Russell Worth

By Mary Kyne

Russel as Delta Airline Captain

Russel during WW2

PT. 189

During World War II, American PT boats engaged enemy destroyers and numerous other surface craft, ranging from small boats to large supply ships. PT boats also operated as gunboats against enemy small craft, such as armored barges used by the Japanese forces for inter-island transport.

Manchester Evening News1971

Russell Worth

Boghall, Oughterard.

FACTFILE

1924 Born in Lynn, near Boston Mass

Mother – Co. Monaghan.

Father – Manchester, England.

1942 Joined U.S. Navy.

1943 Fought aboard PT189, in Pacific.

1945 Recommended for Bronze Star.

1946 Learned to Fly.

1948 Left Navy.

1951 Joined Northeast Airlines.

Co-Pilot on DC3,s

1956 Promoted Captain.

1957 Elected for one year term as Selectman for SalisburyMass.

1958 Re-elected.

1959 Re-elected.

1965 Chief Captain at Boston Base (over 400 pilots).

1970 Married Phyllis.

1972 Northeast merges with Delta,

Chief at Miami Base (600 Pilots).

1973 Bought Boghall in Oughterard.

1984 Retired from Delta as L1011 Captain.

Profiles in Courage

On the afternoon of the 30th December 1944, PT189 came to the assistance of USS ORESTES which had been severely damaged in a Kamikaze attack at MargarinBay in the Philippines.

Russell Worth was recommended for the Bronze Star Medal for bravery. The citation read in part:

“Aware of personal danger to himself in struggling with frantic survivors and the possibility of 80,000 gallons of 100 octane gasoline carried as cargo aboard the USS ORESTES exploding, dove into the water and towed survivors to the PT189 where they were taken aboard and treated for burns, abrasions, shock and wounds resulting from the exploding ammunition”.

DELTAS’s International Promotion 1974

Russell featured in DELTA’S International Promotion in TIME MAGAZINE April 1974. The advertisement read as follows:

“DELTA is an air line run by professionals like Russ Worth. Russ made his first airline flight over 22 years ago. Since that time, he has flown the DC-4, the DC-6, the DC-8 and the DC-9 jet. Now he’s a DELTA 727 Captain with over 15,000 hours and 6 million miles under his seat belt. Russ Worth is a Captain you can count on. And DELTA has over a thousand more like him.

DELTA is ready when you are.”

Phyllis and Russell’s stay in Oughterard

Phyllis and Russell endeared themselves to everyone from the very beginning. Russell became actively involved in community affairs from the start. He was involved in the Angling Club, the Show Committee and the TidyTown’s Committee. He was a familiar sight in his overalls with a can of paint and brushes in his hand.

He painted all the park benches, water pumps, the Boat House building and gave a new look to old ruins within the town.

He picked litter and kept a watchful eye on litter black-spots in the town. He took great pride in his adopted village. Russell was a kind, honest, generous man who willingly helped all who sought his assistance.

A Remarkable Coincidence

Russell was a dear friend of the late Tommy and Evelyn Tuck. At dinner one evening they were discussing their respective ancestors. Tommie produced an old newspaper showing his father coming back from World War1. Russell to his amazement recognised his father, Russell Senior, marching to the extreme right of Fred Tuck, Tommy’s father.

Their fathers belonged to the same regiment who fought side by side in World War 1 in Belgium. They were sappers – they dug tunnels under German trenches during the war.

Manchester Evening News 15th November 1971

The front cover of the Newspaper had a half page photo, the caption read;

“Photo1919 Coming Home”

Men of the 8th Battalion on the Manchester Regiment marching along London Rd., Manchester on their return from Belgium. Captain Stewart is leading.”

Russell and his wife Phyllis left Oughterard and settled in Florida. They still keep in contact with Tommie Tuck.

Note: Extract from “The Oughterard Newsletter” 1994.

Compiled by Dick Gilbert.

Additional information was supplied by Tommie Tuck Junior

This page was added on 09/07/2011.