Alexander P. de Seversky and the Quest for Air Power

14. The Prophet at Home and Abroad

212 14 The Prophet at Home and Abroad Near the time when the movie Victory through Air Power opened in New York City, Walt Disney, wife Lillian, and daughters Diane and Sharon stayed for several days at the de Seversky mansion on Long Island Sound. Alexander and Evelyn de Seversky often had company at what they considered their summer home. Because the pair participated in so many functions in the city, the rest of the year was spent mainly at their Central Park South apartment. The Long Island Railroad, however, made it easy for them to commute to their stand-alone residence whenever they had a free weekend. Obviously, their neighbors in Asharoken saw the Major enough times or at least appreciated his fame enough to elect him mayor of the village at war’s end. It was more honor than office. Besides the Disneys, another summer guest in 1943, and one who came every summer, was Nicholas, the son of Alexander Pishvanov, who supervised the domicile and servants in the absence of the owners. The rest of the time, Nick lived north of the city near the Catskills on a farm with his grandmother and step-grandfather and attended school in Livingston Manor.1 Wartime Activities “Uncle” Sasha and “Aunt” Evelyn treated Nick like the son they never had. Thus the highlight of the youth’s school year was to spend his Christmas vacation in the city and be pampered and peppered with gifts by the de Severskys. The interesting arrangement for Pishvanov’s son emerged from the fact that the father did not remarry until the late 1950s. Moreover, as 213 The Prophet at Home and Abroad Sasha’s friend and assistant, Pishvanov had to be prepared to go on a trip or commute to the city at a moment’s notice, leaving his son without a parent if he had lived with his father. Summers, however, brought everyone together in a relaxing environment for nearly three months. Summers also gave Pishvanov the chance to enjoy his favorite hobby. He cultivated and planted two vacant lots next to the house to produce an abundance of fresh vegetables and flowers to the delight of neighbors, the de Severskys, and any guests who stayed with them. He also maintained a fully equipped workshop that allowed him to repair or make almost anything whether in wood or metal.2 After gasoline rationing went into effect in seventeen eastern states on May 14, 1942, nonessential vehicles were limited to two or three gallons of fuel a week. The maximum allotment for essential vehicles was six gallons. Pishvanov responded to this necessary wartime restriction by making and adding a large rectangular container to a three-wheeled Cushman motor scooter. He could then ride the modified, gas-efficient scooter as often as he wished to the nearby town of Northport, where he picked up food and supplies for the house. The round-trip was approximately six miles. In summers, he actually began each day by going to town for newspapers for Sasha and Evelyn and any guests they might have. During the visit by the Disney family, Pishvanov plopped his son and Disney’s daughters—their ages ranged from seven to ten—in the large container for the short ride to Northport. Though squeezed together, the children relished the excursion. After picking up newspapers, he treated the children to breakfast at the popular Peter Pan Diner.3 During the day, the three families spent quite a bit of time outside the waterfront home and by the shore. Walt Disney joined in the fun, but he also put in some work reviewing a script in the house. While Evelyn and Lillian watched the children splashing about the water, the Major and his assistant fished. The fact that de Seversky surrounded himself with Russian-American friends, such as Pishvanov and Alexander A. Toochkoff, helps explain why he carried with him a strong Russian accent throughout his life. Later, Nick fondly remembered the Disney family visit and especially the creator and voice of Mickey Mouse. “Walt Disney,” he recalled, “was a most engaging person with a wonderful sense of humor. . . . We had an intercom from the house to the beach and you could count on Walt broadcasting various hilarious announcements from time to time.” If de Seversky and Pishvanov 214 The Prophet at Home and Abroad caught bluefish, the Major cooked supper. Afterward, he strapped...