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508:"The landing platform, constructed of pine planks, was 130 feet long by 32 feet wide. Ten feet of it hung at an angle – with a drop of four feet – over the stern of the ship. The arresting gear comprised 21 ropes – each with 50-pound sandbags attached to either end – laid across the runway. Each rope was suspended 8 inches above the deck. Three hooks had been affixed to the underside of the aircraft to catch on the ropes when the landing was made".
436:
408:, his plane was late pulling out of a dive and crashed. Ely jumped clear of the wrecked aircraft, but his neck was broken, and he died a few minutes later. Spectators picked the wreckage clean looking for souvenirs, including Ely's gloves, tie, and cap. On what would have been his twenty-fifth birthday, his body was returned to his birthplace for burial.
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in 1904 (when he would have been 17), the registrar of ISU reports that there is no record of his having done so – nor did he attend the
University of Iowa or the University of Northern Iowa. Ely likewise does not appear in the graduations lists for Davenport High School. By 1904, Ely was employed
347:
Ely communicated with the United States Navy requesting employment, but United States naval aviation was not yet organized. Ely continued flying in exhibitions while
Captain Chambers promised to "keep him in mind" if Navy flying stations were created. Captain Chambers advised Ely to cut out the
219:, but Ely, believing that flying was as easy as driving a car, offered to fly it. He ended up crashing it instead, and feeling responsible, he bought the wreck from Wemme. Within a few months he had repaired the aircraft and learned to fly. He flew it in the Portland area, then headed to
288:. The airplane plunged downward as soon as it cleared the 83-foot platform runway; and the aircraft wheels dipped into the water before rising. Ely's goggles were covered with spray, and the aviator promptly landed on a beach rather than circling the harbor and landing at the
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posthumously to Ely, "for extraordinary achievement as a pioneer civilian aviator and for his significant contribution to the development of aviation in the United States Navy." An exhibit of retired naval aircraft at
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of automobiles. He married Mabel Hall on August 7, 1907; he was 21 and she was 17, which meant the marriage required her mother's consent; they honeymooned in
Colorado. The Elys relocated to
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156:. Having completed the eighth grade, he graduated from Davenport Grammar School 4 in January 1901. Although some sources indicate that he attended and graduated from the
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Modifications for take-off required outfitting the ship with "an 83-foot-long ramp, sloping 5 degrees over the bow. The ramp’s forward edge was 37 feet above the water".
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as planned. John Barry Ryan, head of the U.S. Aeronautical
Reserve, offered $ 500 to build the platform, and a $ 500 prize, for a ship-to-shore flight.
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To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the flight, navy commander Bob
Coolbaugh flew a personally built replica of Ely's Curtiss from the runway at
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on
November 12, 2010. The U.S. Navy planned to feature the flying demonstration at Naval anniversary events across America.
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Moore, John
Hammond (January 1981). "The Short, Eventful Life of Eugene B. Ely". United States Naval Institute Proceedings.
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344:. Ely told a reporter: "It was easy enough. I think the trick could be successfully turned nine times out of ten."
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Two months later, on
January 18, 1911, Ely landed his Curtiss Pusher airplane on a platform on the
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592:, August 26, 1904, p. 4; September 28, 1904, p. 4; December 3, 1904, p. 8; December 5, 1904, p. 1
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quoted Ely as replying: "I guess I will be like the rest of them, keep at it until I am killed."
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sensational features for his safety and the sake of aviation. When asked about retiring,
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Special Collections Center, Davenport Public Library, March 26, 2012
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First fixed-wing aircraft landing on a warship: Ely landing his plane on board the
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533:"IAGenWeb: Iowa County, Iowa: BMD - the Netha Meyer Obituary Collection Index"
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Becky Jordan, reference specialist, Iowa State
University, March 12, 2012
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Aviators killed in aviation accidents or incidents in the United States
274:. This led to two experiments. On November 14, 1910, Ely took off in a
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For his efforts to advance naval aviation Ely was inducted into the
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Williamsburg (IA) Historical Commission Obituary Collection Index
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in Virginia bears Ely's name, and a granite historical marker in
886:"EAAer Flies Curtiss Pusher Replica in Navy Centennial Ceremony"
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Mersky, P. (2011). "Ely's Flights – Part 1, The First Launch".
