CARLETON, RUTH - Dallas County, Texas | RUTH CARLETON - Texas Gravestone Photos

Ruth CARLETON

Sparkman Hillcrest Memorial Park (aka Hillcrest Memorial Park) Cemetery
Dallas County,
Texas

R V
1905 - 1987
Ruth
1905 - 1980

Section: Companion Garden I

*Obituary

Rogela V. "R. V." Carleton
September 4, 1905 - February 10, 1987

Rogela V. "R. V." Carleton who worked for Braniff International, the Dallas, Texas, based airline, for nearly 40 years, began as a line Captain and retired as Executive Vice President. He was a celebrated figure in the field of aviation with an impressive list of accomplishments and contributions to the industry that he cherished.

Carleton was born on September 4, 1905, at Elk City in Beckham County, Oklahoma, West of Oklahoma City. His parents were Virgil Frances Carleton born February 5, 1875, in Russellville, Missouri, and Olga Mae Smallwood Carleton of Hardin, Ray County, Missouri, born on January 12, 1878. The family moved to nearby Clinton, Custer County, Oklahoma, in 1920, when R. V. was 14 years old. Throughout his life, Carleton used his initials R. V. as his nickname but claimed that they stood for nothing.

Young Carleton found a love for airplanes during his pre-school years when he would build model airplanes and dream about flying them one day. Far from a passing interest, Carleton's love for aviation was well known among his high school classmates and his class yearbook stated that he would be "up in the air."

While attending law school, in 1926, at the University of Oklahoma, Mr. Carleton learned how to fly. He was taught by James Guy Haizlip, a famous stunt pilot. Carleton, Haizlip, and Roy O. Hunt, one of the nation's top stunt pilots, barnstormed throughout the state of Oklahoma during the late 1920s. Carleton was a quick study and soloed in an OX Waco-9 in only 2 and one half hours of flight instruction and then earned his Private Pilot license shortly thereafter. In 1928, he obtained his Transport License, certificate number 2969 (numbered from the first pilot to receive certification), in Oklahoma City, from Inspector R. D. Bedlinger, who noted that Carleton "was a very good pilot."

Carleton married Alice Ruth Calmes on July 22, 1928, (September 29, 1905-June 17, 1980) at the age of 23. The couple had two children, Jane Carleton born 1938, and Rosemary Leigh "Rosie" Carleton born in 1946. The Carleton's moved to Portland, Maine, in 1930, and Kansas City in 1935, when Carleton was 35 years old.

In 1929, he attended an instructor's standardization school at Curtiss-Wright Aircraft in Detroit, Michigan. As a result of attending this course he was offered and accepted the position of Chief Pilot at the Curtiss-Wright base at Portland, Maine. Carleton remained with Curtiss-Wright until he was offered and accepted a pilot position with Braniff Airways.

On June 6, 1931, Mr. Carleton was hired by Braniff Airways, Inc. and made his first flight the following day on June 7, from Kansas City to Tulsa and continuing to Oklahoma City and then returned over the same routing. The Lockheed Vega he flew on the first flight was registered as NC195E of which Braniff flew five at the time. He recalled, at his retirement, that his salary was $350 per month, when the company could afford to pay.

On January 27, 1932, a Braniff Airways, Inc., aircraft set a speed record by flying from Oklahoma City to Tulsa, Oklahoma, in only 28 minutes. The historic flight was piloted by Captain Carleton. Braniff's single engine Lockheed Vega darted through the Oklahoma air covering the 114 miles from Oklahoma City to Tulsa at a speed of 250 miles per hour. The record was made while flying a full load of six passengers aboard the ultra fast Vega airliner.

In 1942, Captain Carleton was promoted to the position of Chief Pilot and remained in that position until 1947, and then promoted to Director of Flight Operations. In 1952, he was advanced to Operations Manager. Carleton was elected to the Braniff Board of Directors in 1954, and appointed Vice President of Operations. In 1961, he became a member of the Board of Director's Executive Committee and in 1964 he became Executive Vice President. He was later appointed as Assistant to the Chairman of the Board.

Carleton was instrumental in Braniff becoming the first carrier to be certificated for ILS or Instrument Landing System use by the Federal Government in April, 1947. He played a major role in the extensive pilot training for use of the new ILS System, that made it possible for Braniff to be the leading carrier in this new technology.

Captain Carleton played a pivotal role in the development of Braniff's South American route system that included his direction of JATO or Jet Assisted Takeoff Tests at La Paz, Bolivia, for aircraft operations at high altitude airports in the region. He also oversaw the development of terminals at Campo Grande, Brazil, Guayaquil, Ecuador, La Paz and Santa Cruz, Bolivia to name a few.

Braniff began Douglas DC-3 flights on January 8, 1949, from Lima to LaPaz, Bolivia El Alto International Airport which was and is still today the highest International airport in the world. Larger DC-4's were substituted on the route when loads required additional capacity. The DC-4's that flew to LaPaz, with an elevation of 13,400 feet mean sea level, were JATO equipped aircraft to aid the four engined airliners in the event that an engine was lost on takeoff.

Director of Flight Operations Carleton conducted the JATO proving tests at LaPaz in early January, 1949. Braniff became the first airline to be certificated by the Civil Aeronautics Authority, as a result of the successful completion of the Carleton led tests, to operate JATO aircraft at LaPaz. Carleton also flew the carrier's first proving flight over the Andean Mountain Range between Lima and Rio de Janeiro which led to the first non stop flights between the two opposite coastal points.

