As Jim returned to flying missions for Air Burma in 1950 his log book entries and travel schedule began to change. Check flights with other pilots became frequent - Heisling; John Cameron; Begg; Ehretx; Judkins; Hargraves; Lynch; Dalrymple; Griffin; Broadley; Clarkson; Legge; Forte and Furley. Jim also made several trips to Hong Kong, home of Cathay Pacific Airways - April 18th to May 2nd; July 7th to the 18th; July 27th to August 1st and August 29th to September 8th. Jim also began flying frequently to Bangkok.
On June 22nd Jim left Rangoon for Bangalore, India via commercial flights to test and retrieve the C-47 #XY-ACB. This is the same plane that Jim was flying when he was wounded the November before. It is unknown what may have happened to the plane such that it required new test flights and acceptance. In any event, Jim flew XY-ACB back to Rangoon on the 29th.
A particularly important event was also recorded on March 29th -
Miss Joanne Harper made her debut at the Prome Road Nursing Home - Rangoon, Burma - at about 10:30 at night. This was the same facility where Jim was treated for his wounds and from where 'Nurse McDonald' wrote Jim's parents about his condition.
Jim and Sally were living in the midst of a civil war - a conflict that nearly cost him his life. And he was now a family man. In addition, Cathay Pacific decided in April 1950 to "pull the plug" on the Air Burma venture. Perhaps this was just a little too hot, even for them. So, it was not coincidence that Jim began, just after Joanne's birth, checking in more with Hong Kong and Syd de Kantzow.
As it turns out - the next extended stop in the odyssey was going to be Bandung, Indonesia.
The last Burmese registered aircraft Jim flew was July 25, 1950. The Harper family departed Rangoon for Hong Kong on August 9th never to return to Burma again.
Home was then Bangkok for a short while. During this time Jim flew some for Cathay Pacific out of Hong Kong. The last aircraft Jim flew before becoming attached to the Indonesian Air Force was the Cathay Pacific DC-4 VR-HEU. This plane will have a place in history.
Photos to home of the Bangkok house
"New Years Eve at the Lowes" - 1950 Bangkok
The reason for their presence in Bangkok at this time is unclear. It appears an acquaintance of Jim’s, Simeon (Sim) Baldwin was residing in Bangkok at the time. Sim and Jim’s paths crossed in significant ways later on down the road – as will be seen. Sim will become caught up in a serious international incident with the People's Republic of China in the 60’s that made national news for a fairly long period of time. A small AP report published in the New York Times, December 7, 1969, entitled "Chinese Release 2 Americans Seized Feb. 16 While Sailing" may be relevant to the Bangkok time of Jim and Sally.
Jim’s last pre-Indonesia log entry was –
While in Bangkok, Jim called on Malayan Airways about sales of Super DC-3’s. Perhaps Jim went to Bangkok to work with Sim in a business venture. Aviation industry sales makes sense relative to Jim and Sim's later association. Why that didn’t seem to last at this time is unknown. But, it is interesting that Sim had connections with what would become the Indonesian Air Force – the next stop for Jim and family.
It seems Jim’s contacts around Southeast Asia were substantial.
An intersting thing found in one of his parent's scrapbooks is the envelope of a letter Jim sent to them while he was in Bangkok.
The letter comes from "J.L. Harper - CPA - Bangkok, Siam" - the old world designation for Thailand. And J.L. Harper - CPA? This most likely means Cathay Pacific Airways.