Crocker Snow Scholarship

The MAMA Crocker Snow Scholarship has been established to honor the memory of a true Massachusetts aviation pioneer. Crocker was born in Boston on February 26, 1905. As a child, he attended the first Massachusetts aviation gathering when he was taken to the 1910 Squantum Air Meet. This meet offered a $10,000 Boston Globe prize for the individual who could successfully fly from Squantum to Boston Light in the outer harbor, and return. It was here that Crocker was bitten by the aviation bug.

When Crocker graduated from Harvard College in 1926 he had already soloed and he established one of the area's first fixed-based operations at the then Boston Municipal Airport (now Logan International). Known as "Skyways, Inc.", it grew during the halcyon days of the 1920s. Flying duties were numerous and one of the many notable tasks he performed was his check-ride of Amelia Earhart prior to her first Trans-Atlantic crossing. Eventually, Crocker sold Skyways and was asked to draw up proposed legislation that would be enacted as the Commonwealth's first aeronautical law.

In 1938, then Governor Saltonstall appointed the first five members of the Massachusetts Aeronautics Commission and in 1939, Crocker was named as the Commission's first director. During the WW II years, Crocker was commissioned by the Army Air Corps to establish air bases and suitable air navigation facilities that would support the North Atlantic air routes to Europe. In the later years of the war, he became a B-29 squadron commander involved with the war in the Pacific.

When hostilities ended, Crocker returned home and resumed his duties as the director of the MAC, a position he held until the late 1970s. During this period of time, he developed many innovative airport and flight operational procedures, not only in Massachusetts but nation-wide. He served several terms on the Board of the National Aeronautics Association (NAA) and several terms on the Board of the National Aeronautics Association (NAA) and as president of the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO). Crocker was highly devoted to the development of all-weather instrument flying and IFR Category II precision instrument approaches. This led to his being drafted as the Chairman of the President's Aviation Advisory Committee. The committee ultimately made many successful recommendations regarding airport and air traffic improvements throughout the country and worldwide.

Crocker continued supporting aeronautical causes from his retirement in the late 1970's to his death in 1999. Chief among these was the promotion of an additional Runway 14-32 at Boston-Logan Airport that will greatly relieve air traffic congestion and delays.

Crocker's strong support in developing the Massachusetts Airport system has brought the Massachusetts Airport Management Association to recognize the long-standing contribution he has made over these many decades. Consequently, we are proud to offer the Massachusetts Airport Management Association sponsored scholarship in the name of Crocker Snow.