William M. Masland papers, 1909-1986 (bulk 1930-1969)

Captain William M. Masland was an airline pilot for Pan American Airways from the mid 1930s to the late 1960s. He was born on April 8, 1907 in Philadelphia and graduated from Haverford College in 1929. He worked with the U.S. Navy as a pilot before joining Pan Am in 1935. At Pan Am he served as crewman and pilot and took part in a number of the company's notable first flights. He served as junior officer during the airline's first flight from San Francisco to Hong Kong in 1936 and was in command for the first flight around the world, from New York to Perth and back, in 1943. He was also active professionally as a member of the Airplane Pilots Association (ALPA) as well as several other organizations. Masland retired from Pan Am in 1966 and in 1985 published a book about his experiences titled Through the Back Door of the World in a Ship That had Wings. Masland passed away in 1987.