torreyhwebb

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The Smithsonian has a print [arago.si.edu/record_194367_img_1.html] of this, captioned "New York City Postmaster Thomas Patten is photographed handing Lt. Torrey Webb equipment to make ready for one of the first regularly scheduled airmail flights in the United States. On May 15, 1918, the United States officially established airmail service between New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC, under the direction of the Post Office Department, using army aircraft and pilots. The Army Air Corps pilots chosen to fly that day were Lieutenants Howard Culver, Torrey Webb, Walter Miller and Stephen Bonsal. Lt. Webb carried the first day’s mail in this Curtiss "Jenny" aircraft numbered 38278 from a temporary airmail field at Belmont Park, Long Island, New York to Bustleton Field, near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. " and dated May 15, 1918.

This sequence of photos is related to the first scheduled airmail route. See www.aerofiles.com/airmail.html for details.

Torrey Hord Webb (7 December 1892 - 23 November 1975) and en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_G._Patten

Date on negative is 5/15/18. From postalmuseum.si.edu/airmail/pilot/pilot_army/pilot_army_c... "After graduating from Columbia and serving in the army, Lieutenant Torrey Webb completed his aviation training at Ellington Field, where he came to Major Fleet's attention. His good record spoke well for him, and Fleet hired him for the airmail service. Webb flew over 3,500 miles as an airmail pilot, spending 45 hours in the air. As did Culver, Webb suffered only one forced landing in his airmail career." See also earlyaviators.com/ewebbtor.htm Notice the map attached to his leg!