John Tipton, who always sends interesting notices about what's cooking at the Glenn L. Martin Maryland Aviation Museum in Middle River, says a very special visitor is expected to come in for a landing from Connecticut a week from today:

"He is Mr. Joe Grant, a 101-year-old gentleman, who is believed to be the oldest living former employee of the Glenn L. Martin Company in Middle River. Mr. Grant is still very sharp and talkative, and has many stories and facts to share about his days at Martin, from the time when Glenn L. Martin moved to the Baltimore area in the late 1920’s.  . . . He plans to fly into Martin State Airport with his son and visit the museum as well as gather with airport personnel.  (They are planning for their 80th anniversary). He will sit for an oral history interview and he may also take a brief tour of the Lockheed Martin - A building – where he formerly worked. He also wants to take in some steamed crabs while here."
Mr. Grant, I'm told, traveled around the country after school looking for work in the 1920s, and after some odd jobs, found his way to Buffalo to work for Consolidated Aircraft on the Commodore flying boat. When Martin opened his metal working factory here, Mr. Grant got a job and spent five to six years there working on the various flying boats, including the famous China Clipper.  He also took up flying and with his brother, started a "fun-ride" business off of a farm in Baltimore County. He then went with PCA Airlines, later absorbed by TWA. When World War II broke out, Mr. Grant flew DC-4s for the Air Transport Command. After the war, he stayed with TWA and helped start Saudi Arabian Airlines.