First Location 1923-1924

Photo Credit: Illinois State Geological Survey (1939 photos No. 62)
http://clearinghouse.isgs.illinois.edu/webdocs/ilhap/county/data/dekalb/flight13/0bwr02062.jpg
accessed November 20, 2017

Landing field map overlaid land owner plat map

Location / Airway

Location / Name

ILLINOIS:  DeKalb County

McGirr Emergency Air Mail Field Location No. 1
AKA Government Field No. 2 on the Chicago-Cheyenne airway

GPS: 41.817161, -88.791214

Transcontinental Airway

Chicago (Maywood), ILL, to Iowa City, Iowa: The Air Mail Route
Aeronautical Bulletin No. 155, Route Information Series, May 15, 1924

Milage 49: Beneath you is McGirr emergency field, with its tower in the northeast corner.  This is a fair field in almost any weather and is one-half mile east of the village of McGirr.  The North Western Railroad runs southwest through the village.  Leaving here, your compass course is 268°.

Night Airmail

Caretaker: 

Thomas Knudtson (1923-1924)

Paul Vernon Eakle (1924-1927)

Flights started on July 1, 1924

This Field was discontinued on September 1, 1924.

Newspaper Reports About McGirr Emergency Air Field Location No. 1

The Daily Chronicle (De Kalb, Illinois) · Fri, Jul 13, 1923 · Page 1

Although work is now being carried on at the United States Air Mail Landing field number two at McGirr, it is not expected that the field will be used by the airmen before October.
A gang of workmen arriving here today from the central station in Chicago planned to have the lights installed within a few days, following which the tower and other paraphernalia will be erected.
The station field at McGirr will be known as Field Number two, the first being located at St. Charles.  It will not be a regular stopping place for the air mail carriers, but will be maintained as an emergency station.  Under government regulations similar fields must be placed from Chicago to Cheyenne at intervals of 25 miles.  The planes start out from Chicago every day.
Three large lights standing about five and a half feet from the ground will be erected by the men who arrived here today.  The fourth light on the field will be placed on the top of a tower that will be 55 feet from the ground.  It may be that the three large lights will be burning at all times but the bases, which are made of prite porcelain are such that they will easily be seen after the tower is sighted.  The tower light will only be lit at night.
Although as yet the plans have not been completed, it is understood that some person living in the neighborhood of the field will be hired to turn on the switch for the lights every evening.  The switch is so fixed that the lights will automatically turn off in the morning.

Trial flights will be made to the field within a few weeks.  It will not be until October that the station will be announced as open for use, although should the need arise, it will be opened before.  No reason has been given for the seemingly delay.  Fliers are not required to stop at the field, engine or similar trouble will be the only cause for a stop.

July 18, 1923 The True Republican, Sycamore, Dekalb County, Illinois page 1

Working on Air Mail Landing Field Here-Guide and Emergency Station Near McGirr, This County, One of Line Every 25 Miles Across Continent, Will Be in Operation In October.

Work on the erection of the United States Air Mail Landing station at McGirr, Afton township, Dekalb county, began Friday when a force of men from the central station in Chicago arrived here.
Trial flight will be made to this station in a few weeks and regular mail service will be established in August, although it is announced that the DeKalb county station will not be open until October.
These landing stations are being established across northern Illinois at a distance of approximately 25 miles apart at or near Batavia, McGirr, Franklin Grove, Rock Falls and Cordova, as a part of the transcontinental mail route from New York to San Francisco.
These will not be regular stopping places for the mail airplanes, but will serve as guide posts and emergency landing places.
Three large lights about five and a half feet from the ground will be erected by the men now at work here.  The fourth light will be placed on top of a tower that will be 55 feet in height.  The bases, which are about two feet square, and mad of prite porcelain will easily be seen after the tower is sighted.  The tower light will only be on at night.
Swinging beacon lights will be visible for 30 miles, and besides those guides, flashing traffic lights will be directed at the skies so that on a clear night an air mail pilot 7,000 feet up will see a constant narrow pathway of light ahead.
Although as yet the plans have not been completed, it is understood that some person living in the neighborhood of the field will be hired to turn on the switch for the lights every evening.  The switch is so fixed that the lights will automatically turn off in the morning.
The only air mail station in Illinois will be that at the high tower at Maywood, Chicago

