IRA LEE GRAY
An active flight instructor for more than 50 years. Ira Gray was the fist commercial pilot in the Gadsden, Alabama area. His flying career began in the 1930’s when he opened his first training school. During the early years of World War II, he trained British, French and American cadets at Tuscaloosa, Alabama. In 1945, he was commissioned in the United States Army Air Forces. He served overseas in the China-Burma-India Theater where he flow more than 50 “Hump” missions. In 1946, he opened a flying school at Gadsden Airport under a government program to train returning veterans. During the Korean conflict, he trained United States Air Force cadets at Bainbridge, Georgia. Ira later initiated commercial flight training at Gadsden Junior College where he was Chief Instructor. He logged more than 20,000 career flying hours.
Inducted Into Alabama Aviation Hall of Fame 1991
Inducted Into Alabama Aviation Hall of Fame 1991