227:, Ely's first reported exhibition on behalf of Curtiss was in
169:), Ely set the speed record between Iowa City and Davenport.
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Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)
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system, designed and built by circus performer and aviator
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as a chauffeur to the Rev. Fr. Smyth, a Catholic priest in
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Hiller B. Zobel, John H. Zobel, "Those Magnificent Men",
176:
and was active there in the early days of the sales and
128:(October 21, 1886 – October 19, 1911) was an American
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On October 19, 1911, while flying at an exhibition in
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from a temporary platform erected over the bow of the
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Approach: The Naval Safety Center's Aviation Magazine
172:Ely was living in San Francisco at the time of the
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1591:Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in 1911
1024:, U.S. Naval Institute biography by John H. Moore
476:, the first pilot to take off from a moving ship
685:"Nevada City auto-stage driver set sights high"
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132:, credited with the first shipboard aircraft
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1067:Aviators killed in early aviation accidents
1022:"The Short, Eventful Life of Eugene B. Ely"
938:Skylark: the life, lies, and inventions of
411:On February 16, 1933, Congress awarded the
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482:, the first pilot to land on a moving ship
464:List of fatalities from aviation accidents
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1581:Accidental deaths in Georgia (U.S. state)
111:Distinguished Flying Cross (posthumously)
1566:National Aviation Hall of Fame inductees
258:In October, Ely and Curtiss met Captain
235:pilot's license #17 on October 5, 1910.
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306:in San Francisco Bay, January 18, 1911.
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788:Demers, D.J. (2011). "What goes up…".
969:, Vol. XVIII No. 3 p. 14 (March 1933)
16:American aviation pioneer (1886–1911)
7:
860:"JSF's Trouble Stopping on the Boat"
270:, to investigate military uses for
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262:, USN, who had been appointed by
174:great earthquake and fire of 1906
918:. National Aviation Hall of Fame
527:1900 census, Scott County, Iowa.
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231:in July 1910. Ely received the
1586:People from Williamsburg, Iowa
1003:Article in Hampton-Roads Pilot
647:Moore (January 1981) pp. 58–63
394:National Aviation Hall of Fame
215:. Wemme was unable to fly the
1:
1561:United States naval aviation
1150:Antonio Fernández Santillana
1551:People from Davenport, Iowa
834:"Accessed February 8, 2007"
808:"Accessed February 8, 2007"
1607:
1576:American aviation pioneers
1328:Reginald Archibald Cammell
957:, October 21, 1911, p. 16.
469:List of firsts in aviation
413:Distinguished Flying Cross
260:Washington Irving Chambers
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1008:February 7, 2011, at the
561:, January 21, 1901, p. 4.