In 1961, Carleton acted as Chairman the world's first Supersonic Transport Conference. The Conference was held at Montreal, Canada, and began on April 17, 1961. The symposium was sponsored by the International Air Transport Association and was attended by some 500 aeronautical experts from around the world. As a result of this conference and Captain Carleton's leadership, Braniff placed an order for two US SST transport aircraft on April 13, 1964.

Carleton joined the celebrated Mach 2 Club in 1964, when he became one of the first civilian pilots to fly a jet at twice the speed of sound at Edwards Air Force Base, California. Mr. Carleton piloted an F-104 Starfighter at twice the speed of sound which landed him in the exclusive high speed club. The purpose of the flight was to duplicate the operational characteristics of the proposed SST airliner from takeoff to Mach 2 or 1400 miles per hour, to landing.

On September 2, 1970, Captain Carleton announced his retirement from Braniff International after 39 years of exemplary service. His career path at Braniff lead him to many industry firsts and innovative contributions to aviation and airlines around the world. A special retirement party, attended by Braniff officers and their wives, was held at the Braniff Hostess College in Dallas, Texas, on September 24, 1970, to honor Carleton and his wife Ruth.

A few nights later on September 30, a party was held for all Braniff employees to celebrate Captain Carleton's historic career at the Executive Inn, South of Dallas Love Field. Braniff's pilot band, The Trinity River Washouts, serenaded the group for the evening and a slide presentation chronicled Carleton's 39 year career. Carleton joked that he would never "get up again at 6 am, except to go fishing."

Braniff Chairman Harding L. Lawrence announced Captain Carleton's retirement with this poignant statement, "Regrettably, we must announce the retirement of R. V. Carleton who is one of the aviation industry's most respected leaders and one of its true pioneers." Lawrence noted that Captain Carleton's retirement would become officially effective on October 1, 1970.

At the time of his retirement, Captain Carleton, was commanding dual positions of Executive Vice President and Assistant to the Chairman of the Board. Carleton served in all areas of Operations at Braniff throughout his epochal 39 year career. His most recent duties included heading advance planning for the new aircraft generation including the Boeing 747 which would come on line in January, 1971. Carleton also played a pivotal role in planning for the Supersonic jets that were planned to be introduced at Braniff in the mid 1970s.

Lawrence went on to state: "It is the vision and expertise of men like R. V. Carleton, who have brought aviation to the forefront of the transportation industry and positioned the airlines to take advantage of rapid technological advancement."

Upon his retirement the Federal Aviation Administration issued a statement heralding the contributions that Captain Carleton made to the industry: "Throughout your career you have been looked to for guidance and counseling both by government and industry in all areas of air carrier operation." The FAA plaque went on to say, "To R. V. Carleton on retirement from Braniff International Airways. The Federal Aviation Administration with best wishes and warmest regards in recognition of 40 years of significant contributions to the advancement of air carrier management and pioneering efforts in operational safety."

Retirement would not keep Captain Carleton from returning to Braniff for a special occasion. On January 9, 1971, Braniff International operated the second segment of a 17 city tour to introduce the airline's new Boeing 747-127 registered as N601BN and dubbed 747 Braniff Place. With the new plane Braniff would fly the original route between Oklahoma City and Tulsa that it first flew on June 20, 1928, and then continue on to record turnout at Memphis International Airport later in the day.

A Braniff official was on board each tour flight to host guests on the flight as well as dignitaries and press at each stop. Former Braniff Director Carleton hosted the flight from Dallas Love Field to Oklahoma City, Tulsa and finally Memphis on January 9. Captain Carleton flew for Braniff out of Oklahoma City in the early 1930s and was the perfect host for the monumental flight between the first two Braniff cities.

On Tuesday, February 10, 1987, Captain Carleton died at a local Dallas Hospital after battling a prolonged illness. He was 81 years old. Captain Carleton was survived by two daughters and a grandson. His wife of 52 years, Ruth Carleton, preceded him in death on June 17, 1980, in Dallas, Texas. Memorial services were held in Dallas, Texas, on February 13, 1987.

Richard Cass
Braniff Preservation Group
Dallas, Texas
May 2014

Photo courtesy of Annette Shaw

Contributed on 1/22/21 by hawkinsdonna48
Email This Contributor

Suggest a Correction

Record #: 380766

To request a copy of this photo for your own personal use, please contact our state coordinator. If you are not a family member or the original photographer — please refrain from copying or distributing this photo to other websites.

Additional CARLETON Surnames in SPARKMAN HILLCREST MEMORIAL PARK (AKA HILLCREST MEMORIAL PARK) Cemetery

Thank you for visiting the Texas Gravestone Photo Project. On this site you can upload gravestone photos, locate ancestors and perform genealogy research. If you have a relative buried in Texas, we encourage you to upload a digital image using our Submit a Photo page. Contributing to this genealogy archive helps family historians and genealogy researchers locate their relatives and complete their family tree.

Submitted: 1/22/21 • Approved: 1/22/21 • Last Updated: 1/25/21 • R380766-G380765-S3

Surnames  |  Other GPP Projects  |  Contact Us  |  Terms of Use  |  Site Map  |  Admin Login