E.P. LIETZ 1947 - 1980 PILOT SLC PHX DFW DEN Subject: E. P. Leitz Just spoke with EEPER. Has problems with prostate, emphysema, etc. He's 84 and sounds great with positive mental attitude, but I could hear between the lines. I think you guys should stay in touch with him and give him all the prayer, mental and moral support possible. He was great to fly with, and we both had some very interesting layovers. -Clyde Hart (10/31/03) I also enjoyed the newsletter Jake. I noted a letter from John Koehler concerning a target shooting session in PHX. I went hunting with John several times north of PHX. Dove hunting was great out there. This was in the Cave Creek area and I am sure that is all covered with homes now. Things have changed a lot since the old days. I was glad to hear that John is still around. I did enjoy that station group in PHX. They were all great people. Hope all is well with you. I am having health problems. My emphysema is getting worse and my heart is lousy. I strongly suspect that I am paying for the indiscretions of my youth. I did have a lot of fun however and can't think of anything in my life I would have changed. Thanks again for your wonderful work in keeping this group in touch. -EP Lietz (4/21/04) Hello All of you WONDERFUL folks out there, I go into the Baylor Medical Center at Grapevine, Texas Friday, October 22nd at 6:00 AM to have a section of my intestines removed in order to remove a growth that is probably cancer. I will be in the hospital from five to seven days and then sometime at home recuperating. Would you all please refrain from sending me any e-mail until I can report that I am back in circulation. My in box would fill up very rapidly and you would start getting messages back. Also my Internet Service Provider gets upset when this happens. I thank all of you for your friendship over the years and I do appreciate it very much. God Bless you all. -EP Lietz (10/20/04) I'll certainly be rooting for you, my friend. Email us when you're back home. -Jake Lamkins (10/20/04) This is the last time I will be online for awhile. I get operated on tomorrow morning and will probably be down for about two weeks. This isn't a hair raising war story but some things about the Hump. You have to actually see that thing to understand just what it is like. I have often wondered why someone didn't put a huge resort hotel somewhere in that place. As far a scenery is concerned it is beautiful. One distintive feature I remember so well. We flew basically east until we got just north of Kunming and then turned Northeast to A-1 or the city of Hsinching. Right where we turned North there was a sort of rock just like Devil's Tower in Wyoming. It was probably three miles across a perfectly flat top and went straight up for many thousands of feet. The walls were straight up and down and it looked pretty hard to climb. After I checked out as first pilot I decided to see just about how high that thing was so I dropped down and flew as close to the height I could. My altimiter said 15,000 feet. BUT as I flew past I could see people running around on top of that thing. It looked to me like they were living up there. How anyone could have possibly got up there amazed me. I actually wonder what could possibly be up there as far as water and a way to grow food. But they were up there and how anyone could have climbed that smooth wall amazed me. It was perfectly round and went up for about ten thousand feet from the base. Yep Billy, too much flying can really wear one out. When I was in the Air Guard there were many months I flew over 200 hours with FAL and Guard flying. We were required to fly 85 hours a month on Frontier and many Guard missions were 125 hours long. When we flew to Vietnam out of PHX it was over 125 hours. We had to sit on the ground somewhere for 2 days to stay legal as far as the Air Force was concerned. Before I finally gave that up I got pretty worn out. We were restricted to 1000 hours a year civilian flying and 125 a month Air Force flying. Neither one paid any attention to what was going on in the other group. Incidentally, to get gruesome, Shirlee and I went out to the National Veteran's Cemetery here to see what it was like and what we had to do to be buried there. I went through my military records to get the necessary paper work and came across one that stated that I had flown 530 combat hours during my tour overseas. I don't remember seeing that before. We got an Air Medal for 150 hours, A DFC for another 150 hours and another 150 to get the Oak Leaf Cluster to the Air Medal. I flew a lot more than that but had never kept track of it. We got credit for combat time when we were actually over Jap held territory and subject to anti-aircraft fire or interception by Jap fighters. Each mission we flew we were over that territory 8 hours. Well I go into the hospital tomorrow morning at 6 AM to have a part of my intestines removed. It will possibly be about two weeks before I am back on my feet again so don't send me any e-mail until then. I may have a cancer in there but whatever it is has to come out. I am not looking forward to that but it beats the alternative. I do hope things work out well for you Billy