You didn’t work for Flying Tiger; you are Flying Tiger.
-Joe Healy
Healy was born in 1926 in Caldwail, New Jersey. World War II was in full swing when Joe Healy enlisted in the US Navy in 1944 while still a senior in high school in the suburbs of Newark, New Jersey. By 1945, he was serving on the USS Dayton as a communications specialist and by August the “light cruiser” was part of the entourage of US Navy ships escorting the USS Missouri where the Japanese officially surrendered. By May 1946, Joe was honorably discharged with Asiatic-Pacific Area Campaign Ribbon, WWII Victory Medal and Japanese Occupational Ribbon. A few months later, purely by accident, Joe ended up with a job at California Eastern Airways in Newark, NJ. Barely 2 years later, the company was going under, and the president of CEA gave Joe a glowing reference to his friend Bill Barling, a VP at Flying Tigers. By October 1948, Joe was working for Flying Tigers!
Joe realized that “air freight” was a new industry and this was his opportunity to be at the forefront and help “write the book” on what was to come. He started out as an Operations Supervisor and was quickly promoted to Newark Station Manager. By 1951, Joe realized that Flying Tigers was missing an opportunity with the expansion across the bay at Idlewild (later renamed JFK) and acquired property at the new cargo facility there. In late 1955, Joe transferred to Burbank (corporate headquarters) and promoted to Traffic Manager, responsible for all station operations in the US.
Joe had been very successful in his career at Tigers. He was promoted to Director of Ground Operations and in 1973 was recognized as “Airfreight Man of the Year” by the Airfreight Motor Carriers Conference. By 1974, at the age of 47, he was Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer and, following the death of Robert Prescott in 1978, Joe was promoted to President.
Joe was instrumental in the passage of federal legislation in 1977 which deregulated the domestic airfreight industry which enabled Flying Tigers (as well as other cargo carriers) to serve all 50 states. Joe epitomized the “can do” spirit and always took the innovative approach. Joe left Flying Tigers in 1980 and was named president of Purolator Courier Corp.
Joe met Audrey Barton while still in high school and a number of years later they started to see each other, when, on the 3rd date, he popped the question. They were happily married for 67 years, had 6 children, 15 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren. Joe Healy passed away on December 28, 2019, at the age of 93.