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The Original First US Military Aviators - Reference Thread


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Dwight and Paul,

 

Re: Post 123

 

For the benefit of future historians who might be interested in doing some continuing research on Major Samuel P. McLeary based on Dwight's fine work.

 

With a few minor corrections highlighted, here is some additional information concerning his unfortunate death and the two men who committed the crime.

_________________________________________

 

On July 1, 1924, driving a five passenger Dodge automobile, Major McLeary left Fort Monroe, Norfolk, Virginia for his new assignment at Fort Moultrie, Charleston Harbor, South Carolina (not Ft. Moultrie, Indiana). His wife, Louise Lipscomb McLeary (married 1913), would follow later.

 

On the morning of July 2, 1924, between Raleigh, North Carolina and Sanford, North Carolina, he was stopped by two men, Mortimer H. King and his brother-in-law Frank Harrell (not July Harold), who asked for a lift. The Major agreed. Reaching Rockingham, North Carolina shortly before noon, McLeary kindly bought the two men lunch, and King mailed a letter to his wife at the post office. The party then continued southward. Around 2 PM, approximately 11 1/2 miles south of Cheraw, South Carolina, the trip turned ugly when King and Harrell ordered McLeary to pull over to the side of the road to rob him and steal the car. They then ordered McLeary out of the car and King shot him twice in the head. The two men then dragged the body and dumped it in some bushes about 200 feet away from the road.

 

When the Major failed to arrive at Ft. Moultrie the authorities were notified. A few days later his car was found in Canton, North Carolina, just west of Asheville, North Carolina. King lived near where the car was found and was arrested. Harrell was captured in Nashville, Tennessee.

 

King led authorities to the scene of the crime but only a few remains and the skull of Major McLeary were found. Burial was in Arlington, National Cemetery.

 

In September, 1924, the trial for King and Harrell took place in Chester, South Carolina. Both men were found guilty and on December 5, 1924, they were electrocuted at State Prison, Columbia, South Carolina.

His father, Judge James H. McLeary, left Puerto Rico in November 1913 because of ill health. He died on January 5, 1914 at Walter Read Hospital, and is also buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

 

Judge James H. McLeary:

Cliff: Thanks for the corrections and very interesting post. Where did you find that information, which is obviously complete and accurate.? Great post. Dwight (drmessimer)

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This is some additional information on Hap Arnold, Charles DeF. Chandler, Byron Q. Jones, and Hollis Leroy Muller.

 

After he retired, Chandler was the editor of the Ronald Aeronautical Series, which was published by the Ronald Press Company, NY. That was the same press that published Chandler and Lahm’s, How Our Army Grew Wings. In addition to writing How Our Army Grew Wings with Lahm, he also wrote Balloon and Airship Gasses, with Walter S. Diehl, and Free and Captive Balloons, with Ralph H. Upson.

 

Hap Arnold also wrote a book that was published as a part of the Roland Aeronautical Series, titled, Airmen and Aircraft.

 

Byron Q. Jones wrote Practical Flying that the Roland Press published in 1928. On the title page Jones identified himself as “Major Air Corps U.S. Army and Chief of Army Aviation Training in the World War.” At the time he wrote the book, September 1928, he was a major at Ft. Omaha, NE. There are also two references to Jones in the Air Service Journal about his WWI experience. In the 12 July 1917 issue he is described as the commanding officer of Selfridge Field, and in the 1 November 1917 issue he is reported to have been rated a Military Aviator on 24 July 1917.

 

There are three references to Hollis LeRoy Muller in the Air Service Journal. The first, which appeared in the 12 July 1917 issue, reported that he had been promoted to Captain in the Aviation Section of the Signal Corps, which is confusing because according to the AG file he was promoted to captain in the Coast Artillery Corps on 5 October 1916. The second and third references to him appear in the 6 September 1917 Air Service Journal issue, announcing that he had been rated as a JMA with no date for the rating given. The final reference was in the same issue and said that he had been “relieved from detail with the Aviation Section and ordered to Ft. Crockett, TX where he is to report to the commanding officer of the Galveston Coast Defense for duty with the CAC.” It seems that his aviation career ended at that time, which is why we haven’t found any more information about him. Dwight

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Dwight, Cliff & Paul,

 

This growing bank of well researched posts on our Army's original aviators has become a real show-case of shared knowledge. I appreciate all of your time and effort in developing this thread and look forward to learning more about this unique group of individuals.

