Eugene Burton Ely 1886-1911; 1997 bio

HALL, ELY

Posted By: Gary Lillis (email)
Date: 3/17/2003 at 23:20:37

Eugene B. Ely was born in Davenport Iowa on 21 October 1886, and was raised on a farm near Williamsburg. In 1904, following graduation from Iowa State University, he moved to San Francisco, California, where he was active in the then-young automobile business as a salesman, chauffeur, mechanic and racing car driver. Ely married Mabel Hall, of Corte Madera, California, in 1907. She was to play a active role in his subsequent aviation career, acting as manager and publicist.

That phase of Ely's life began early in 1910, after he had relocated to Portland, Oregon, to continue his automotive work. There he encountered a Curtiss airplane, rebuilt the primitive machine, and taught himself to fly. Within a few months he had begun making exhibition flights, discovering that to be a financially rewarding use of his talents. Ely and his plane put on shows at Winnipeg, Manitoba, and Minneapolis, Minnesota, in June 1910 and met pioneer aviation entrepreneur Glenn Curtiss in the latter city. Quickly recognizing Ely's abilities, Curtiss took him on as a member of his commercial flying team.

Ely travelled extensively through the eastern United States during the following months, entertaining audiences with aerial exploits. In late October, while participating in an international air meet at Belmont Park, New York, he made contact with Captain Washington I. Chambers, the officer responsible for the Navy's embryonic aviation activities. This meeting resulted in Ely's performance of two pioneering acts of flying, both of immense significance to the future of maritime power: the first shipboard aircraft takeoff and landing.

The first of these events took place on 14 November 1910, in Hampton Roads, Virginia, when Ely took off from a temporary platform erected over the bow of the scout cruiser Birmingham. Two months later, on 18 January 1911, while performing at San Francisco, California, Ely landed his plane on the armored cruiser Pennsylvania, and after a brief visit on board, flew back to shore.

Remaining in the western U.S. during the first part of 1911, Ely continued a heavy schedule of air shows. He also joined the California National Guard, conducted some of the first military aviation flights, and became aviation aid to the state's Governor. In July Ely returned to the eastern part of the Nation, taking part in air exhibitions and races in several places. On 19 October 1911, while flying at Macon, Georgia, his plane crashed and Ely was killed. However, he was survived by his many contributions to the field of aviation, notably including the introduction of aircraft to the seagoing Navy. In 1933 Eugene B. Ely's historic achievements were posthumously recognized by the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross.

There is a display honoring Ely in the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington DC.

Eugene B. Ely is buried at the Harrington Cemetery East of Williamsburg, Iowa.

"Reprinted with permission:
Mark J. Denger, CW2, AG, CCMH, CA SMR
California Center for Military History, 1997
http://www.navalaviationhistory.com/EugeneBEly.html "

IA Genweb Gravestone Project
 

Iowa Biographies maintained by Steve Williams.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen