the Grace Immanuel Bible Church website at http://www.gibcjupiter.org and clicking on the blue Live Broadcast button at the top of the home page. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to: The Gideons International Palm Beach North Camp P.O. Box 8373 Jupiter, Florida 33468

Captain James Ross Blackburn Jr.

February 28, 2023 - April 21, 2023