Flights of Fancy

Left to right, James, Sam, Robert E.??and Freida McDaniel, Johnston's Station, MS, circa 1920.

Mary, their mother, Red Sam, Freida and James, circa 1918-19.

Sam McDaniel, known to his family as "Red Sam," is pictured in the above 1947 Enterprise Journal article, being lifted into the cockpit of an Ercoupe, touted to be one of the "safest" planes to fly in post-War II civil aviation circles.  (See link for more information).  

Despite being crippled by Rheumatoid Arthritis, which at the time was known as the Wasting Disease, Red Sam was determined to get his pilot's license.  With the help of the owner of McComb Airways, Red Sam was able to realize his dream of flying solo after only four hours and 25 minutes of instruction. Later that same year, he received his license after 39 hours and 40 minutes of instruction.