The Edgar S. Gorrell Collection is largely comprised of material relating to Gorrell's career as president of the Air Transport Association of America. The material includes his correspondence and speeches, the Congressional hearings and reports for the bills he advocated, publications and newspaper articles about him and his career, and other miscellaneous material. Note: Please do not describe the images, photographs, or maps that appear in this project. We are only seeking transcriptions.
Colonel Edgar S. Gorrell (1891-1945) was a pilot and an advocate for aviation safety. He graduated from West Point in 1912 and then spent two years as an infantryman in Alaska before transferring to the Signal Corps, where he joined the 1st Aero Squadron, serving under Gen. John J. Pershing in Mexico. In 1917 he was promoted to Captain, and in World War I he became the Chief Engineering Officer for the Air Service, and eventually the Chief of Staff for the Air Service, with the rank of Colonel. After the war, Gorrell remained in Europe representing the US at conferences and peace talks. In March 1920, he resigned his commission in the Army and joined the automobile business, serving as an executive with the Marmon Motor Car Company and later the Stutz Motor Car Company of America. In January 1936, Gorrell again switched fields when he was elected the first president of the Air Transport Association of America. It was with this organization that he was known for his role in promoting safety in civil aeronautics. He was a strong advocate for the Civil Aeronautics Act of 1938 which provided government control and regulation of civil aeronautics, and he provided testimony before congressional committees several times. Gorrell continued to support civil aeronautics, especially through his role as president of the Air Transport Association of America, until his death, in 1945. Note: Please do not describe the images, photographs, or maps that appear in this project. We are only seeking transcriptions.