 

Russ

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Russ,

 

I agree with your sentiment...Cliff and Dwight have done most of the heavy lifting throughout this thread. Starting with a curiosity and a desire to simplify, to the extent possible, the roles played in early aviation by these particular men, all bound together by their receipt of the first badges, I have learned far more than I would have first anticipated.

 

For my part, it has been a struggle to keep the focus on these guys because there were so many others significantly involved in developing early aviation. The difficulty in maintaining the focus is exacerbated by the fact that the fortunes and ambitions of this group of men widely varied after having earned their badges. I've found the existing published works somewhat difficult to read, partly due to their lack of a focus compatible with mine.

 

However, as with many studies, ancillary discoveries are often quite interesting and can contribute to better understanding the topic at hand. Along that line of thought, I recently happened across a remarkable picture of Harriet Quimby (1875-1912), the first woman to be awarded a pilot's license in the United States. Since she wasn't a Military Aviator, I hadn't been interested in her any more than any of the other non-MAs.

 

But 2 things struck me as I looked more closely at her picture; first, she was a remarkably beautiful woman. I've looked at a lot of old photographs of that period, but rarely do you find a pretty woman in them who could stand with some of today's beauties as Harriet could have easily done. Second, look closely at her expression at the controls of her aircraft. How many times has anyone having had the pleasure of introducing a budding new pilot, or even just an appreciative passenger to the experience of flying for the first few flights seen a similar expression of exuberance on their faces? And she was gone from the scene a year before the first MA badges were handed out...

 

PS

post-3515-1281125505.jpg

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Russ,

 

I agree with your sentiment...Cliff and Dwight have done most of the heavy lifting throughout this thread. Starting with a curiosity and a desire to simplify, to the extent possible, the roles played in early aviation by these particular men, all bound together by their receipt of the first badges, I have learned far more than I would have first anticipated.

 

For my part, it has been a struggle to keep the focus on these guys because there were so many others significantly involved in developing early aviation. The difficulty in maintaining the focus is exacerbated by the fact that the fortunes and ambitions of this group of men widely varied after having earned their badges. I've found the existing published works somewhat difficult to read, partly due to their lack of a focus compatible with mine.

 

However, as with many studies, ancillary discoveries are often quite interesting and can contribute to better understanding the topic at hand. Along that line of thought, I recently happened across a remarkable picture of Harriet Quimby (1875-1912), the first woman to be awarded a pilot's license in the United States. Since she wasn't a Military Aviator, I hadn't been interested in her any more than any of the other non-MAs.

 

But 2 things struck me as I looked more closely at her picture; first, she was a remarkably beautiful woman. I've looked at a lot of old photographs of that period, but rarely do you find a pretty woman in them who could stand with some of today's beauties as Harriet could have easily done. Second, look closely at her expression at the controls of her aircraft. How many times has anyone having had the pleasure of introducing a budding new pilot, or even just an appreciative passenger to the experience of flying for the first few flights seen a similar expression of exuberance on their faces? And she was gone from the scene a year before the first MA badges were handed out...

 

PS

 

Paul: Yor're right, she was a beauty, but the claim that she was the "first licensed woman pilot" isn't exactly correct. There was no pilot licensing until 1926, for men or women. In 1912, anyone with enough nerve could fly a plane without restriction, except possibly the prohibition on Sunday flights. And there were many pilots who flew without the ACA's FAI Basic Certificate. She was the first woman that the ACA licensed to take part in ACA sanctioned air meets. The ACA issued the basic FAI Pilot's Certificate, and for an additional fee, the holder of the FAI Certificate could obtain an ACA license to compete in sanctioned ACA events. That was the license she had. Interestingly, when she was killed in 1912, she was taking part in an unsanctioned air meet. Dwight

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.

