Capt. Niles Grover served in U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II. He flew 35 missions in the South Pacific Theater as a B‑24 aircraft commander and squadron commander. He was awarded the Flying Distinguished Cross. After the war, Niles worked for American Overseas Airlines (AOA) based in Iceland for one year. He flew B‑17s and C‑54s on air‑sea rescue missions, searching for planes and ships in distress. There was a boat attached to the bottom of the plane that could be dropped to survivors.
While in Iceland, Niles met a Danish AOA flight attendant named Birte "Chris" Christiansen. She was one of 8 multi‑lingual women out of 450 applicants selected in Europe by AOA in 1946. Niles and Chris were married in New York City in 1948, about two months after he was hired by Seaboard. They were married for 48 years. Chris volunteered to fly as a F/A for S&W with Niles and many times when they needed one. Niles was a Seaboard pilot for 30 years and also served in the Air Force Reserves from 1945 to 1955.
Niles is survived by his wife, Chris; son, Jan; and two grandchildren, Casey and Tyler.
Information courtesy of Niles's son Jan Grover