This is a biography and resume’ of a most energetic individual who did many things and did them all very well.
R.Kenning Hoddinott ,Jr. was born in Baltimore, MD. in August 1921, just 4 years after WW 1, just in time for WW !! and now he & predicts the beginning of WW 3!
Warren Harding was President. Gas was 10 cents/gallon, a stamp was 2 cents. A new car just $500.
Kenning was his paternal grandmothers name. 7 persons now share that name.
Ken acted in school plays. He performed in magic shows as a prestidigitator and member of the Pyramid Magic Club. He was a Senior Patrol Leader, member of the Order of the Arrow, and a Life Scout in Troop 103 (18 Merit Badges), He was a Red Cross Life Guard.
When Ken was 8 when Wall Street collapsed in 1929. He delivered newspapers and Liberty Magazines door to door, jerked sodas (Rosenberg’s Pharmacy) for 15 cents per hour , pumped gas (19 cents per gallon)at the local AMOCO station, and was a counterman at Glickstein’s( Seven Seas) delicatessen. He caddied (Forest Park Golf Course-75 cents per bag-5 hours-5 miles), he was a waiter(Hotel Hastings, Ocean City,MD.), a bar tender(Johnson’s Bar & Grill, Virginia Beach,VA.).He delivered the mail at Christmas time. No one ever tried to sell him pot or any type drug! All of these jobs while he attended school. Cigarettes were 2 packs for a quarter.
When he was 6, his father, who was a sergeant in the balloon corps during WW I, bought a ride for $2 in a Jenny JN-4 biplane. He held Ken on his lap as the aircraft flew for about 30 minutes. (Many years later Ken would fly a parent with their child on their lap in his biplane for $20.!)
This was about the time that Charles Lindbergh flew solo across the Atlantic in 33 ½ hours. This greatly Impressed Ken who 18 years later Ken would pilot a 4 engine B-17G across the North Atlantic-both ways.
Ken was graduated from the Baltimore Polytechnic Institute’s “A” Course ,where he was Co-Captain of the Drum & Bugle Corps ,and a drummer and violinist in the orchestra. He also took piano& violin lessons. He ran the 100 yard dash, played soccer, lacrosse and ice hockey. His father taught him to shoot pocket pool. His won a first alternate appointment to the Naval Academy but it was not activated ,so he enrolled at the University of MD.He commuted for 2 years up and down route US 1.. As a result of his Polytechnic grades, he was allowed to enter as a sophomore. He was a drummer in the ROTC band, and Chaplin of the Sigma Nu fraternity (#359). Summers he worked at the Glenn L.Martin Aircraft Factory, and in the 40 inch mill at Bethlehem Steel, Sparrows Point, MD. for 40 cents per hour. He was graduated with a BS in mechanical/aeronautical engineering at age 20.His average was 3.45 out of 4.0 . He missed Tau Beta Pi by a fraction .
He enlisted in the U.S.Army Air Force right after Pearl Harbor. Ken was a Cadet Captain and math tutor. He was commissioned a 2nd.Lt.as an Engineering & Maintenance Officer(MOS 4823) with the First Mapping Group at Bolling Field, Washington,D.C.& Bradley Field,Conn. There he bought a 1930 Model A Ford roadster, rumble seat & steamer trunk for $40. He went to flight school and became a military and commercial pilot(165511) . He had a full instrument rating. Ken learned to fly in an open cockpit biplane.. He later became an air show pilot, a Barnstormer and a Banner-Tow pilot. Ken was an aircraft commander, & element leader in the 8th Air Force, 487th Bomb Group stationed in Lavenham, England during WW II. He buzzed the Eiffel Tower at 1000 feet in 1945 . Delivered MRE’s in his B-17, rescued 30 French slave laborers from the coal mines in Linz,Austria in his B-17..Piloted a B-17G with his crew of 9 across the North Atlantic-both ways- when he was 23 years of age.
During bomber crew training, Ken & his crew won “Crew of the week” honors at Gulfport.MS. He pitched for an Air Force softball team, and coached a basketball team while stationed at Bradley Field,CN.
