Aviation’s Quiet Pioneer: John Leslie and Pan American’s Flying Boats

Placeholder author icon
By Peter Leslie ’58

Published Jan. 21, 2016

(CreateSpace) John Leslie, an aviation engineer, was responsible for delivering President Roosevelt to Casablanca to meet with Prime Minister Churchill in what was the first time an American president traveled overseas in a plane during wartime. Leslie also was one of the leading figures in the emergence of Pan American Airways, writes his son in this memoir. This book includes photos, correspondence, and documents that outline John Leslie’s career in aviation. Peter Leslie is the director of the Pan Am Historical Foundation.

Paw in print

Image
The cover of PAW’s February 2025 issue, featuring a photo of Frank Stella leaning back with his hands behind his head.