August 14, 1923 The Daily Chronicle (De Kalb, Illinois) · Page 7

Air Mail Plane Started Trial Flight Monday
Night Flying over the McGirr emergency air field, located on the tract of ground in front of the Thomas Knutson farm at McGirr, was inaugurated last evening, with two planes from the Chicago mail station making the trial flight.  The planes went over the station last evening at eight and nine thirty o’clock.
The station at McGirr is not a regular stopping station, and will only be used in case of emergencies.  On it are located four direction lights, one of which is located on a 50-foot tower while the other three are stationary and located in the corners of the field to guide the pilot.  The light on the tower is a search light and makes a complete revolution in the air, so that a flyer, no matter in what direction he is coming from will be able to see the field.

Thomas Knudtson, who has been commissioned to operate the station, has been given orders to turn on the lights every evening at six o’clock and to turn them off at one o’clock in the morning.  This is to be done every night until further notice is received.

August 22, 1923 One Mail Plane in Flight Over McGirr Is Late

Two government airplanes, laden with mail from both the eastern and western coasts of the United States, went over the emergency field at McGirr last evening, one at 7:30 in the evening and the other at four o’clock this morning, several hours late.  The west bound plane, which flew over Aurora last night at 7:17, went over the field on the Thomas Knutson farm 23 minutes later.
The east bound plane was forced to land at Laramie, Wyo., for gas and lost much time because of a heavy fog encountered during the early part of the journey.  Thomas Knutson in charge of the McGirr emergency field, has received word to leave the searchlight and guide lights burning from dark until daylight.  While experimental flights were being made the lights were turned off at one o’clock.

Republican-Northwestern (Belvidere, Illinois) · Fri, Aug 24, 1923 · Page 2

Airplane Signals Look Like Flashes Of Heat Lightning.  Mysterious Nightly Flashing of Air Service Light Towers Explained – Station at McGirr, 35 Miles from Belvidere, Powerful Enough to be Seen at Herbert and Also by Persons Living in Southern Limits of this City-Signals Continue From Darkness to Dawn
Residents of Spring township, especially in Herbert and vicinity, recently have observed what appeared like heat lightning flashing at regular intervals in the southern horizon.  Some persons in Belvidere also have noticed the flashes which continue from the time darkness sets in until daylight.
The explanation of the apparent phenomena comes from railroad men on the Spring Valley line who say the “heat lightning” is caused by the airplane signal light located at McGirr station, nine miles south of DeKalb, to help guide the night air mail service across the country.
The signal station at McGirr starts its flashlight operations early in the evening and continues throughout the night.  It gives forth flashes of far-reaching power.  The light is from an acetylene device which is set on a tower.  The light flashing contrivance revolves at regular intervals and can be seen by air pilots many miles away.
The cross-country air mail service calls for night flying between Chicago and Cheyenne, Wyoming.  The signal stations with the revolving lights are located along the line to be followed by the airplanes.  One is at McGirr station, the next signal tower is between Ashton and Franklin Grove, another is located just south of Nelson and one of the main signal stations is near Rock fall and Sterling.
Landing fields are provided at certain of these stations, the government having leased sixty acre tracts for this purpose.  If anything goes wrong with his plane or lubricating oil or gasoline supplies are needed the air pilot can descend near the flashlight station on the darkest night.

The distance from Belvidere to the nearest signal station, the one at McGirr, is 35 miles.  On a very dark night the flashing can be seen from the south part of the city.

The Daily Chronicle (De Kalb, Illinois) · Sat, Sep 1, 1923 · Page 1

McGirr Field is Closed for a Short Time
Due to trouble keeping the bulbs used in the signal lights at the McGirr air mail emergency field from burning out, the field has been closed for an indefinite period.  It is understood that the repairs on the lights have been made but as yet, no official word has been received stating that the lights should be turned on again at night.

Thomas Knutson (sic), in charge of the field, received word Tuesday asking that the four guide lights be turned out until the repairs could be made.  At Aurora and Franklin Grove the stations are still in operation.

