Father: Joseph, a Baptist Minister Ed. Fort Myers High School m. 1940 Mary Louise [Foxworthy d. 2008], 1 daughter (Margaret Louise [Loy] d. 2015) prev. Circulation Manager, News-Press Fort Myers 1925-41 Address in 1941: Apt 6-2010 Jackson St, Fort Myers, FL Postings: 2 FPP, 14FPP, 3FPP, 1FPP "A very good and careful pilot. Navigation very good; keen but inclined to be a little nervous of our weather. Conduct very good." He told the Fort Myers News Press: "Can't say how I came over from England except that I didn't swim or use a rowboat... After this job is over, maybe I can tell a few stories. That's one reason I came back to the States for a visit. I was hungry for a few good American jokes. The English are a good lot but not too long on humor." "Sure we have plenty to eat in England. The English people are long on morale. You can believe all you have read about the big raids on Germany. England has plenty of planes and with the help of the American Air Force there is no limit to the damage that can be inflicted on Germany from the air. The big show is terrific and no country can stand up under bombing of thousands of planes at one time. We ferry pilots don't do that kind of flying but we do handle plenty of ships that have been over the Channel." "Whit grinned and denied that he came across the Atlantic with Churchilll. He did admit to having seen Churchill on a couple of occasions. 'That guy gets around', said Ansley."
In 1944, he was one of the pilots sent to look for Austin Drumm (see above), who had bailed out of a B-24 near Georgetown, British Guiana and spent about 2 weeks in 'the roughest jungles in South America'. They had travelled to the UK together in 1941. d. 3 Nov 1971, Tampa: "Mr. Ansley had lived in Tampa for the past 17 years and was associated with the Coates Oil Equipment Co. Prior to World War Two he served as a ferry pilot with the ATA in England and served as a pilot with the US Navy during World War Two and the Korean War as a Lt. Commander." "After the war he returned to Fort Myers and for a time was manager of Page Field after the government turned it over to the county... About 3 years ago he retired as sales manager of the Coates Oil Equipment Co. of Tampa when he was seriously injured in an automobile accident. Since the accident he had been an invalid and entered Bay Pines last Saturday when stricken with pneumonia." buried Myrtle Hill Memorial Gardens, Tampa. Download ATA Pilot Personal Record (.zip file): |
