The airmail plane at Potomac Polo Field almost didn't get off the ground, the fuel tank on the plane was empty and the plane wouldn't start.
Lieutenant George Boyle flew south following the railroad tracks instead of North, and when he realized he was lost decided to stop and ask for directions. The plane flipped over and broke the propeller on the uneven ground he chose to land on.
Washington D.C., Potomac Polo Field
Lieutenant George L. Boyle left the polo field at 11:47 he was scheduled to leave at 11:30 but couldn't get the plane started. After it was determined that the plane was out of gas, it was promptly filled and took to the skies. Boyle soon came to the conclusion that he was lost and in landing the plane to ask for directions flipped the plane over breaking the propellar.
Lieutenant Edgerton landed at 2:50 p.m.
Baltimore MD, Emergency Landing Field
Harve de Grace MD, Emergency Landing Field
Wimington DE, Emergency Landing Field
The "new" fairground selected as emergency landing field.
Philadelphia PA, Bustleton Field
Lieutenant J. C. Edgerton left at
Lieutenant Torry H. Web landed at 1:00
Lieutenant Paul Cuver left at 2:20 p.m.
New Brunswick NJ, Emergency Landing Field
New York NY, Belmont Park
Lieutenant Torrey Webb left at 11:30 a.m. enroute to Bustleton Field
Lieutenant Paul Culver landed at 3:37 p.m.
My purpose is to show the route that the pilots flew, not how the first day was organized. There are many good websites that explain how air mail was developed and started, who flew the route and the difficulties they encountered. Links to these some of these sites iclude:
National Postal Museum
"The 1918 Flights", tells about Major Reuben H. Fleet, Lieutenant Howard Culver, LieutenantTorrey Webb, Lieutenant Walter Miller, Lieutenant Stephen Bonsal, Lieutenant James Edgerton, Lieutenant George Boyle
Air & Space
"The First Day of Airmail, 1918", includes a video (movie) of the first air mail flights from Washington D.C.
Air Mail Pioneers
"A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE AIR MAIL SERVICE OF THE U. S. POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT (May 15, 1918 -August 31, 1927)". As written and edited by Edward A. Keogh – 1927 From "Saga of the U.S. Air Mail Service"
Inverted Jenny's
History of early airmail
