1895-1917 |
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Library of Congress Collection Courtesy of Gregory Powers, 7-26-06 |
Collection of Massachusetts Aviation Historical Society Courtesy of Vincent Tocco to Greg Powers, 8-5-06 I got the following from an aviation historian: ---------------------------------------------------------------------- His full name was Peter Carl Millman (1895-1917) and he was an aviation instructor at the U.S. Aviation School at Mineola, NY in March 1917. Quote from Aerial Age Weekly, April 2, 1917--Page 72 "With military honors of the air--the first time that such honors have been paid in America.Tex Millman, twenty-two years old, after funeral services at St Bridget's Chapel was buried on March 21st, 1917. Tex was a good pilot. Although he had never won fame for any death defying feats of the air, he was known as being a steady and intelligent a pilot as this country possesses. He was one of the youngest men in the game of young men and was the master of practically every make of aeroplane. He did not hesitate, but was always ready to take up any aeroplane so long as it was capable of flying. Yet with all this varied experience on different types of machines Tex never had an accident, ---never broke a stick. And it was not an airman's death that Peter Carl Millman died, for it was pneumonia that took him off, shortly after the great aeroplane manoeuvres at Mineola, when a fleet of 16 machines took part in a sham battle." Summary of the rest of the article------ "His aerial honor guard consisted of eleven aeroplanes led by No. 167, driven by A. I. Allan. The ten other pilots were: F. A. Bjorkland, H. H. Salmon, Lt. C. H. Reynolds, Sgt. L. C. Smith, Lt. Ivan P. Wheaton, Cpl. B. L. Watkins, W. H. Blakley, W. C. Jenkins, H. H. Simons and W. L. Willetts." Just found this obituary this morning The American Aviation Historical Society Journals had two mentions of Millman. Volume 9 p.136 Governors Island Aviation School (NY) " Prior to the opening of this "Plattsburg Camp" (Military Training Camps for business volunteers ) at Governors Island in July 1915 a number of men took private flying instruction at Mineola in May-June 1915.Their instructor was Tex Millman who used an experimental biplane built by Gallaudet, powered by an old 60hp. Gnome rotary. Tex Millman was considered to be an very able, though young, twenty year old pilot. Volume 13 page 8 Eastern School of Aviation Sheephead Bay LI, NY--- This company built a tandem tractor biplane using a 8cyl. 120 hp. Maximotor. In September 1915 Tex Millman and Frederick C. Hild were the test pilots. (Obviously this was just a typical contract testing assignment for Millman). The plane was a success and was used an a training aircraft by the Company Hild was a partner of Wm. C. Diehl in this Eastern School of Aviation what was later in 1915 renamed the United Eastern Aeroplane Corp. Their Designer/ Engineer was Edw. Marshonet. Vincent Tocco |
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Morane-Saulnier? Library of Congress Collection Courtesy of Gregory Powers, 7-26-06 |
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Library of Congress Collection Courtesy of Gregory Powers, 7-26-06 |
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courtesy of Steve Remington - CollectAir |
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After further flying in Denmark he burst upon the United States and becomes test pilot and instructor for the Gallaudet brothers. In 1916 he is an instructor at Governors Island for the "Governors Island Training Camp," organized by Philip A. Carroll. Other Early Bird graduates here were; the Late Charles Reed, Stedman S. Hanks, Cord Meyer and Edwin M. Post. In January 1917, he was a civilian instructor at the Signal Corps Aviation Station, Mineola,............ ..berry, Walter Kilner, Fitzgerald and Rader. He is in fast company here---there are Bert Acosta, "Doc" Allan, "Tex" Millman, Leonard Bonney, Al. Johnson, W. H. Bleakley, Clearton H. Reynolds, "Rusty" Bounds and other Civilian instructors. Officer-instructors at this time are EB Ivan P. Wheaton, 1/Lt. N.Y.N.G.; and Clearton H. Reynolds, 1/Lt. AS, SORC. Bjorklund leaves Army employment in November, 1918 and begins a period of barnstorming and operating flying services in New York throught 1919 added up some 4000 air hours. He is now a civil engineer. courtesy of Steve Remington - CollectAir |
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"Contract Test Pilot He was the pilot that crashed the Model B2 at Squantum. Millman was a friend of Grover Loening from their days with the Army." You can access the page in which the Personnel of the Company are listed by clicking on the title above. If time permits, you should take advantage of the opportunity to learn more about the Aeroplane division of the Sturtevant Company. You can start by clicking on the "HOME" link on the page. Of special interest will be the description of their activities in WW I. |
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Editor's Note: If you have any more information on this Early Bird, please contact me. E-mail to Ralph Cooper Back 
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