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James A. Wooten (1914 – 1985) was a transportation entrepreneur who began his life in the trucking business and worked extensively in commercial aviation. Notably, he served as the President of Alaska Airlines during a period of rapid growth following World War Two.
James Wooten | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1914 Unknown |
| Died | May 31, 1985 (aged 71) |
Following experiences in the Berlin Airlift, Wooten managed or founded aviation companies that heavily participated in Operation Magic Carpet (Yemen), Operation Ezra and Nehemiah and Operation Cyrus. These activities brought tens of thousands of Jews from Yemen, Iraq and Iran respectively to Israel.[1]
For his efforts, Wooten, a lifelong Baptist, received commendation from Israel's Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion.[1][2]
Wooten starting a trucking company in Indianapolis at age 19. After years of familiarity with the freight business from the trucking industry, he joined American Airlines in 1943 as the company established its air cargo division as general manager.[1]
In June 1947, Alaska Airlines, then a small aviation operation based in Anchorage, named Wooten President of the airline.[3] In this role, Wooten moved to acquire many US army air force surplus cargo aircraft. Under his leadership, the airline acquired Douglas DC-3's, DC-4's and C-46's. The firm participated in the Berlin Airlift and Operation Magic Carpet. By 1950, shortly after Wooten left the airline, it was the world's largest non-scheduled air carrier.[4]
Leaving Alaska Airlines, Wooten formed his own airline company in Rome in 1950, titled Near East Transport. The company then flew thousands of Jewish refugees from Iran and Iraq to Israel as part of Operation Ezra and Nehemiah.[2]
In September, 1951, Wooten became president and a director of U.S. Airlines, a scheduled, all-freight airline carrier.[1][5]
James Wooten was a critical player in the execution of Operation Magic Carpet, the airlift of 48,000-49,000 Yemenite Jews from Aden to Israel. From December, 1948 thru September 19, 1950, Alaska Airlines under Wooten's direction flew nearly 430 charter flights with two DC-4's and one C-46 on a dangerous route in which they were fired upon and necessitating fuel stops in Asmara. Some of these flights were piloted by Wooten personally.[6][7][8][9]
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