Comments on: Miner hero

By: Joel Brand, '86, '94, '94

Joel Brand, '86, '94, '94 — Tue, 13 Dec 2016 13:46:39 +0000

Hello Gayle,

I am Glenn’s brother, and live in Colorado Springs. As Glenn said, George was a revered figure in our family, Glenn’s middle name is obviously one reflection of that. We were raised with stories of George’s amazing attitude and determination in the face of hardship. There is also an amusing story of his notification of receiving the Curator’s Scholarship (or whatever it was called back then), if you haven’t heard it already.

If you come to Colorado Springs, I would be delighted to meet with you and share a few stories and other information. Please contact me at jbrand@brandgaus.com, or 719-533-1129 (landline), I can give you Glenn’s contact info as well.

Regards,
Joel

By: Gayle E Kent

Gayle E Kent — Sun, 11 Dec 2016 20:09:47 +0000

In reply to Glenn Whiteman Brand ’83.

To: Glenn Whiteman Brand:

This is Gayle Berry Kent. I am the niece of 2nd Lt. George Allison Whiteman. My mother, Susan Elaine Whiteman Berry Cramer was his younger sister (2nd born child). They were very close. Just returned from the first ever Remembrance Ceremonies (75th) at Bellows Field where he crashed. Would very much like to get in touch with you. If you have any pictures of Uncle George or letters etc would love to have digital copies. (Is your father in the picture of the “tug of war” team shown above? Would be glad to send you the digital copy I have.) And talk to you about Uncle George.

My daughter lives outside of Denver, CO. Next time I am out there to visit I will have to make a trip to the WWII aviation Museum there in Colorado Springs and check out those newspapers. Thank you for that info. Gayle

By: Glenn Whiteman Brand '83

Glenn Whiteman Brand '83 — Fri, 09 Dec 2016 00:35:29 +0000

My father, Dr. Glenn E. Brand (Chem E ’39, ’48) was very close friends with Whiteman, both starting at Rolla in 1935-dad spoke for decades of their many adventures and what a great guy he was, and his tragic death at Pearl Harbor I also heard this from other ’39 alumni I spoke to at Homecomings. My middle name is Whiteman is his honor.

At the WWII aviation museum in Colorado Springs there are 2 newspaper front pages displayed with news of the attack with Whiteman’s story shown.

By: J. David Rogers

J. David Rogers — Wed, 07 Dec 2016 16:29:25 +0000

George Whiteman was the eldest of 10 children, and sent most of his Army Air Corps paychecks home to his parents in Sedalia. His squadron mates recalled that he lived very fugally in the Bachelor Officers Quarters at Wheeler Field. He was a chemical engineering major at the Missouri School of Mines prior to enlisting in the Air Corps. In those days the Army Air Corps was very particular about who they accepted for flight training, and only accepted young men between the ages of 19 and 27 who had written approval form both parents for them to serve in the Air Corps, because it was considered very hazardous duty.

By: J. David Rogers

J. David Rogers — Wed, 07 Dec 2016 16:25:32 +0000

Thanks for posting this story about George Whiteman! I first heard of him while serving as a Liaison Officer for the 50th anniversary commemorations of the Pearl Harbor attack in December 1991, out in Hawaii. Two of his squadron mates, Lieutenants Kenneth Taylor and George Welch fared better that morning because their aircraft were parked on a grass airstrip at Haleiwa. They managed to get aloft and shot down six of the attacking aircraft, and three other pilots downed several more.