Frederic Erastus Humphreys | |
|---|---|
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| Born | (1883-09-16)September 16, 1883 Summit, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Died | January 20, 1941(1941-01-20) (aged 57) Miami Beach, Florida, U.S. |
| Resting place | Arlington National Cemetery |
| Occupation | Aviator |
| Parent(s) | Alvah Jay Sperry Humphreys Fannie Brush |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service | United States Army New York National Guard U.S. Army Reserve |
| Years of service | 1906–1910 (USA) 1915–1939 (NYNG) 1920–1939 (USAR) |
| Rank | Brigadier General (NYNG) Colonel (USAR) |
| Commands | 102nd Engineers Regiment |
| Battles / wars | Mexican Border War World War I |
| Signature | |
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Frederic Erastus Humphreys[a] (September 16, 1883 – January 20, 1941) was one of the original three military pilots trained by theWright brothers and the first to fly solo.[1][2]
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Humphreys was born on September 16, 1883, inSummit, New Jersey, the only son of Jay Humphreys and Fannie Brush.[1] He attended thePennsylvania Military College, and won an appointment from New York to theUnited States Military Academy atWest Point, New York. He was made Cadet Captain, he lettered in fencing, and was the top eighth student of seventy-eight in the West Point Class of 1906. After graduation and commissioning, he was assigned to theArmy Corps of Engineers and sent toFort Riley, Kansas, where he worked in bridge construction. 2nd Lt. Humphreys deployed to Cuba during the Pacification Expedition, and a year later, returned to attend the Engineer Officer Basic Course.
Humphreys volunteered for assignment to theAeronautical Division, U.S. Signal Corps and was chosen to replaceBenjamin Foulois in pilot training by theWright brothers. On October 26, 1909, after three hours of instruction byWilbur Wright, he became the first Army aviator to solo in a heavier-than-air craft, and thus the first pilot of the first progenitor of theUnited States Air Force. The Army's sole military airplane crashed on November 5, 1909. After repairs, it was subsequently ordered to Fort Sam Houston, Texas, but on a different program. Meanwhile Humphreys returned to the Corps of Engineers.
In 1910, Humphreys resigned his commission to attend to his father's business, theHumphreys Homeopathic Medicine Company, founded by his grandfather in 1853. Thereafter he served as an officer of the company, the last twelve years of his life as its president.[3]
In June 1915, Humphreys joined theNew York National Guard's 22d Engineers Regiment as a First Lieutenant. He was called up with his regiment for Mexican Border service afterPancho Villa's raids in 1916, he served as an aide to Major GeneralJohn F. O'Ryan, Commanding General of the New York (later 27th) Division. Shortly after his return to New York, the regiment was inducted into federal service forWorld War I.
After initial service with his regiment at the divisional training post atSpartanburg, South Carolina, he was recalled and was transferred to theAir Service in January 1918. After flight training atRockwell Field inSan Diego, California, he was assigned to the first class of the School of Military Aeronautics at theMassachusetts Institute of Technology for advanced technical training. He remained at MIT as head of the school's Department of Practical Aircraft Design, and then was made school commander. At about the time of the Armistice, he was assigned to the newly founded Technical Section, Engineering Division, atMcCook Field, inDayton, Ohio, remaining there until he was demobilized in February 1919.
Humphreys returned to New York and was appointed Colonel of the102nd Army Engineers, a position he had until his retirement due to ill health on July 11, 1939.[3] On November 5, 1920, he received federal recognition as a colonel of engineers in theUnited States Army Reserve.[4] At the time of his retirement, Humphreys was the senior Colonel ofNew York. He was advanced to Brigadier General on the State Retired List.[3]
In December 1910, Humphreys married Myrtle Lee Fears (January 31, 1888 – January 28, 1980) in New York City.[5][6] In 1931, they divorced and he marriedEthel McClellan Plummer. After his second wife's death in October 1936, Frederic and Myrtle Humphreys remarried on December 7, 1936 in Manhattan.[7][8]
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Recuperating from pneumonia inMiami Beach, Florida, Humphreys had aheart attack and died in 1941. He was 57 years old, and was buried inArlington National Cemetery. Despite having been a brigadier general in the New York National Guard and a colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve, his gravestone is marked "Major,Air Svc" in recognition of his contributions to military aviation during World War I.[2][9]
Flew Initial Military Plane in 1909. Ex-Brig. General in National Guard Dies. Graduate of West Point. Retired Head of Humphreys Homeopathic Medicine Co. Founded by Grandfather
Albany, New York; May 25, 1939 (Associated Press) The resignation application of Colonel Frederic E. Humphreys, 102d Engineers, New York National Guard, senior officer of his rank in the State, awaited action of Governor Lehman today. He was appointed colonel October 28, 1920.
