| PILOT
STORIES: Smith, Wesley L.
| Air
Mail Service Began: |
November 8, 1919 |
| Air
Mail Service Ended: |
June 15, 1927 |
| Total
Hours Flown: |
4029.26 |
| Total
Miles Flown: |
391,686 |
| Assignments: |
College Park, Maryland |
| |
December 8, 1919 –
Belmont Field, New York |
| |
December 15, 1919 –
Newark, New Jersey |
| |
February 1, 1920 –
College Park, Maryland |
| |
May 25, 1920 – Newark,
New Jersey |
| |
August 16, 1920 –
Hazelhurst Field, New York |
| |
December 16, 1924 –
Hadley Field, New Jersey |
On April 27, 1920 Wesley Smith was flying the
mail between College Park, Maryland and Newark, New Jersey
when he encountered a heavy fog. He flew over it, using his
compass. When he came down to see where he was, he flew into
trees on the Orange Mountains. Smith survived that crash and continued to fly for the Air Mail Service until it was
turned over to private contractors. At that time, Smith went
on to serve as the operations manager for National Aviation
Transport (NAT).
|
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