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Hiram Award Winner 2002 - Donald C. Chandler
 This year's recipient of the Hiram Award from Willow Glen Lodge #676 is Tiler Donald C. Chandler.
Don and his twin brother were born June 5, 1916 in Santa Ana, California. They have two sisiters, one older and one younger than they are. They grew up in the Los Angeles area.
Don's first real job was with the US Forest Service in the Cleveland National Forest. He was 21 year old and had a station with a fire truck and crew of six. They rolled to many fires, some small ones and some real big. Don was responsible for the station, fire truck, and crew.
The war (World War II) was about to break out and there were real good jobs in the aircraft industry and quite a number of openings. Don quit the Forest Service and went to work for Ryan Aircraft in San Diego. He worked the night shift and learned the machine trade. He also went to Ryan School of Aeronautics during the day for two years. He finished the course and passed C.A.A. test and received a rating for aircraft and engine repair.
After receiving C.A.A. rating, Don went to work for Consolidated Aircraft in San Diego as a flight engineer. He was in a crew of four that shook down B-24's and PB4 flying boats known as Catalinas. After a year, his company started an airline flying cargo and passengers for the Air Force Transport Command. His route was from California to Brisbane, Australia, stopping at islands on the way. He and the crew carried important cargo and VIPs. He made thirty round trips by the end of the war. During this whole time he and his fellow flight members were classified as civilians. After the War, the Air Force took them in and gave them honorable discharges.
He remembers his company was the first to fly four engine aircraft across the Pacific. During the time he was flying, he also checked out in celestial navigation. They did not have any radio aids. All the crew had was a sextant, a timepiece, chart and the sun, moon and stars. After 2500 flights a year, they never missed an island. With some seventeen aircraft flying, each aircraft averaged sixteen hours out of twenty-four ours in the air. It was some sort of record because the airline can't equal it today.
Olive and Don were married four days after Pearl Harbor. The have been together for 61 years. They raised four daughters and one son.
After the war, Don followed the machine trade for forty-five years and retired from Lockheed in 1981. In retirement, he has worked several part-time jobs off and on.
He was raised a Master Mason in Willow Glen Lodge on March 19, 1986. His father and both grandfathers were Masons. He has served as Tiler of the Lodge since 1990 except for the years 1994-1998. He has attended all Officers' Practices where he has played THE candidate over the years. He truly is a worthy recipient of the Hiram Award.
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