The Daily Chronicle (De Kalb, Illinois) · Tue, Jul 1, 1924 · Page 1

Mail Plane Over Dekalb
United States Postal Flyers to Pass Over McGirr Tonight at Six-Thirty
Across Country
It is very probable that a number of Dekalb people will drive out South Fourth street road about 6:30 o’clock tonight to see the first mail plane fly over on its way west from New York to the Pacific coast.
Everything has been placed in readiness all along the line for the inauguration of the night flying service of the post office department.  From one end of the long route to another the various beacon lights have all been put in order and will shine forth tonight at dark.
Some of the beacons are acetylene lamps which burn incessantly night and day for months.  The others are electric lamps which shed long search light beams into the air and are visible for miles.
There is an electric beacon light on the Knudtson place south of this city which has been placed in condition and will shine out tonight even though the mail flyer will have passed over this section long before the hours of darkness arrive. 

The light is right alongside the road between the village of McGirr and the cement road leading to Waterman.

According to the present schedule of the air mail service the plane will fly west over McGirr sometime between 6:30 and 7:00 o’clock this evening.  The plane is due to leave Chicago at 6:30 and it should take something like a half hour to get this far.

2nd Location 1924-1929

Alice Eakle Marks shows where McGirr Emergency Airmail Field was located. (The village of McGirr was aka as Carlton as shown on this plat map.)

In her notebook, Alice Eakle Marks describes the location of McGirr Emergency Air Mail Field, as this;

"The landing field itself was located just one field west of South First Street Road and one field north of McGirr Road.  The beacon could be reached by driving through Broughton's farmyard on McGirr road and across the landing field behind it.

Once at the beacon site, my father parked his car near the tiny engine house under the tower and proceeded to try to start the Delco with a crank.  It often took several tries-and sometimes many-to make it start and keep it going, but he had to go on trying.  The beacon had to be swinging its brilliant shaft of light 360 [degrees] to mark the route and the landing field for his friends, the gutsy Air Mail pilots.

When operating, the beacon became a wondrous site for both those who lived near it and those who lived far away.  People loved it. I loved it, too.  And the pilots bet their lives on it."

"However, the beacon was not the only ray of light for the pilots to cherish.  The landing field was bordered by glowing boundary light globes, on pipe-like stems, beside selected fence posts, assuring the flyers that there was a place for them to 'set down' inside the rectangle those lights marked.

In the earliest days, farm lanterns were used, hanging on fence posts.  Then came the battery boxes and electric bulbs.  Finally, all the boundary lights were electrically connected to each other and to one switch which could be turned on in the little caretaker 'shack' near or at the base of the tower."

"Some of my earliest memories are of riding the running board of my Dad's car,.....one, as we drove around the field.  I was 4 or 5 when I started this job.  [Alice was born in 1921, Paul Eakle started at this field in 1924.]

Newspaper Reports About McGirr Emergency Air Field Location No. 2

The Daily Chronicle (De Kalb, Illinois) · Thu, Feb 28, 1929 · Page 3

Airport Near Waterman to be Opened Soon
The DeKalb County Airport, on which workmen have been engaged since early this winter, will be completed in another two weeks, according to present indications.  The power line has been installed and the government equipment is on the ground, ready for installation.

As quickly as this equipment is installed, the equipment at the present government emergency field near McGirr will be moved to the new airport and it will become the government emergency field.

Although the new airport may be opened in another two weeks, the date for the formal opening has not yet been determined.  Special exercises are being planned for the formal opening which will be sometime during the spring.

Emergency Landings at McGirr Emergency Air Mail Field Location No. 2

The Daily Chronicle (De Kalb, Illinois) · Mon, Dec 22, 1924 · Page 1

Parachute Is Blamed
Paul Eakle Headed Searching Party from McGirr Field During Night.