in the future. To a degree you are lucky you can still fly airplanes after age 60. I like to went nuts after I retired. I surely missed that. You better have something you enjoy to fall back on or retirement can get messy. You two nice people stay happy. Love from EP and Shirlee -EP Lietz (10/21/04) Happy Thanksgiving to all, I was released from the hospital yesterday. I am now home and able to get around in a limited way. I use a walker basically to get around. I had a minor pain in my abdomen and went to see the doctor about it. He sent me for a CAT scan and four days later called on the phone and in a sort of worried sounding voice told me there was something growing in there that had to come out. He told me to immediately call the surgeon which I did. On Oct. 22nd I was operated on and they removed a large object growing on the outside of my intestines. The surgeon said he had never seen anything like it before and there was no name he could put on it. Again four days later the lab said it was benign. No Cancer!!! This was supposed to all be over in five days but I spent just two days short of six weeks in the hospital. I now have a scar about a foot long up the center of my abdomen. It went right through my belly button and now I don't have one. I can only walk with a walker and have trouble eating. Today is the first day I could eat a full meal and keep it down. Things are getting better but very slowly. I want to thank all of you for your cards and phone calls. Shirlee spent all day at the hospital and we couldn't acknowledge the phone calls and cards. When I get back on my feet I will try to acknowledge all of them. Anyway I have been doubly blessed with very good friends. THANK YOU ALL. May God Bless you all and have a Happy Thanksgiving. Love from EP and Shirlee be sort of careful with letters and jokes. I am still not in very good shape and sending this has been a chore for me. -EP Lietz (11/25/04) SHIRLEE H LIETZ 76 SOUTHLAKE TX ELDON P LIETZ 84 SOUTHLAKE TX -US Search (11/25/04) I am getting a little worse. I saw the lung doctor today and I weighed in at 118 pounds. I am slowly starving to death. I have been taking all kinds of tests and so far no answer has been found. I take another test tomorrow and if that does not reveal something then they are going into my stomach and see what they can find out. Old age is ridiculous. Hope all is well with you. I have not been all that active on this machine. I spend a lot of time laying on my back. Anyway hopefully someone can come up with an answer. -EP Lietz (1/17/05) Holy Smokes EP, I can't tell you how bad I feel knowing you are suffering so. I hope you will get this stuff turned around soon. We will keep you in our thoughts and prayers. Cheryl sends her love and best wishes to you as well. Pass along our warmest regards to Miss Shirlee too. I sure do miss your trips down memory lane and will keep my fingers crossed that we are back to that soon. Blue Skies & Tailwinds... -Billy Walker (1/17/05) Posted at FL Club: EP Lietz is ailing. EP is one of the few Challenger Airlines pilots left with us. He's going on 86 now and is in bad health. EP retired from FL about 1979, I think. If you knew him along the way in your FL career, email him and say howdy. He may not answer but he'll enjoy hearing from his FLriends. His eddress is elietz@earthlink.net -Jake Lamkins (1/17/05) Email to EP Get well now, ya hear! Hi ol' friend, I just heard you ain't feeling so good. You hang tough and get thru this battle just like you have others before. I'll be in that large rootin' section composed of all your many friends. Take care and get well soon. -Jake Lamkins (1/17/05) Thanks Jake, I was in the hospital six weeks and then spent almost another four months recovering. I am now eating normally and I am gaining back some weight. They took a tumor almost as big as a grapefruit out of my stomach. I definitely can't take part in any more swim suit contests. :-) Hope all is well with you and yours. -EP Lietz (3/3/05) It's GREAT to hear that you're recuperating. Best wishes for a fast and complete recovery. -Jake Lamkins (3/3/05) Thank you Jake, I am on the way but not there yet. I am eating regularly now and gaining some weight. I dropped to 115 pounds and looked like I had just got out of a Nazi Concentration Camp. On October 22 they took a tumor out of my abdomen that was close to being as big as a grapefruit. When they quit feeding me through an IV I threw up all I tried to eat. I am now eating well but still awfully wobbly on my feet. Hope all is well with you and yours. Thank you for keeping our group together. Warm Regards from -EP Lietz (3/4/05) This is Paul Lietz, EP oldest son. I don't know if you know this but my dad, EP has been in the hospital for about eight weeks now. He is having a very slow recovery, but it appears that he has been improving. He is in a new hospital and would appreciate a call or letter. Please pass on the info. Thanks -Paul Lietz (5/24/05) I just spoke with EP. We had a lively visit which indicates that, albeit he's down to 109 lbs., he hasn't lost his sense of humor. EP is 85 now, and according to him, just one day older'n dirt! Cards 'n calls are appreciated. Blue