Ellyson, Theodore Gordon, CDR

Deceased
 
 Service Photo   Service Details
4 kb
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Final Rank
Commander
Last Designator
131X-Unrestricted Line Officer - Pilot
Last Designator Group
Line Officer
Primary Unit
1926-1928, USS Lexington (CV-2)
Service Years
1905 - 1928
Commander Commander

 Last Photo   Personal Details 

195 kb


Home State
Virginia
Virginia
Year of Birth
1885
 
This Military Service Page was created/owned by Shaun Thomas (Underdog), OSC to remember Ellyson, Theodore Gordon (1st Navy Pilot), CDR.

If you knew or served with this Sailor and have additional information or photos to support this Page, please leave a message for the Page Administrator(s) HERE.
 
Contact Info
Home Town
Richmond, Virginia
Last Address
Richmond, Virginia
Date of Passing
Feb 27, 1928
 
Location of Interment
U.S. Naval Academy Cemetery and Columbarium (VLM) - Annapolis, Maryland
Wall/Plot Coordinates
Unknown

 Official Badges 

Allied Command Atlantic


 Unofficial Badges 

Order of the Golden Shellback Order of the Golden Dragon


 Military Associations and Other Affiliations
United States Naval Academy Alumni Association & FoundationU.S. Naval Academy Cemetery and Columbarium (VLM)
  1905, United States Naval Academy Alumni Association & Foundation - Assoc. Page
  1928, National Cemetery Administration (NCA), U.S. Naval Academy Cemetery and Columbarium (VLM) (Annapolis, Maryland)


 Additional Information
Last Known Activity:


Commander Ellyson was killed on 27 February 1928, his 43rd birthday, in the crash of an aircraft in the lower Chesapeake Bay while on a night flight from Norfolk, Virginia to Annapolis, Maryland.

   
Other Comments:



Theodore Gordon Ellyson, Commander, U.S.N.
"Submariner" and "Naval Aviator Number One"
 

1885 - 1928

First United States Naval Aviator, 1911

Inducted in 1984

Theodore "Spuds" Ellyson began training in 1910 at the Glen Curtiss flight training school in San Diego and was Curtiss' first seaplane pupil. As the United States Navy's first pilot, Lieutenant Ellyson accompanied Curtiss on test flights of the first practical seaplane on January 26, 1911.

Flying a Curtiss seaplane, Ellyson and Navy Lieutenant J. H. Towers made the longest over-water flight yet attempted in October 1911. They flew from Annapolis, Maryland, to within two miles of Fort Monroe, Virginia, traveling over the Chesapeake Bay nearly the entire flight.

Ellyson was at the controls for the first successful catapult launch of the Curtis A-1 "Flying Boat" from an anchored barge at the Washington Navy Yard in November 1912. This was an important early step toward flying airplanes from ships and led to the development of aircraft carriers.

Commander Ellyson was a leader in naval aviation until he was killed in a crash off Hampton Roads, Virginia, in February 1928. Ironically, his plane came ashore at the same site his predecessor, Eugene Ely, landed his aircraft in November 1910 after the first successful takeoff from a naval vessel.

First Flight Society

   

  1906-1906, USS Missouri (BB-11)

Ensign

From Month/Year
- / 1906

To Month/Year
- / 1906

Unit
USS Missouri (BB-11) Unit Page

Rank
Ensign

NEC
Not Specified

Base, Station or City
Not Specified

State/Country
Not Specified
 
 
 Patch
 USS Missouri (BB-11) Details

USS Missouri (BB-11)
Maine Class Battleship: Displacement 12,500 Tons, Dimensions, 393' 11" (oa) x 72' 3" x 26' 8" (Max), Armament 4 x 12"/40 16 x 6"/50, 6 x 3"/50 2 x 18" tt. Armor, 11" Belt, 12" Turrets, 4" Decks, 10" Conning Tower. Machinery, 16,000 IHP; 2 vertical, Inverted, triple expansion engines, 2 screws. Speed, 18 Knots, Crew 561. Operational and Building Data: Laid down by Newport News, Shipbuilding, Newport News VA., February 7, 1900. Launched December 28, 1901. Commissioned January 12, 1903. Decommissioned September 8, 1919. Stricken July 1, 1921. Fate: Sold January 26, 1922 and broken up for scrap.

Type
Surface Vessel
 

Parent Unit
Maine-class

Strength
Battleship

Created/Owned By
Not Specified
   

Last Updated: Apr 21, 2009
   
   
Yearbook
 
My Photos For This Unit
No Available Photos
3 Members Also There at Same Time
USS Missouri (BB-11)

Halsey Jr., William Frederick, FADM, (1900-1947) Ensign
Hewitt, Henry Kent, ADM, (1906-1949) OFF Ensign
Ingersoll, Royal Eason, ADM, (1905-1946) Ensign

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