Hometown Marks Centennial of Naval Aviation Pioneer

The year 2011 marks the 100th anniversary of US naval aviation, and in addition to a few big celebrations we've heard about are many smaller ones honoring local pioneers. One such is coming on Sunday, October 23, when a fly-by is being coordinated over the grave site of Eugene Ely, the native Iowan who became the first person to take off and land an airplane on a ship.

Ely was a car mechanic and race driver who repaired a Curtiss airplane, taught himself to fly it, and went on to perform exhibition flights, with his wife, Mabel, serving as his manager and publicist. In late 1910, as a civilian aviator, Ely took off from a temporary platform erected over the bow of the scout cruiser Birmingham, successfully landing on the beach. He was reportedly made a lieutenant in the California National Guard to qualify his operations off ships for a $500 prize being offered at the time.

Two months later, in January 1911, while performing at San Francisco, California, he landed his plane on the armored cruiser Pennsylvania, and after a brief visit on board, flew back to shore. Ely died two days short of his 25th birthday when he was late pulling out of a dive at an exhibition in Macon, Georgia, 100 years ago this month, on October 19, 1911. He was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Ely is buried in the East York Cemetery, seven miles east of Williamsburg, Iowa. (The GPS coordinates are 41.39.45.02N, 91.52.33.98W.) Organizers say this is a very small private cemetery, located at end of a narrow gravel lane, in a farm field, about ¼ mile from a county road. Due to limited parking and the remote location, attendance at the ceremony on the ground will be open to access by the media, but by invitation-only to others.

At 1230 local time there will be a short memorial service with speakers including Captain Fritz Kies, USN, Anna Durr, an Ely relative, and Allen Haworth, who has led an effort to honor Ely's legacy the flyover is tentatively scheduled for 1250, approaching the cemetery from the east and flying west over the grave site Pilots who would like to participate in the fly-by are invited to contact Anton Vanicek (FMI below).

Following the grave site ceremony, a second commemoration will be held at the Williamsburg Recreation Center, where Haworth will conduct a program. The public is cordially invited.

FMI: Contact Anton Vanicek - Mobile: (563) 571-5711. Home: (563) 264-2497. Email: vaniusa@muscanet.com