EARL W. SPENCER, JR. -1950

Lieutenant Commander Earl W. Spencer, Jr. First Commanding Officer of Naval Air Station, San Diego From Jackrabbits to Jets

 

Officers at the Naval Aeronautic Station, Pensacola, Florida, circa 1915      They are outside the Flying School office, which bears a sign (at left) with the name of Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Clarence K. Bronson. Both station staff and student aviators are present. Most are identified below (as annotated on the print). Standing, left to right: Ensign Harold W. Scofield, USN; Passed Assistant Surgeon Charles L. Beeching, USN; Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Clarence K. Bronson, USN; Lieutenant (Junior Grade) William M. Corry, Jr., USN; Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Joseph P. Norfleet, USN; and Lieutenant Albert C. Read, USN. Seated, left to right: Unidentified Lieutenant (Junior Grade); Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Earl W. Spencer, Jr., USN; Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Walter A. Edwards, USN; Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Robert R. Paunack, USN; Lieutenant Earle F. Johnson, USN; Lieutenant (Junior Grade) George D. Murray, USN. Photograph from the photo album of Vice Admiral T.T. Craven. Courtesy of Lieutenant Rodman DeKay, Jr., USNR (Retired), 1979. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

 

Enlargement From Photo Above Left to Right: Unidentified, Earl W. Spencer, Walter A. Edwards, Robert R. Paunack,

 

Officers at the Naval Aeronautic Station, Pensacola, Florida, circa July-November 1915      They are standing in front of a Curtiss AB type seaplane, and include both station staff and student aviators. They are identified (as numbered on the print) as: 1. Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Harold W. Scofield, USN; 2. Lieutenant (Junior Grade) William M. Corry, Jr., USN; 3. Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Clarence K. Bronson, USN; 4. Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Ewart G. Haas, USN; 5. Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Robert R. Paunack, USN; 6. 1st Lieutenant Francis T. Evans, USMC; 7. Lieutenant Earle F. Johnson, USN; 8. Lieutenant Albert C. Read, USN; 9. Lieutenant Commander Henry C. Mustin, USN, Naval Aeronautic Station Commandant; 10. Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Patrick N.L. Bellinger, USN; 11. 1st Lieutenant Alfred A. Cunningham, USMC; 12. Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Richard C. Saufley, USN; 13. Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Joseph P. Norfleet, USN; 14. Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Walter A. Edwards, USN; 15. Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Harold T. Bartlett, USN; 16. Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Earl W. Spencer, Jr., USN; 17. Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Edward O. McDonnell, USN. Photograph from the photo album of Vice Admiral T.T. Craven. Courtesy of Lieutenant Rodman DeKay, Jr., USNR (Retired), 1979. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

 

FIRST COMMANDER, NAVAL AIR STATION NORTH ISLAND, 1917      On September 25, 1917, Lieutenant Earl W. Spencer, USN, a 29-year-old Naval Aviator, Academy Class of 1910, was ordered to duty in command of Naval Air Station, San Diego. He was instructed to report to the Commanding Officer, Naval Training Station, San Diego, in Balboa Park for duty on or about October 15, 1917, to establish a permanent Naval Air Station for training purposes. It was to include ground school and flight school courses for Naval Aviator qualification, plus instruction for enlisted personnel to qualify them as Machinist's Mates (A) and Quartermasters (A) as aircraft engine mechanics and aircraft structural mechanics were then called.      Lieutenant Spencer reported to San Diego November 8, 1917. This date has been accepted as the official beginning of Naval Air Station, North Island. There was no commissioning ceremony, no fanfare of any kind. In fact, there were many obstacles to overcome before a foot of land or a single building on North Island could be occupied by the Navy. From Jackrabbits to Jets

 

ONLINE RESOURCES      If you search for "Earl W. Spencer", using the Google search engine, (3-27-04), you will find about 42 links. Among the most interesting are the following.

Frank Simpson, Jr. The Story of California's First Naval Aviator By Lieutenant Colonel Norman S. Marshall and Margaret A. Owens      "On our arrival at San Diego on January 1, 1918, we found the so called "air station" to be only a few old buildings in Balboa Park left over from the San Diego's World's Fair. To tell the truth the station at North Island was just a strip of beach. The commanding officer Lt. Earl W. Spencer, Jr., gave us a most God-awful bawling out when we reported for being without either white gloves or carrying a sword. We had not yet learned that swords and gloves were vital to winning the war..."      The quotation above is just one of several references to Earl Spencer in what is basicly the story of Frank Simpson, Jr. If you choose to read the whole article, you will find many glimpses into the career and nature of Earl, along with an opportunity to learn of "California's First Naval Aviator." You can access this page, which is only one on website, but clicking on the title above.      If time permits, I think you will enjoy visiting the homepage and sampling some of the many other offerings.

 

WALLIS SIMPSON - THE EARLY YEARS      This article on the PHARO.COM website was suggested to me by my friend Bob Davis. It offers a very complete and fascinating revue of the turbulent relationship between Earl W. Spencer and Wallis. It is far from being flattering to Earl, or Wallis, but is very interesting. It also offers several photographs of them, one of them being of Winfield in about 1914. I found myself sufficiently intrigued by the story to read the entire article. You can access the page by clicking on the title above.      If time permits, you may want to go to the homepage and sample some of the other articles which are listed.

 

RECOMMENDED READING

JACKRABBITS TO JETS The History of North Island San Diego, California   by Elretta Sudsbury   Product Details Library Binding: 400 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 1.25 x 11.50 x 8.50 Publisher: San Diego Pub Co; Revised edition (November 1992) ISBN: 0912495103 Out of Print

 

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