Original surname: Shreane Father: Joseph W Shreane (also later changed to Shreve), Mother: Minnie Ora [White] Ed. "Virginia" prev. Seaman 1st Class in US Navy 1925-32 (Good Conduct Medal, Nicaraguan Campaign Medal, retired due to disability); Instructor, Engineer (Curtis Tire Co.) He was described as "the best natural born pilot I've ever taught" by his Navy instructor, and went solo after 1hr 55min (which may have been a world record...) "Obvious physical characteristics: Artificial left leg" He was "a passenger in a ship one day when the ship collided with another plane at about 3,500 ft. He lost his leg in the incident and replaced it with an artificial limb. The Navy pensioned him, and after some difficulty he got his license back" - Chattanooga Daily Times, May 1941 prev. exp. 1500 hrs Address in 1940: 2800 North Orange Ave., Orlando, FL
Arrived in the UK 7 Feb 1941 with fellow American ATA pilots Harry Smith, Joseph Holloway, Frank Skillen, August Michelson, William Edgar and George Holcomb Postings: 1FPP, 3FPP Class V (4-engine) pilot "Joe ("Skinny") White is not the only local boy flying for England: First Officer Conley Guy Shreve, 34, formerly of Chattanooga, is in the English service with the Air Transport Auxiliary, at Maidenhead, despite the cork leg he acquired while learning to fly."- Chattanooga Daily Times, May 1941
1 accident, not his fault: - 9 Dec 1941, his Hudson AM885 suffered an engine failure during takeoff and swung, colliding with a Beaufighter. He sailed back to the USA on 19 Dec 1941 with fellow ATA pilots William Hanks, Frank Skillen, Paul Lowman, Joseph Holloway, Ruby Garrett, S C Neville, George Heintz, and Franklyn Rule Mershon, but returned the following May. "An exceedingly good officer who works very hard" ... "He has a happy knack of getting things done quickly and efficiently" Sailed to Philadelphia from Liverpool, arriving 16 Jul 1945, with fellow ATA pilot Sheila Garrett (at the time, Mrs Wilcoxon) m. 4 Sep 1948 in Florida, Ruth Stone [Chapman] Partner in Aerial Insecticides, Inc (Orlando) from 1951 m. 1954 Bertha M [McKeown] (a hairdresser, divorced 1960)
d. 19 Mar 1975 Download ATA Pilot Personal Record (.zip file): |
1931
Draft Card, dated 16 Oct 1940