Skies & Tailwinds... -Billy Walker (5/24/05) Posted at the FL Club: We spoke with EP a couple of days ago. He is 85 now and is down to 109 lbs. In spite of his infirmities, his sense of humor is indomitable. EP had another abdominal surgery to try to correct his problem of not keeping food down. He doesn't know yet if this is going to help. EP is a great story teller and can relate some extremely interesting events occurring during his aviation career. Some of his C-46 flights over the "Hump" are amazing. We hope he gets better soon. I sure miss his e-mails. Blue Skies & Tailwinds... -Billy & Cheryl Walker (5/29/05) I drove up from Houston to the DFW Metroplex for the holiday weekend, and while there, I took my daughter and stopped by the hospital in FTW last Saturday and visited for over an hour with E.P. Lietz and Shirlee. He is in pain, and with tubes running in and out all over, but he remains in very good spirits. We need to drop him a line from time to time to let him know we still think of him. I hadn't seen him for 50 years, but we still hit it right off. I reminded him of the last time I had seen him in 1955, when he was in the Arizona National Guard and he had flown his P-51 Mustang from Phoenix over to Clifton (CFT) to see Hearold Elmer, who was then the manager at CFT. After his visit, he got back into his P-51 and took off then he did a 180 and came the length of the runway at about 100 feet altitude doing slow rolls the whole way. It was awesome. -Ed Baker (5/30/05) I just wanted to let you know that EP is back in the hospital. He would appreciate a call or card. Please pass on the info. Thanks -Paul Lietz (7/20/05) I just spoke with Shirlee and EP. Boy, those two certainly have been thru the ringer the past couple of years! I had a nice visit with Shirlee and a short one with EP as the Doctor was there to poke & prod. They will do a surgery on him tomorrow in hopes of finding why he keeps getting sicker and sicker. Hopefully, they will finally get a handle on things. Ol' EP can't take much more of this. That was really evident in his voice. So, I reckon the rest of us need to keep him in our thoughts and prayers. Hopefully, he will get thru it all and bounce back soon. I didn't get the direct number, but the one you sent (817) 481-1588 worked fine. Blue Skies & Tailwinds... -Billy Walker (7/22/05) Posted at the FL Club EP is still ailing and can be reached at the hospital at 817-329-2573. EP started flying with one of FL's predecessors, Challenger Airlines. He was co-pilot on the DC-3 (1-2-50) that overshot the runway in SLC, hit a passing car and ended up on it's nose. It was the same a/c, #65276, that clipped the mountain near PHX 4-21-57 then crashed and burned in DEN 12-21-67. He would love to hear from the FLamily. I'm loading a file about an award he won in 1971. -Jake Lamkins (7/25/05) I just spoke with EP and Shirlee. Pound for pound EP is a pretty tough fellow. He actually is 3# heavier than when I last spoke with him. He said he was up to 114# today. Apparently, they at least know what the problem has been. He tried to describe it, and it sounded like colitis. Hopefully, he will soon get up enough strength to get on with the recovery process. I asked him what I could do to help. EP said "How about a cold beer!" That made my day! I will keep one chilled for him... Blue Skies & Tailwinds... -Billy Walker (8/3/05) I had a nice visit with Shirlee yesterday and then called EP. He sounded much better'n the last time we talked! He said he couldn't use his legs at all, but would cooperate with the therapist. I told him we weren't thru with him yet! I mentioned all the stories he'd left untold that I was countin' on as well as having a cold beer in the frig with his name on it. I will try to organize the EP stories and get them to you. You are fortunate to have such an extraordinary ol' man. EP ranks way up there as one of the Best of the Best... Shirlee was understandably tired and really frustrated from feeling the inability to coax EP out from under his feelings of hopelessness. Hopefully, the rest of us can help with cards and calls. Blue Skies & Tailwinds... -Billy Walker (9/11/05) EP started flying with one of FL's predecessors, Challenger Airlines. He was co-pilot on the DC-3 (1-2-50) that overshot the runway in SLC, hit a passing car and ended up on it's nose. It was the same a/c, #65276, that clipped the mountain near PHX (4-21-57) then crashed and burned in DEN (12-21-67). He hasn't been feeling so well lately. Being about 85 years old does have it's drawbacks. Shirlee, his wife, was a FL stewardess back in the days when they were called that and she was forced to resign when they married. EP retired from FL about 1979, I think. If you knew him along the way in your FL career, write him and say howdy. He doesn't feel up to a bunch of phone calls but would love to hear from the FLamily. You can send him and Shirlee cards & letters at E.P. Lietz, Keller Oaks Nursing Home, Room 225A, 8703 Davis, North Richland Hills, TX 76180 EP has been very helpful with the newsletter since its inception. He's a great source of stories that range from flying the "hump" in World War II to his days captaining a FL