While at MacDill Field,Tampa,FL awaiting discharge, Ken flew down to Miami & after the interview was hired as a co-pilot with Pan Am, starting at $220/month. When he finally got out of active duty, the Miami office was closed and the job gone. Ken went home to Baltimore and was hired by the Glenn L.Martin aircraft company as a junior stress analyst.. When he resigned 5 years later he was Senior Structures Engineer
After the war he flew in the reserves at Aberdeen, Md. He was deputy squadron leader and with wingman Bill Wurzbrger they flew down ,each in AT-6’s to North Miami Beach as guests of Artrhur Godfrey for New Years Eve in 1947.Ken was VP-Air in the Maryland Reserve Officers Assoc. He bought a brand new Plymouth 4-door sedan for $1100 in January 1946. He designed aircraft for the Glenn L. Martin Co.(XB-51), held a TOP SECRET clearance, was Captain of the Martin golf team in the Industrial League, member of the MASON-DIXON Golf Team ,Maryland State Exchange Club Golf Champion,,, runner-up Dulaney Village Golf Champion, better than average pocket pool, billiards & played snooker in the Canadian Club in the Waldorf Astoria, rolled 244 in 10 pins, sold chemicals for Davison Chemical- of W.R.Grace & Co, as Product Manager & Advertising Manager,. While in Baltimore he was Past President of the Towson Exchange Club, and District governor for the eastern half of the state of Maryland. He was President of the Dulaney Village Improvement Association(500 homes), Ken bought a brand new brick split-level house on a corner lot with a brook behind it for $14.500. The mortgage rate was 4 ¼%. Under President Jimmy Carter the prime rate soared to 21%!,. Ken was President of the Baltimore Chemical Club, Vice-President of the Sigma Nu Alumni Association. Moving to new York, he was General Sales Manager for PPG- Columbia Nitrogen. He and Frank Kennedy were Chairman of The National Fertilizer Solutions Associations “War on Hunger” conference in Miami ion 1966.Ken invited U.S.Senator George McGovern, Chairman of the Agricultural Committee as guest speaker. The honorarium was just $500!
Ken retired from Freeport McMoRan-now Mosaic Co.-as VP Sales Manager of the Chemical & Sulfur Divisions. His corner office on the 50th floor of the new Pan Am Air building looked down on Lexington Ave. 2 floors below The Sky Club. He commuted via the New Haven Railroad . He and his associated lunched daily at the Bull & Bear,21 Club, Bruno’s Pen & Pencil, and Peitro’s where Walter Cronkite often had lunch. When the Freeport Divisions were headquartered in New York City, Ken’s office was on the 50th floor,NE corner, just below the Sky Club overlooking Lexington Ave in the then new Pan Am Air Building which was located over Grand Central Station. He used the helicopter to fly from the roof top to LaGuardia Airport. He was a member of the Chemists Club of Manhattan.
Ken was a Presbyterian Elder, of the Hugenot Memorial Church in Pelham ,New York, & former President of the Men’s League. Captain of Ushers, President of the Pelham Country Club, Airport Commissioner, of the Greater St.Tammany Airport, LA., & Administrative Volunteer Fire Chief, for the Tcefuncta Club Estates,Covington,LA Ken was President of the Tchefuncta Country Club. He was Commanding General of the Madisonville Air Corps. Ken with his 3 ship squadron of Stearman biplanes opened the air show at Naval Air Station, New Orleans when it featured the Blue Angles in 1984. He was commissioned Colonel in the Confederate Air Force along with astronaut Gordon Cooper.in1966 inBrownsville,TX….Ken belonged to most Antique & Classic Aircraft Associations. As a frequent air traveler he belonged to all of the private air clubs including Life Member of the Pan Am Clipper Club. He had the occasion to fly in many types of heliocoppers,the Bell 2 person, the Apache, The Black Hawk. He flew in many corporate aircraft including the Jet Star, Gulfstreams,Citatons,Saberliners, and the Aero Commander.
He was a jazz drummer, sat in with Emile Bertol at the Waldorf Astoria, organized and was the leader of The New England Cotton Pickers-a Dixieland jazz band, he also played the string bass with the Wurzberger Trio, owned & flew two classic open cockpit biplanes-The Stearman-N1702M,& N545WP, Ken was an air show barnstorming pilot. He towed banners for Budweiser and others over Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans, He was President of C&S Unlimited, leader of the Last Aero Pursuit Squadron ,He was a low handicap golfer (2 Holes-In-One), shot even par 72 when he was 71 at Deer Creek, The Landings, He lost the Club Championship at the Tcefuncta Country Club in a sudden death playoff. He and his wife won the couples Championship. He golfed at most of the famous golf courses, such as Augusta National, Pine Valley, Pebble Beach, Doral, Greenbrier at White Sulfur Springs,WVA., Winged Foot, Merion, Firestone.
