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by Col. Douglas B. Netherwood When a 2nd lieutenant in the Coast Artillery Corps, was detailed in the Signal Corps in December 1913 for aviation duty and reported at the Signal Corps Aviation School, San Diego, Calif, on Dec. 17, 1913. Received flying training under Mr. Oscar A. Brindley, the first civilian instructor regularly employed by the Signal Corps. Received dual instruction in Wright Type B airplane No. 3 and made first solo flight in that airplane on February 7, 1914. Learned to fly with the Curtiss control system at San Diego in 1914 when that system was adopted as standard and the Wright system discontinued. Received F.I.A. Aviators Certificate No. 312, in 1914. Rated Junior Military Aviator in Aug. 1914. Expert Aviators Certificate No. 41 received in 1915. Rated Military Aviator in Aug. 1917. Rated Airplane Pilot in 1920. Rated Airplane Observer in 1932. Rated Command Pilot in 1939. Rated Combat Observer in 1939. Sailed for Philippine Islands in Jan. 1916 and served at Fort Mills, Corregidor Island in 1st Company, 2nd Aero Squadron until end of May 1917. On April 10, 1917, experienced first "spin" involuntarily falling 2200 feet out of control and regained control 100 feet above the waters of Manila Bay. Duty in office Chief Signal Officer and Director of Military Aeronautics, Washington, D.C., Aug. to Nov. 1917. Commanded Love Field, Dallas, Texas, Nov. 1917 to April 1918. Commanded Aviation Repair Depot, Dallas, Texas, Nov. 1917 until March 1921, when that activity was consolidated with the Air Intermediate Depot, San Antonio, Texas. Served as A.I.D., San Antonio, Texas March to June 1921. Commanded Souths Field, Americus, Ga., June 1921 until Feb. 1922. Duty in New York City, with Organized reserves, 2nd Corps Area, from Feb. 1921 to January 1925. Student, Army Industrial College, Washington, D.C., Feb. to June 1925, graduating upon completion of course. Student, Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration Sept. 1925 to June 1927. Graduated with degree of Masters in Business Administration. Duty in Office of the Chief of the Air Corps, as Chief of Finance Division, July 1927 to July 1931. Student, Air Corps Tactical School, Sept. 1931 to June 1932. Graduated upon completion of course. Duty in Philippine Islands Oct. 1932 to Sept. 19334 as Department Air Officer,Commanding Officer, Nichols Field and Group Commander 4th Composite Group. Duty Office of the Chief of Air Corps Dec. 1934 to Aug. 1935. Student, Army War College, Fort Humphreys, D.C., Aug. 1935 to June 1936. Graduated upon completion of course. Duty on Air Corps Board, Maxwell Field, Montgomery, Ala., Aug. 1936 to date. Director of the Board since March 1939. On "flying status" continually from December 18, 1913 to date. Never engaged in any spectacular flights, never in the public eye and never established a record. Only possible claim to fame, of no historice value and of very doubtful importance, is learning to fly more than a year before first driving an automoble. Faithfully transcribed May 24, 1998, by Douglas B. Netherwood III, from 24 pages of handwritten notes of Douglas B. Netherwood written with pencil in his own hand, in draft, approximately early 1940. The notes were presumably the basis for his preparing a final draft for submission to official military records |
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