Boeing 737. See the following page for a collection of his recollections that he's shared over the years. His extensive comments about the SLC accident in 1950 illustrate what a disctinctive career he has had in aviation. -Jake Lamkins in the Fall 2005 FL News (10/15/05) I am so sad to know that EP's troubles seem to be worse instead of better. We will continue to have you all in our thoughts and prayers. Please give your Mom our best. I will eventually get EP's notes together and send them along. Please forgive my procrastination. I have copied your note below for the Frontier folks on my list. -Billy Walker (10/23/05) I am Paul Lietz, EP's oldest son. Sadly I have to report that my dad has taken a turn for the worst. The doctors said he probably will not make it through the weekend. Mother and my brother are with him now and I will be flying in tomorrow. He is not at Baylor hospital any more so please don't call. They were preparing him to go into hospice at a different hospital that was for pain control. When he got there his condition downgraded rapidly. Sorry I do not know the name or number of that hospital. My mother just wanted everyone to know and keep him in their prayers. If I have forgotten anyone please pass on the information. I will be shutting down his email account after everything is over. I will be passing on information about funeral and services before I shut it down. Thanks -Paul Lietz (10/29/05) Dad passed about an hour ago. Please let everyone know. -Paul Lietz @ 7:35 pm (Sat 10/29/05) Posted at the FL Club: Pioneer pilot EP Lietz has Flown West EP flew the Hump in WWII and was a pilot with Challenger Airlines when FL was formed. He had a two page article in the Fall FL News newsletter. What a great guy! -Jake Lamkins (10/29/05) I am John Lietz, Eldon's youngest son. For those of you who don't know, my father passed away at 5:40pm on 10-29-05. Funeral arrangements will be made tomorrow morning and Paul and I will e-mail to everyone in my dad's address book the arrangements. My dad was a very special man, father, friend and companion to us all and he will be missed. We thank you all for your concern, thoughts and prayers. -John Lietz (10/30/05) Subject: Eldon P. Lietz, may he rest in Peace Date: Sun, 30 Oct 2005 19:52:29 -0600 To everyone in Eldon P. Lietz' e-mail address book. On 10-29-05 at 5:40pm, E.P. Lietz passed away in Baylor All Saints Hospice in Ft. Worth Texas. He had been transferred there at his request on Thursday night, 10-27-05. From his family, we appreciate all the prayers, calls and e-mails from all of you. We will do one more e-mail tomorrow with funeral arrangements and will close his e-mail account later in the week. From his sons, -Paul and John Lietz (10/30/05) Email to Billy Walker: I've started working on EP's obit webpage. Which did he go by mostly - EP or Eldon? I want to use the name most FLolks knew him by. -Jake Lamkins (11/6/05) We all knew EP as "EP" while he would sign his e-mails as "Mrs. Lietz's little boy EP. Or, he might refer to himself as Eldon Penrose. On balance it is decidedly EP! -Billy Walker (11/11/05) FUNERAL HOME ONLINE GUESTBOOK November 1, 2005 We both have only good memories of flying with E.P. and thoughts of him always bring smiles. Rest in Peace E.P. Our sympathy to Shirlee and all his family. Kathleen & Lou Dionne (Port Angeles, WA ) November 1, 2005 My Dad, George Veldboon and I both flew with him at Frontier Airlines. So sorry to hear of your loss. Vicky Veldboon (Northglenn, CO ) October 31, 2005 EP was a great friend to a lot of us at the old Frontier Airlines. He was very helpful to me the past five years publishing the Frontier newsletter. And he was a terrific source of aviation lore and Frontier airlines history which he gladly shared. My heartfelt condolences to Shirlee and the family. Jake Lamkins (West Fork, AR ) I also can remember flying with Woody Reynolds. He was a Challenger captain who left to become Vice President of operations for Bonanza Airlines. He was just about the same size I am, short. We walked out to board the airplane and one of the passengers that was standing there went back into the terminal building and turned his ticket in. He said he was not going to fly anywhere with those 'KIDS' doing the flying . -E. P. Lietz (Quoted in THE GOLDEN YEARS OF FLYING by Tex Searle) ELDON P. LIETZ SLC first officer per 7/15/48 CHA Roster. E. P. LIETZ PHX reserve captain per the 11/4/55 FL Roster. E. P. LIETZ PHX captain DOB 4/3/20 DOH 11/7/47 per the Feb 1960 FL Roster. E P LIETZ Pilot seniority date of 11/7/47 per the 9/1/72 FL/ALPA Seniority List. I will assume E. P. retired in Apr 1980 when he turned 60 years old. I looked thru my 1979/80 FL News and found nothing... but his obit says he flew 32 years. -Jake Lamkins (10/31/11) Posted at the FL Club and FLacebook: Pilot E. P. Lietz' memorial webpage has been updated at http://FAL-1.tripod.com/EP_Lietz.html Several items added, including pix of his grave, and his webpage moved to a non-ad site. E. P. was a war hero and aviation pioneer. Be sure to read his recollection of his career, including the DC-3 crash at SLC in 1950. Post your remembrances of this great guy. -Jake Lamkins (11/18/11)