Alvin Swauger White (1918 - 2006)

Born 9 Dec 1918 in Berkeley, Alameda, California, United States

Ancestors

Died 29 Apr 2006 at age 87 in Tucson, Pima, Arizona, United States

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Biography

Alvin White is Notable.

Father: Harold Hubbard White
Mother: Ruth Amelia Winkleman

Alvin Swauger "Al" White (December 9, 1918 – April 29, 2006) was an American test pilot and mechanical engineer. He flew the maiden flights of both XB-70 Valkyrie aircraft, the first 2,000 mph flight, and all subsequent Mach 3 exploration flights.

1918	Born in Berkeley, Alameda, California, USA
1940's	Enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Forces, assigned to the 355th Fighter Group, Eighth Air Force, flew missions over Europe. During his Air Force career, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal.
	Distinguished Flying Cross	Air Medal
1947	Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering, University of California
1950	Married Virginia Mae Lonsdale on 24 Jun 1950 in Orange, California, USA.[1]
1954	Selected by the USAF for the X-15 program, but never flew. [2]
1958	Selected by the USAF for the "Man in Space Soonest" project, cancelled in favor of NASA Project Mercury. [3]
1961	Chief test pilot for the XB-70 Valkyrie
1971	Married "Betty" (?) Maureen J (Stoner) Warren[4]
2006	Died in Tucson, Pima, Arizona, USA

Obituary

Alvin S. White, 87, Oro Valley, Ariz., died April 29 in Oro Valley Northwest Hospital, following a brief illness.

He was the husband of Betty J. White.

Born in Berkeley, Calif., he was a son of the late Harold H. White Sr. and Ruth A. (Winkleman) White.

A pilot for more than 60 years, White began his flying career in the Civilian Pilot Training Program, receiving his private pilot license in 1940.

He was an Army Air Forces veteran of World War II.

After the war, he completed his degree in mechanical engineering and went on to become an engineering test pilot for the Air Force and North American Aviation.

In 1961, White was elected chief test pilot for the flight test program of the XB-70 Valkyrie, the world's largest supersonic aircraft; piloting the first flights of both planes and taking the aircraft through the build-up programs to flight at Mach 3.

In 1966, White joined TWA as manager of flight operations, research and development. In 1969, he became a consultant in the field of aviation and aeronautics until his retirement.

He was a past president and a founding member of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots.

White earned some of the top awards for his profession, including the Iven C. Kinchloe award, the Octave Chanute Award and the Harmon Trophy.

He also is survived by a son, Stephen, Sacramento, Calif.; and two daughters, Cathie (White) Deisher, Fleetwood, and Leslie (White) Hesler, North East, Md.

Other survivors include two stepdaughters, Karen Tomsett, Seattle, and Kimberly Aurand, Spokane, Wash.; and a stepson Edward Tomsett, Tucson, Ariz.

Also surviving is a brother, Harold H. Jr., Auburn, Calif.

There also are two grandsons and two stepgranddaughters.

Memorial services will be this morning at 11 in Vistoso Community Church, Oro Valley. The Avalon Chapel, Tucson, is in charge of arrangements.^[5]

Sources

1. ↑ "California, County Marriages, 1850-1952," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8FR-YVR : 8 December 2017), Alvin Swauger White and Virginia Mae Lonsdale, 24 Jun 1950; citing Orange, California, United States, county courthouses, California; FHL microfilm 2,051,374.
2. ↑ Wikipedia List of Astronauts, 1954
3. ↑ Wikipedia List of Astronauts, 1958
4. ↑ "California, Marriage Index, 1960-1985," Ancestry.com.
5. ↑ "Pennsylvania Obituaries, 1977-2010," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVNM-X1MX : 18 July 2016), Alvin S White, 2006; citing Pennsylvania, United States, Old Buncombe County Genealogical Society, Asheville.

See also:

• Find A Grave: Memorial #146564497
• Wikipedia: Alvin S White
• Wikidata: Item Q449285, en:Wikipedia
• Ancestry Profile
• "United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V3TM-L22 : 20 May 2014), Alvin S White, 29 Apr 2006; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).
• "California Birth Index, 1905-1995," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VGN3-QZW : 27 November 2014), Alvin S White, 09 Dec 1918; citing Alameda, California, United States, Department of Health Services, Vital Statistics Department, Sacramento.
• "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MH33-P8R : accessed 27 January 2017), Alvin S White in household of Ruth A White, Oakland, Alameda, California, United States; citing ED 57, sheet 10A, line 3, family 81, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll 88; FHL microfilm 1,820,088.
• "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XCDP-FBR : accessed 27 January 2017), Alvin S White in household of Harold White, Auburn, Placer, California, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 9, sheet 9A, line 25, family 237, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 182; FHL microfilm 2,339,917.
• "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K946-LZ5 : accessed 27 January 2017), Alvin S White in household of Harold H White, Auburn, Judicial Township 3, Placer, California, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 31-33, sheet 2A, line 11, family 33, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 275.