Two more fine photos of Roy C. Kirkland

 

The top photo was taken around 1911 while sitting in a Wright Flyer. The bottom photo was taken in San Diego circa 1914/15.

post-4542-1281323032.jpg

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I hadn't appreciated that Willis was such a short man. All the pictures I've seen of him are of him alone or seated with others. I suspect most of those guys were small and light weight due to the need to keep the weight down in those underpowered machines. Any idea how tall Hap Arnold and some of the others were? I wouldn't be at all surprised to discover that most of them were fairly slight of stature.

 

Paul

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  • 2 weeks later...

Was Loren H. Call a Military Aviator? He was killed in Texas City, Texas, on July 8, 1913 flying a Wright Model B or C. It was Army #11.

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Was Loren H. Call a Military Aviator? He was killed in Texas City, Texas, on July 8, 1913 flying a Wright Model B or C. It was Army #11.

 

Unfortunately no; however, he was in the process of completing the requirements for his Military Aviator rating at the time of the accident.

 

-cp

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  • 3 weeks later...

Here is another WWII vintage HQ photo of Gen. Brereton taken in London Nov. 1943. Note that he was not wearing his early badge. I was doing some reading about the Ploesti mission in support of some things I got in from one of those airmen and noted a comment that Brereton developed much of the plan for that mission and was unwilling to hear any views other than his own on the subject. If others voiced objection, they were quickly gone. He had a reputation for being brusque and close-minded. Standing in a group with other men on either side of him on this particular occasion, he was the shortest man in the group, continuing what seems to be a common trait of the early MAs...they tended to be smallish men.

post-3515-1283995850.jpg

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He had a reputation for being brusque and close-minded. Standing in a group with other men on either side of him on this particular occasion, he was the shortest man in the group, continuing what seems to be a common trait of the early MAs...they tended to be smallish men.

 

General Brereton had three wifes. How many did Napoleon have?

 

:rolleyes:

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  • 2 weeks later...
Here is another WWII vintage HQ photo of Gen. Brereton taken in London Nov. 1943. Note that he was not wearing his early badge. I was doing some reading about the Ploesti mission in support of some things I got in from one of those airmen and noted a comment that Brereton developed much of the plan for that mission and was unwilling to hear any views other than his own on the subject. If others voiced objection, they were quickly gone. He had a reputation for being brusque and close-minded. Standing in a group with other men on either side of him on this particular occasion, he was the shortest man in the group, continuing what seems to be a common trait of the early MAs...they tended to be smallish men.

 

Paul,

 

On the day of the attack on Pearl Harbor (December 8, 1941, in Manila), General Douglas MacArthur was Allied commander in the Philippines. He had over eight hours warning of a possible Japanese attack on the Philippines, and express orders from Army Chief of Staff General George C. Marshall to commence operations.

 

MacArthur's failure to take defensive or offensive action resulted in Japanese air superiority over the Philippines — MacArthur's inability to act during the critical hours has been called "dereliction of duty" by author and historian William H. Bartsch.

 

A misplaced reliance by MacArthur on his air commander of only two months, General Lewis H. Brereton, has been used as an excuse by his defenders. Despite clear warnings of Japanese aggression, Brereton had not transitioned his air defenses to a war footing, and like the air commanders at Hickam Field at Pearl Harbor, failed to disperse aircraft properly in camouflaged revetments to limit damage from incoming air raids. Brereton's difficulties were magnified by the fact that the Far East Air Force (FEAF) was mostly a motley collection of obsolescent U.S. and Philippine Air Force planes. The FEAF was, however, in possession of 72 operational front line P-40 Warhawk fighters. MacArthur's lack of aggressiveness led to most U.S. aircraft being caught on the ground and destroyed.