418:Naval Air Station Norfolk
380:replica in flight in 2011
264:George von Lengerke Meyer
199:, Wemme purchased one of
30:
778:, Winter 2011, pp. 46–51
714:Atlantic Daily Telegraph
674:, August 29, 1907, p. 10
661:courtesy of Cathy Gowder
272:aviation within the Navy
350:The Des Moines Register
247:Ely takes off from the
203:'s first four-cylinder
182:Nevada City, California
1546:Curtiss-Wright Company
990:Cite journal requires
912:"Enshrinee Eugene Ely"
605:, April 26, 1906, p. 5
422:Newport News, Virginia
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221:Minneapolis, Minnesota
81:Williamsburg, Iowa, US
474:Charles Rumney Samson
330:San Bruno, California
324:. Ely flew from the
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268:Secretary of the Navy
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239:Naval aviation firsts
158:Iowa State University
1488:Samuel Franklin Cody
916:nationalaviation.org
892:on November 25, 2010
737:on November 17, 2015
716:, July 2, 1910, p. 6
689:Nevada City Advocate
480:Edwin Harris Dunning
332:, and landed on the
233:Aero Club of America
187:The couple moved to
1290:St. Croix Johnstone
866:. November 28, 2017
731:winnipegrealtors.ca
727:"WinnipegREALTORS®"
1250:George E. M. Kelly
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840:on August 19, 2012
658:Genforum Genealogy
326:Tanforan Racetrack
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101:United States Navy
53:Williamsburg, Iowa
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1110:Daniel J. Maloney
1028:Eugene Burton Ely
967:U.S. Air Services
814:on April 12, 2010
776:American Heritage
322:San Francisco Bay
290:Norfolk Navy Yard
213:Pacific Northwest
207:and acquired the
126:Eugene Burton Ely
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152:, and raised in
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342:Hugh Robinson
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1504:Dec 10, 1913
1498:Aurel Vlaicu
1494:Sep 13, 1913
1474:May 27, 1913
1464:Dec 15, 1912
1454:Sep 28, 1912
1444:Sep 28, 1912
1434:Sep 11, 1912
1408:John Verrept
1404:Apr 17, 1912
1384:Mar 10, 1912
1374:Feb 17, 1912
1354:Oct 31, 1911
1347:
1344:Oct 19, 1911
1334:Sep 29, 1911
1324:Sep 17, 1911
1314:Sep 16, 1911
1286:Aug 15, 1911
1276:Aug 15, 1911
1270:Denise Moore
1266:Jul 21, 1911
1256:Jun 18, 1911
1246:May 10, 1911
1230:John Moisant
1226:Dec 31, 1910
1216:Dec 31, 1910
1206:Nov 17, 1910
1200:Jorge Chávez
1196:Sep 27, 1910
1176:Jul 12, 1910
1136:Sep 22, 1909
1116:Sep 17, 1908
1106:Jul 18, 1905
1086:Aug 10, 1896
1032:Find a Grave
983:cite journal
966:
962:
954:
949:
940:Harry Atwood
937:
932:
920:. Retrieved
915:
906:
894:. Retrieved
890:the original
880:
870:November 14,
868:. Retrieved
864:Military.com
863:
854:
842:. Retrieved
838:the original
828:
816:. Retrieved
812:the original
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741:November 14,
739:. Retrieved
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559:Daily Leader
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537:the original
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334:Pennsylvania
333:
320:anchored in
317:Pennsylvania
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303:Pennsylvania
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125:
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65:(1911-10-19)
18:
1541:1911 deaths
1536:1886 births
1508:LĂ©on Letort
1484:Aug 7, 1913
1424:Jul 5, 1912
1414:Jul 1, 1912
1394:Apr 3, 1912
1368:Tod Shriver
1364:Dec 2, 1911
1304:Sep 8, 1911
1236:Jan 9, 1911
1186:Aug 3, 1910
1166:Apr 2, 1910
1156:Jan 4, 1910
1146:Dec 6, 1909
1126:Sep 7, 1909
1096:Oct 2, 1899
922:February 3,
896:December 6,
590:Daily Press
387:NAS Norfolk
1530:Categories
1348:Eugene Ely
588:Iowa City
557:Davenport
516:References
285:Birmingham
251:Birmingham
197:Soon after
144:Background
119:Mabel Hall
103:(civilian)
87:Allegiance
46:1886-10-21
1438:Paul Peck
844:April 24,
699:March 12,
543:March 12,
396:in 1965.
209:franchise
116:Spouse(s)
1006:Archived
796:(1): 48.
428:See also
338:tailhook
229:Winnipeg
211:for the
205:biplanes
167:Franklin
95:Service/
764:(1): 3.
138:landing
134:takeoff
266:, the
178:racing
108:Awards
97:branch
487:Notes
400:Death
996:help
924:2023
898:2010
872:2021
846:2004
820:2010
743:2015
701:2012
545:2012
315:USS
301:USS
283:USS
249:USS
136:and
72:, US
60:Died
55:, US
40:Born
1030:at
328:in
1532::
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985:}}
981:{{
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762:56
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48:)
44:(
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