GEORGE EDWARD BELL 1896?-1918

George E. Bell Collection of George Bell's niece Courtesy of Michael Patterson, 8-4-05

 

Collection of George Bell's niece Courtesy of Michael Patterson, 8-4-05

 

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES From the niece of George Bell Courtesy of Michael Patterson, 8-4-05      "My wife and I visited Arlington in June, 2005. We were looking for her Uncle Lieutenant George Edward Bell ( plot # 2402ws )      We were able to find the site but we know no more than we did before. ( no date on stone ) Is there more information I can get. We do not know when he died, when he was buried, or where he died. We have a photo taken by his plane, some place in Texas dated 1918. We also know he was a flight instructor for the army. If we can find out when and where he died we will be able to trace more of his life." Editor's Note: Although I am far from being an expert in airplane identification, it appears to me that George is flying a "Jenny," a JN-4. If any of you can positively identify it, please contact me and I will make a correction.

 

George E. Bell died on April 23, 1918 and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. His grave may be found in Aviation Section, SI, Section 3, Site 2402WS via email from Michael Patterson, Http://WWW.ArlingtonCemetery.Net, 8-4-05

 

DEATH NOTICES via email from Michael Patterson, Http://WWW.ArlingtonCemetery.Net, 8-10-09 AVIATION FALL KILLS LIEUTENANT G. E. BELL FORT WORTH, Texas - April 23, 1918 - Lieutenant George E. Bell, an aviator of Philadelphia, was instantly killed when the airplane in which he was giving instructions to Cadet Hardy M. Benson of Clarendon, Texas, fell near the Benbrook hangars this afternoon. Cadet Benson suffered only minor bruises. DEATH NOTICE: BELL - April 23, 1918 at Fort Worth, Texas, killed instantly, Lieutenant George E. Bell, aged 22 years, beloved son of Thomas R. and Margaret H. Bell of Philadelphia and Washington, D. C. and nephew of Elizabeth H. Hutchinson, New York City, Glasgow (Scotland). Papers please copy.

 

Death Certificate To David Starnes via email from Michael Patterson, Http://WWW.ArlingtonCemetery.Net, 8-4-05 David, after a bit of poking around, we have also located the Lieutenant’s Texas Death certificate. While it is mostly difficult to read, we thought that you would like to have it. Regards, Michael Patterson P.S. It looks like that the cause of death was fracture of third (something) vertebrae resulting in death. And that his occupation was “aeronaut”.

 

Editor's Note: If you have any more information on this pioneer aviator please contact me. E-mail to Ralph Cooper

 

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