Following a search that started before midnight last evening and continued until this morning, the body of Charles Gilbert, missing air mail pilot, flying from Chicago to Omaha, was found at about 8:30 o’clock this morning about a mile and a quarter northeast of Kaneville, in a field about a mile east of where his wrecked plane was found half an hour earlier.  The plane was found by two air mail pilots from the Maywood field, who started on the search early this morning.  They sighted the plane in the field about three-quarters of a mile north of Kaneville.  Ed Myers, working with the McGirr field searchers, is accredited with finding the body of Gilbert, about half a mile to the rear of the plane.  Page, a flyer for the government, then picked up the mail in the Gilbert plane and started on the westward trip.
Gilbert met his death trying to drop in his parachute, according to information sent from Kaneville by State Patrol Officer Oscar Larson, who assisted in the search that was made from the McGirr field.  It is thought that Gilbert, in trying to leave his plane which was out of control, left too soon, the stabilizer cutting the ropes of the parachute.  It never opened, and he was killed by the fall.  The missing plane was last seen passing over Kaneville about 7:30 last evening, indicating that he met his death shortly after.  What caused the trouble in his plane motor is not known, as when the plane was found this morning it was bottom-side up and completely wrecked.  The mail was saved.
Left Maywood on Time
Two Planes leave Maywood field every evening, one at 7:10 and the other five minutes later.  The first plane passed over the McGirr field on time.  Paul Eakle, in charge of the emergency landing field at McGirr, Kept a sharp lookout for the second mail carrier.  It failed to report and Mr. Eakle called the Maywood station to ascertain if the second ship had left on time.  It was reported to be on the way, having left Maywood on schedule.  A report form the station at North Aurora stated that the plane had passed on schedule time.  The next station west is Ashton, and Mr. Eakle inquired if the plane had been sighted going over.  Ashton reported that it had nor, and it was then that the first report of the missing plane was set to Maywood.  Maywood thought little of the matter until after the plane failed to show up at Iowa City, the first regular stopping place west of Maywood. 
At Iowa City the first pilot reported that he had last seen the second plane shortly after going over the North Aurora field, and at that time had its four landing lights working, indicating that the pilot wished to land.  Gilbert must have had his lights burning when he went over Kaneville and when he found that he couldn’t reach McGirr field had tried to land near Kaneville.  Failing to keep the plane under control, he resorted to the parachute to attempt to save his life.
Story of Search
The first searching party left the McGirr field about midnight, working toward Kaneville, where the plane had last been seen.  The second searching party, under the leadership of Paul Eakle, left shortly before one o’clock.  This party combed the country between McGirr and Kaneville, arousing the farmers and asking them to police their land in the hopes of finding the missing plane and pilot.  Eakle’s party arrived in Kaneville about six o’clock this morning.
Immediately upon his arrival in Kaneville Eakle searched for a person that had seen the plane in that vicinity.  After the search of nearly an hour he found a kid who stated that he had seen the plane circling about a mile north of Kaneville.  Following this clew. The searching part started out while the two pilots, Page and Skelly of Maywood, followed in a plane.  Page and Skelly found the wrecked plane about three-quarters of a mile north of Kaneville.  Ed Myers of Waterman is thought to have been the first person to find the body of the dead pilot, about half a mile east and to the rear of the wrecked plane.  Meyers was a member of the Eakle party who started to work in a circle around the plane.  The body was found in a ploughed field.
An inquest will be held this afternoon at the Skoglund morgue at Geneva.  According to an unconfirmed report received in this city, Gilbert was married about five months ago.  His home is said to be in Iowa City.

In 1936 Paul V. Eakle wrote "A Tragedy of Flying the Christmas Mail"

Published in the Saga of U.S. Air Mail Service

Original typewritten copy as a pdf file

The Daily Chronicle (De Kalb, Illinois) · Mon, Feb 23, 1925 · Page 1

Pilot "Woodenleg" Hobson was forced to land at McGirr in heavy fog after his compass light burned out

The Daily Chronicle (De Kalb, Illinois) · Mon, Sep 12, 1927 · Page 1

National Air Transport plane, piloted by Pilot Matucha, along with 2 pasengers is stranded at McGirr Field Saturday Evening by Fog.

The Daily Chronicle (De Kalb, Illinois) · Mon, Jan 31, 1927 · Page 1

Mail plane wrecked at McGirr Field after pilot Paul E. Johnson hit a fence and a beacon post.

The Daily Chronicle (De Kalb, Illinois) · Thu, Jul 5, 1928 · Page 1

Two air mail planes make emergency landing, the National Air Transport plane piloted by Paul Johnson, and a Boeing Air Transport plane piloted by I.O. Biffle with two passengers, were forced down by high winds and rain.

The Daily Chronicle (De Kalb, Illinois) · Tue, Jul 24, 1928 · Page 1

Seven forced landings establishes a new record, previous to this month only 70 forced landings occured in the 4 years of opeation, about 2 a month. This month there have been 7.

The Daily Chronicle (De Kalb, Illinois) · Wed, Aug 1, 1928 · Page 1

Wright Matechua, air mail pilot for National Air Transport Company, was lost in the clouds and fog, until he got a clear view of the McGirr Emergency Field where he made a safe landing.

The Daily Chronicle (De Kalb, Illinois) · Fri, Oct 19, 1928 · Page 1

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