 

Later, MacArthur would publicly defend Brereton, while privately concluding he was incompetent.

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Cliff,

One of the more rewarding products of this study has been to seek and learn more of the post 1913 awarding of the MA badges and how the first aviators interacted with one another and with the Army. Much of the knowledge I've developed has been more of an empirical nature rather than taking too much from the published works of others, although I haven't ignored them altogether. To me, some of the pictures can be revealing--notably, who is present in them and who is not. The 1943 picture of Brereton in London (a few posts above) seems revealing in that the other attendees were all British (it was a British award) except for BG Paul Peabody, who, judging from his ribbons and badges, was a ground pounder. Where were the other AAF brass? Of course since the event date, Nov 1943, was a few months after the disastrous August Ploesti raid and a couple of years after the FEAF losses, it's possible that other AAF brass were even then distancing themselves from Brereton.

 

For instance during the 1953 Air Force celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the 1903 first flight, I see Lahm, Fulois, Spaatz, and Milling prominent in the pictures, but Brereton is absent, Most likely his public feud with MacArthur placed him in a weak position to socially interact with those men at such an event, even though he was about equal in rank with them. Maybe Hap Arnold was his cover and Gen. Arnold died in 1950. I have seen Brereton in very few post WWII pictures or articles although he lived until 1967.

 

Paul

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Later, MacArthur would publicly defend Brereton, while privately concluding he was incompetent.

 

Wasn't that pretty much MacAurthur's modus operandi for everything that cast a negative light on his career goals--until he pushed it one step to far?

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Wasn't that pretty much MacAurthur's modus operandi for everything that cast a negative light on his career goals--until he pushed it one step to far?

 

 

Yes.

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I have very much appreciated this thread. It has reminded me of the rich aviation history we have. I got and am reading Hennessy's book The United States Army Air Arm which is available online. I will forever be on the lookout for the 1913 badge as I think there are still some out there. I have held one that is in a private collection and it is a lovely badge. I would like to hear some stories about how collectors have come to acquire this piece.

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  • 2 months later...

I flew quite a bit in the Los Angeles basin area years ago and had been looking up various familiar areas in the the USC and UCLA picture databases. The 2 pictures below are interesting on several levels. First, the 1925 aerial view of the El Segundo refinery, which is still there, is an unusually clear picture for that period. I couldn't find a newer aerial view from that same vantage point, but did find a 1962 picture taken looking in almost a perfect 180-deg. reverse angle. Of interest is the near total absence of population build up in 1925 and the near total build out of that same area by 1962. Most of that building was done after WWII.

 

When you read of flights taken by the original 24 Military Aviators along the West Coast, the 1925 picture most nearly represents what they were seeing during their cross-country legs...which was not much. Weather is usually calm, foggy in the morning, breezy in the afternoon, hazy the rest of the time, and clear like these pictures show only occasionally (Patrick, correct me if things have changed).

 

Much of the area in the 1962 picture was formerly marshy land and loaded with oil derricks in the Lomita field. The Torrance Airport was built in 1942 and was home base for a P-38 squadron.

post-3515-1292712912.jpg

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  • 4 weeks later...

I found some additional pics at the Library of Congress. Go to their web site and search under "Harris and Ewing" which is an entire collection. Enter names like Milling, Kennedy, etc., or airplane. Great, high resolution pics from glass negatives.

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Cliff, what a wonderful picture of Lahm and Fulois...hadn't seen that one before. Nor do I recall seeing a picture of Fulois in profile...big head, may explain his success even without much formal training? From reading of him, I've tended to like him, even though I think he could rub people the wrong way. Then again, I suppose most of us have that capacity at one time or another.

 

PS

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All :

 

Perhaps someone can help and identify to brasses, officers and NCO's and

the location of the ceremony. I have identified only Maj.Gen.Ent ....most

of them seems to just been awarded the British DFC.

 

Thanks in advance

 

Alex Kpost-22525-1295396797.jpg

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