Sober 40 years since 10/21/1957, C D was another pilot who got sober in AA. I do not know whether there are proportionally more pilots than bankers in AA, but it sure seems that way.
C D died 48 years sober on 3/22/2006. His Obituary reads in part,
"Fighter Pilot; Engineer; Family Counselor - Statesboro - Mr. C.D. [C], 86, died Wednesday, March 22, 2006 at the Ogeechee Area Hospice Inpatient Facility...He graduated from Swainsboro High School in 1937, attended the Citadel, and graduated from John Marshall Law School in Atlanta. He was retired from the U.S. Army (Georgia National Guard) and the GA DOT, but continued counseling and assisting those who battled alcohol and drug addiction until his death. Aside from his family, C.D. had three passions in life; flying airplanes, hunting quail, and helping alcoholics and their loved ones. A combat veteran he flew P-47s during WWII and F-84s during the Korean Conflict. In 1972 after his Army National Guard Field Artillery unit reorganized from observation airplanes to helicopters, he attended helicopter qualification training at Ft. Rucker, Alabama thereby becoming the Army Aviation school's oldest student (53) to date. After retiring from the military he continued to perform aerobatics in his personal plane in Bulloch County well into his late 70's. Along with his wife Ida, he began his work at Willingway Hospital in the 1970s due to his personal experiences with alcoholism and his understanding of the need for compassionate treatment for alcoholics and their families."
