Currently residing in Alaska, James R. Partridge served as a pilot with Minnesota-based Northwest Airlines for over three decades, where he flew aircraft including the L-188, B-727, and B-747 as a captain. During this time with Northwest Airlines he was a designated pilot for the Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF) and flew personnel and equipment during the 1990-91 Persian Gulf War.
Colonel Lewis Brittin founded Northwest Airlines in 1926, originally operating the airline as a mail transport service between Chicago and the Twin Cities. However, in 1927, the airline began to fly passengers between Chicago and nearby states, and eventually made long-haul flights between Minneapolis and Tokyo, Japan, by 1947. The airline later partnered with KLM and flew to additional international destinations in Europe, Asia, and Africa. In 2008, Delta Airlines and Northwest Airlines merged, resulting in Northwest Airlines eventually operating under the name of Delta Airlines by 2010.
Northwest Airlines is recognized and remembered for making significant changes within the airline industry. For example, it was the first air carrier to prohibit smoking on flights. The airline is also respected for bolstering the Minnesota economy and influencing the establishment of the Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport.
