1913
John
2011
John Borger
December 29, 1913 — August 13, 2011
John Godfrey Borger, 97, of Shippensburg, PA, formerly of Haworth, NJ and Ticonderoga, NY, died on Saturday, August 13, 2011.
He was born on December 29, 1913, in the Bronx, NY, a son of the late John Hermann and Geshia “Gert” Ernst Borger.
On June 17, 1939, John married Ms. Muriel W. Hannah in Seattle, WA. She preceded him in death on October 19, 1990.
Mr. Borger joined Pan America World Airways in January, 1935, shortly after graduating from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he received a BS Degree in Aeronautical Engineering.
His early assignments included Wake Island, Alameda, Burbank, and Baltimore, where he worked to support air bases, routing, and the maintenance of the Pan American “Clippers”, flying boats with transatlantic ranges.
He transferred to the New York engineering staff in 1943 and three years later was appointed Chief Project Engineer. In 1963, he was named Chief Engineer. He was elected Vice President and Chief Engineer in 1971. He retired as Technical Advisor in 1980, but continued with Pan Am as a consultant for another year.
Working at a time when commercial airlines partnered with manufacturers in the design and development of aircraft and engines, Mr. Borger was legendary as a generalist who could speak with equal fluency and technical precision on everything from seat design to engine thrust. Likewise, his career at Pan Am spanned so many years (47), that his experience was equally expansive – he worked on Clippers, Constellations, DC-6, Boeing 707 and 747’s, the Falcon, the Concorde, and the US SST.
Beginning in 1952, he served on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s advisory committee on Aerodynamics, Aircraft Operating Problems and Aircraft Energy Efficiency and the subcommittee on Aircraft Loads. He was a member of the Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board of the National Academy of Engineering. He was a member of the International Advanced Aircraft Advisory Committee from 1974 until he retired.
He is an Honorary Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics for his pioneering work in aeronautics. He is a fellow of the Society of Automotive Engineers.
Mr. Borger loved to travel with his wife, Muriel, and especially enjoyed visiting his children and grandchildren.
He is survived by his daughter, Barbara B. Townsend, Esq., of Shippensburg, PA; his son, Lawrence F. Borger and wife Jane, of Bisbee, AZ; seven grandchildren; and fourteen great grandchildren.
In addition to his parents and wife, he was preceded in death by one son, John G. Borger, II, and his wife Dorothy.
A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m., on Saturday, August 20, 2011, at Christ United Methodist Church, 47 East King St. Shippensburg, PA 17257. The Fogelsanger-Bricker Funeral Home, Inc., Shippensburg, has been entrusted with his funeral arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the M.I.T. Annual Fund-Pan Am Fund, 600 Memorial Drive, W98-100 Cambridge, MA 02139-4822
He was born on December 29, 1913, in the Bronx, NY, a son of the late John Hermann and Geshia “Gert” Ernst Borger.
On June 17, 1939, John married Ms. Muriel W. Hannah in Seattle, WA. She preceded him in death on October 19, 1990.
Mr. Borger joined Pan America World Airways in January, 1935, shortly after graduating from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he received a BS Degree in Aeronautical Engineering.
His early assignments included Wake Island, Alameda, Burbank, and Baltimore, where he worked to support air bases, routing, and the maintenance of the Pan American “Clippers”, flying boats with transatlantic ranges.
He transferred to the New York engineering staff in 1943 and three years later was appointed Chief Project Engineer. In 1963, he was named Chief Engineer. He was elected Vice President and Chief Engineer in 1971. He retired as Technical Advisor in 1980, but continued with Pan Am as a consultant for another year.
Working at a time when commercial airlines partnered with manufacturers in the design and development of aircraft and engines, Mr. Borger was legendary as a generalist who could speak with equal fluency and technical precision on everything from seat design to engine thrust. Likewise, his career at Pan Am spanned so many years (47), that his experience was equally expansive – he worked on Clippers, Constellations, DC-6, Boeing 707 and 747’s, the Falcon, the Concorde, and the US SST.
Beginning in 1952, he served on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s advisory committee on Aerodynamics, Aircraft Operating Problems and Aircraft Energy Efficiency and the subcommittee on Aircraft Loads. He was a member of the Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board of the National Academy of Engineering. He was a member of the International Advanced Aircraft Advisory Committee from 1974 until he retired.
He is an Honorary Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics for his pioneering work in aeronautics. He is a fellow of the Society of Automotive Engineers.
Mr. Borger loved to travel with his wife, Muriel, and especially enjoyed visiting his children and grandchildren.
He is survived by his daughter, Barbara B. Townsend, Esq., of Shippensburg, PA; his son, Lawrence F. Borger and wife Jane, of Bisbee, AZ; seven grandchildren; and fourteen great grandchildren.
In addition to his parents and wife, he was preceded in death by one son, John G. Borger, II, and his wife Dorothy.
A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m., on Saturday, August 20, 2011, at Christ United Methodist Church, 47 East King St. Shippensburg, PA 17257. The Fogelsanger-Bricker Funeral Home, Inc., Shippensburg, has been entrusted with his funeral arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the M.I.T. Annual Fund-Pan Am Fund, 600 Memorial Drive, W98-100 Cambridge, MA 02139-4822
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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