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In 1933 Max Lessner, a Rumanian with business experience in China, was appointed traffic manager at Shanghai. (But, he may have been born in Nagasak, Japan) On December 10, 1941, Bond left on the last plane, leaving traffic manager Charles Shafer and station manager Max Lessner in charge. As described earlier, Hong Kong was attacked on 8 December (Eastern Hemisphere time), and by the 18th, Japan controlled the entire Crown Colony. Max Lessner and Charles Shafer were captured by the Japanese on 25 December, and assigned to work in a medical unit, hauling wood and supplies. In June 1942, Shafer was allowed to leave on the Asam Maru for Laurenco Marques, then boarded the S.S. Gripsholm for the U.S. (in the first prisoner of war exchange). Lessner was allowed to go to Macau in March, and later worked his way to India, where he became Pan American's first airport manager at New Delhi. (Airlines of Pan American Since 1927 by Gene Banning) Also, Max L. Lessner was a Brokerage Foreman and the Station Manager at Calcutta. From the 1960-1962 CNAC Mailing list: Max Lessner & Sally (ED: but it might be Sarah) PAA, Prestwick, Scotland From the 1964 CNAC mailing list: Max Lessner, Pan American Airlines, Prestwick, Scotland From thwo 1965 CNAC mailing lists: Lessner, Max c/o PAA Prestwick Scotland From the 1976 CNAC Mailing List: Lost and Strayed Lessner, Max  Signed by Floyd Nelson and M.L. Lessner  October 6, 2004 Tom: RE: Max Lessner. I knew him fairly well after the war, when he was Pan Am's first Station Manager at New Delhi, retiring in the late 1950s or early 60s. Look in the index of my book, and go to all the pages, to find his history with CNAC. Max Lessner was far more than a Brokerage Foreman. Look him up in my book (Airlines of Pan American Since 1927) in the China section. I think I have written the best history of CNAC that you will find anywhere. Unfortunately, I have had no buyers or readers of this book that I am aware of in the CNAC group. You have a copy, please read all of the CNAC history and tell me what you think. I had hoped to sell quite a few to CNAC people, but none seem interested. What I wrote is their story, though it is a part of the whole Pan Am, and it covers CNAC from beginning to end, as seen by some of those who were there. I would dearly like to know if any of the group have read it and what they think. Can you help. I won't be in SFO for the reunion (CNAC 2004), but best wishies to all. Gene Banning Can you help?  or would like to be on the CNAC e-mail distribution list, please let the CNAC Web Editor, Tom Moore, know. Thanks! |