TORREY H. WEBB 1893- |
Lieutenant Torrey Webb had completed his aviation training at Ellington Field which brought him to Major Fleet's
attention, and he also had a good record. He had enlisted in the Air Service after graduating from Columbia and was headed for a
career as a mining engineer---but he went into oil instead and in the years following the war, he eventually becames a vice president of
the Texas Oil Company from which he retired a few years ago. To quote from Reuben Fleet's 1966 speech before the Air Mail Pioneers: "I left Lieutenant Webb in charge at Belmont Park and the Curtiss plant, with Lieutenant Miller and Bonsal helping, and in reserve, and instructed Webb to get the other four aerial mail airplanes ready, and fly one from Belmont Park with the aerial mail at eleven the next morning to Bustleton Field, which the Philadelphia Postmaster had selected for Philadelphia. Edgerton at Bustleton Field would relieve Lieutenant Webb there and fly on to Washington, while Lieutenant Culver would relay the aerial mail at Busttleton Park in New York." |
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Standing: Walter Lees, Harvey, Torrey Webb, Robertson, Smythe, Snow, Al Johnson Seated: Roger Jannus, Beatjer, Machel, Logan T. McMenemy |
To Paul (Paul Culver) from Torrey H. Webb Aug 1st 1918 Webb flew the first Air Mail from New York to Philadelphia, May 15, 1918 From THE DAY THE AIR-MAIL BEGAN by Edith Dodd Culver |
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You can see a very nice photograph of the wrecked plane which is described in the story by clicking on: If time permits, I think you will enjoy the many other features of the website. |
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A Story of Early Aviation Days by Edith Dodd Culver |
by Edith Dodd Culver |
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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