TOWNSEND FOSTER DODD 1886-1919

Captain Townsend F. Dodd ca 1913 from Ft. Sam Houston Museum

"Mackay Aviation Trophy Awarded" Knoxville Journal and Tribune, Knoxville, Tennessee: December 24, 1914, Transcribed by Bob Davis - 3-4-07 "San Diego, Dec. 23. - Captain Townsend F. Dodd, piloting tractor No. 28, with Lieutenant Shepler W. Fitzgerald as observer, won the third annual contest for the Mackay aviation trophy here today when he descended at North Island after a trip of three hours and three minutes.       The contest for the Mackay trophy involved serial reconnaissance of troops maneuvering in the vicinity of San Diego and reports of their numbers and disposition.       Accidents eliminated all machines but No.28 and the trophy would not have been awarded had not Lieutenant Fitzgerald handed into the judges a comprehensive and accurate report of the composition and location of the troops.       The Mackay cup is awarded for combined endurance, altitude, efficiency and other requirements of military aviation."

 

CAPTAIN DODD IN MEXICO      Towsend F. Dodd, as a member of the First Aero Squadron, played a very active part in Pershing's Punitive Expedition in Mexico. Capt. Benjamin D. Foulois wrote a very detailed report for the perioed March 15 to August 15, 1916, of the activities which includes numerous references to Captain Dodd. You can read a copy of the entire article by clicking on the title above.

 

ONLINE RESOURCES      If you search for "Towsend F. Dodd" +aviation, using the Google search engine, (11-22-07), you will find about 53 links, most of them very helpful. The two cited just below are good places to start.

 

Townsend Foster Dodd      The article on this page of The University of Illinois Memorial website was submitted by Mr. James Dodd, great-great-grandnephew; with additional information from Douglas S. Files, researcher and U.S. Air Force officer working on a book regarding early U.S. military aviation; and from Web site above. It is very complete and also displays a photograph of Townsend in front of his aeroplane. Of special interest is the story of an episode which occurred during the campaign of the 1st Aero Squadron in Mexico, during Pershing's Punitive Expedition. You can access the page by clicking on the title.

 

Dodd Field      This page which offers a detailed history of Dodd Field, is also a good entry point for a good, concise biography of Townsend Dodd. On his page, you will see the original photo of him, which I have reproduced at the top of this page, and a very nice one of Benjamin D. Foulois and Townsend. You can access the page by clicking on the title above.

 

"Captain, Dodd was serving as Commander of Langley Field when he was killed in an air crash on 5 October 1919 at Bustleton Field, Philadelphia while participating in the New York to Los Angeles transcontinental air race." excerpt from Ft. Sam Houston Museum

 

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