The Second World War is over.
Wally Byam has been contacted by Curtis Wright to head up and design two lines of trailers for him. Wally designed the Curtis Wright Clipper, and a second production trailer patterned after the Airstream Airlite.
When Wally contracted with Wright, he abandoned his pursuit to create a camping mail order business, and write a comprehensive camping book. He had also detailed designs for various camping fixtures that he wanted to make and sell.
In this 1946 picture, there is the future of Airstream.
Wally Byam created a workforce from former travel trailer companies, including his own; aircraft industry employees, recently returned military service members; and newbies off the street.
Due to financial issues between Byam and Wright, their association was shortlived. Wally reopened Airstream's doors in May 1947, and the C-W Clipper became the Silver Streak trailer.
The picture is the work force that built Airstream's future.
In scanning the faces, I knew 11 or 12 of the men.
Wally Byam, of course: his dream, his hard work, and savvy brought Airstream to the forefront of travel, quality, and lasting friendships.
Just an hourly employee at the time, Art Costello was then just a driver picking up materials, sweeping the floors, and backing up the riveters. This is truly a story of a man that worked his way from the floor and bottom rung of the ladder to become the Chairman of the Board at Airstream. Without his close relationship with Wally and learning the “Byam Way,” Airstream’s future might have been in jeopardy.
In 1961, during my summer vacation from the University of Oregon, I went to work at the Airstream plant in Santa Fe Springs, California. Someone asked me, “Did I have a memorable job that summer?” Yes! I worked in the department that no one else in the factory wanted to transfer to. When you work all day installing fiberglass insulation, you go back home take a shower and you sleep on pins and needles all night long. In the summer, the Los Angeles basin’s air can be foul, there can be coastal humidity. Our team worked in the close confines in the interior Airstream shell. We also hung aluminum sheeting, drilling and riveting.
This summer memory is rekindled by seeing my leadsman Basilio in the front row, those many years before I worked with him.
Arturo, who spoke no English, was also a member of the insulation crew. I returned to Airstream after my discharge from the Army. In 1966, Art Costello gave me the job to create a personnel department.
One night Art called me at home and told me to go to the Los Angeles County Jail in downtown Los Angeles and bail out Arturo. He had been jailed for drunk and disorderly conduct. By 11:30 P.M. I had him in my car and I took him home to his brother Gorge and his mother. He was also an Airstream employee, and the only one in the family that spoke English.
Several weeks later, he invited me to his home for a Sunday dinner. What a wonderful Mexican dinner, with the main dish pollo y molé.
When I returned to Airstream in 1964 I had earned respect from the workers. I was one of them, I wasn’t Wally Byam’s cousin, I was a worker.
Also in the picture is George Beltran. George became the foreman in charge of the sheet metal department. Not pictured is Chuck Redman the cabinet and mill foreman. When they left Airstream together, their combined experience created C&G Trailer Service and Repair. C&G represents Chuck and George, a business still servicing Airstream owners in Bellflower, California.
I recognize several faces but their names elude me. At least two of them were standouts in the Airstream service department.
My last position with Airstream before I left was the Materials Manager. I see Ernie in the picture and he had a dual position for me. Truck driver and material handler.
It is fun to reminisce about my days at Airstream, but even more inspirational to review the work force at Curtis Wright in 1946 and see contributions many of them made in Airstream’s rebirth and ongoing success.
Dale “Pee Wee” Schwamborn has silver in his blood. Each week, Pee Wee shares one of his many stories, including his experiences on the iconic Airstream Caravans, his time spent working in the Airstream factory, and the many Airstreamers he’s befriended, far and wide.