Ken was an avid duplicate bridge player, a small game hunter. He played just about all of the racquet sports starting with hand ball at the YMCA in Baltimore, tennis ,platform tennis, and squash at the Yale Club in Manhattan. He water and snow skied(Vail).He shot 25×25 in trap at the Greenbrier, West VA..Made 244 in ten pins at the Pelham C.C.,NY.
He fished for Marlin at La Paz ,Mexico, wide mouth Bass at.Chequamegia National Forest lake,Wisc.
He shot the white winged Dove in the Rio Grande Valley, Quail at Longleaf Plantation.MS, duck & geese at Rock Hall ,MD. & Nilo Farms, Ill., white tail deer & wild turkey at Sisterdale,TX
Ken was President of the Birthplace Chapter of the 8thAF Historical Society ,Director Emertus,past director of the Society, and former Director of Volunteers for the Mighty 8th AF Museum near Savannah,GA.
Ken served on about 19 boards, director emeritus of 2, and was president of 8 different organizations.
Ken was also into classic automobiles. He started with a Model A Ford with a rumble seat, 53 MG-TD Roadster, 55 Ford Thunderbird, originally bought by Briggs Cunningham-LeMans race car driver, 64 ½ Ford Mustang, with license plate “MY PONY” and now drives a BMW Z4 convertible.
Ken researched the genealogy and concluded that we (Hoddinott) was English, in that we descended from the Normans/Vikings who invaded Northern Scotland and the French coast (Normandy( circa 795-940, then from France (religious reasons) to the British Isles about 1100.Most located in Shopshire County and Hodnut was geographic in origin. From here to America…New Foundland, Philadelphia,Baltimore-.Marylands Eastern Shore-Cambridge-to Baltimore..
He has donated his remains to the Medical College of Georgia.
A memorial service will be held in the Chapel Of Fallen Angels near his crew plaque at the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum. Pooler , GA.
Ken &his wife Melba now reside in Augusta,GA .
He raised 5 children that produced 8 grandchildren.
(Note: He was a leader. He stayed busy!)
On Board: OFFICER:
Reserve Officers Association-Baltimore,MD. VP-Air
Sigma Nu Alumni Assoc-Baltimore,Md. VP
Baltimore Chemical Club President
The Towson Exchange Club President,then District Gov.
National Exchange Club,-Ohio member Geriatrics Committee
The Dulaney Village Improvement Assoc-MD. President
Huguenot Memorial Church-Mens Club…..Pelham,NY President
Session of the Huguenot Memorial Church Elder
Pelham Country Club President
National Fertilizer Solutions Assoc. Convention Co-Chairman
Madisonville Fire Dept.-Madisonville,LA. Admin.Fire Chief
Tchefuncta Club Estates-Covington,LA. House & Tennis Chairman
Tchefuncta Country Club President
Greater St.Tammany Airport Commissioner
Commodities & Services Unltd.-Covington,La. President
Last Aero Pursuit Squadron-Abita Springs,LA. Commander
8th Air force Historical Society-National
The Birthplace Chapter of the 8thAFHS-Savannah,GA President
Director Emeritus
The Mighty 8th Air Force Museum-Pooler,GA. Director Emeritus
19/8
Other memberships:
YMCA Baltimore,& Philadelphia
Hillendale C.C.-(original) Baltimore
AIChE Baltimore
ASME Baltimore
The Chemists Club NYC
The Engineers Club Baltimore
Ponte Vedra Inn & Golf Jacksonville,FL.
New Orleans CC New Orleans, LA
The Landings CC Savannah,GA.
The Gas Light Clubs USA
The Petroleum Club USA
The International House New Orleans,LA.
EAA,SRA,AOPA,etc. most aircraft associations.
Pan Am Clipper Club/Admirals Club/Ambassadors Club,etc.
CAF Midland, TX
Resume’
BS,in Mechanical/Aeronautical Engineering
Senior Structure Engineer
Aircraft Engineering & Maintenance Officer..USAF
Single & Multi-engine pilot with full instrument rating(5500+ hours)
Commercial Pilot
Tail-dragger instructor
Banner-Tow instructor
Advertising & Project Manager
Chemical Sales Manager
VP Sales Mgr.
Administrative Volunteer Fire Chief
Airport Commissioner
Elder in the Presbyterian Church
Life Scout & Senior Patrol Leader
Golf instructor
Duplicate bridge coach & director
Computer tutor
2141.prepared by Charles Treadgold.
