Homer "Red" Williams

Homer O. "Red" Williams was born in 1915 and came to Alaska in the 1930's in search of work and adventure. His first job was working in the mining industry. He became interested in flying and enrolled in the Civilian Pilot Training Program at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. He then advanced to the Army Air Corps Aviation Cadet Program. Throughout his many years in Alaska, Red was a school teacher, a bush pilot, and a mechanic. In the late 1940's, he began flying tourists around Circle Hot Springs and Fort Yukon in the summer months. Red notes that he had the pleasure of meeting some of the original bush pilots such as Sam White and Harold Gillam, and they gave him advice and taught him important things about flying. In 1942, he married Jane Norris and by 1949 they had moved their family to homestead in Central, Alaska. After teaching in the villages of Fort Yukon and Cantwell for several winters, Red and Jane, who was also a teacher, relocated the family to Fairbanks. Red gave up commercial flying in 1960 in order to pursue higher education. Red Williams passed away in 2004.