lawrance

Company name was Cox-Klemin. It had nothing to do with the German Klemm (which was working with Aeromarine in USA) Stig

One of six ordered, BuNos A-6515-6520, for submarine use.

Navy (NAF) TS-1 fighter Stig

Apparently another photo in the sequence of the Christening of the New York Naval Militia's Burgess-Dunne Seaplane at the foot of 52nd St. in Brooklyn in July 1916. The gentleman standing to the left, looming above a seemingly pensive and seated Vincent Astor (Astor's then-wife, Helen Dinsmore Huntington, with parasol and roses in hand, is seated to the right of Commodore Robert P. Forshew) is almost certainly Charles L. Lawrance. Lawrance would go on to play a vital role aviation (see below). Here's an article about the event in Aerial Age Weekly, Volume 3, July 10, 1916, page 503, Second Battalion N.M.N.Y. Seaplane Christened : books.google.com/books?id=FNRLAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA503&l... Note, that the Aerial Age story states that Charles L. Lawrance of the "citizens' committee which bought the seaplane," was also present. Lawrance is the very same person who would design the Lawrance J-1 radial engine, the direct predecessor to the Wright Whirlwind engine which would power countless historically significant flights, including that of Charles Lindbergh and the Spirit of St. Louis from New York to Paris. See a photo of Lawrance below standing to the right side of the frame, next to Lindbergh at Curtiss Field prior to Lindbergh's solo transatlantic flight in 1927: More about Lawrance: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Lawrance

Interesting that the article specifically states that Vincent Astor was in his Naval uniform. I wonder if he kept a spare sailor suit on his yacht?

Seuss. Good question, as Astor is still in his civilian clothes (with his back to the camera) in this other photo of the event.

Definitely looks like Lawrance there.