J. Fife Symington Jr.
| J. Fife Symington, Jr. | |
|---|---|
| United States Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago | |
|
In office July 8, 1969 – November 14, 1971 |
|
| President | Richard Nixon |
| Preceded by | William A. Costello |
| Succeeded by | Anthony D. Marshall |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
John Fife Symington, Jr. August 27, 1910 Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
| Died | December 9, 2007 (aged 97) Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Martha Howard Frick |
| Relations |
Helen Clay Frick (grandfather-in-law) Henry Clay Frick (great-grandfather-in-law) |
| Children | Fife Symington |
John Fife Symington, Jr. (August 27, 1910 – December 9, 2007) was a United States ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago and an airline pioneer.
Symington was born in Baltimore on August 27, 1910. His uncle, John Hambleton, who was a fighter pilot in World War I and a founder of Pan American World Airways, got him interested in flying. After graduating from Kent School, Kent, Connecticut in 1929, he earned a bachelor's degree at Princeton University in 1933 where he became a member of the Ivy Club; that year, he also rode as a gentleman jockey in the My Lady's Manor and Grand National point-to-point races.
During the Depression, he borrowed and traveled on Pan American to Miami, San Juan, Trinidad and South America. After his travels, he got a pilot license and emerged unhurt from three plane crashes. He got a job with the airline in 1934 and was assigned to Rio de Janeiro. When he returned from Brazil, he was given the job of traffic manager when Pan Am opened a terminal on Colgate Creek near Dundalk in 1937.
In 1939, he was assigned to London to open up an international office. There he managed trans-Atlantic traffic for the United States Navy, and held the rank of lieutenant. He left Pan Am in 1948.
Symington unsuccessfully ran for Congress in Maryland's 2nd congressional district in 1958, 1960 and 1962. He campaigned for Republican Presidential candidate Barry Goldwater in 1964. He hosted a Goldwater event at his Lutherville home that year. Former Vice President Richard M. Nixon attended the event.
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