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
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).
A newspaper clipping detailing a crash by Wesley L. Smith. Fortunately, Smith survived although the airplane and mail did not.