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MILLING T. DEWITT, BRIG. GEN. USAF. - BIOG FILE - FOLDER NO. 3 ITEM NO. 6 FLY TO CHEVY CHASE WASHINGTON POST WASHINGTON D. C. AUGUST, 1911 [[stamp]] SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION NATIONAL AIR MUSEUM [[/stamp]] [[newspaper clipping]] FLY TO CHEVY CHASE Army Birdmen Given Ovation by Club Members. FIRST NIGHT LANDING MADE Reach College Park After Darkness Falls and Come to Ground by Aid of Bonfires—Lieuts. Milling and Kirtland Have Accident in Attempting Trip to Frederick, Md. The first night landing that has been made by an aeroplane at College Park, Md., was accomplished late last evening by Lieuts. Milling and Kirtland in the Burgess-Wright aeroplane after a flight to the Chevy Chase Club. The machine left yesterday morning for a trip to the maneuver camp of the District of Columbia National Guard at Frederick, Md., shortly after Lieut. Arnold and Capt. Chandler sailed in the Wright machine. At Kensington Lieut. Milling noticed the oil was running low, and a landing had to be made at once. After the oil had been replenished, the machine was again started, but owing to the roughness of the field it met with an accident, and the idea of accompanying the other officers had to be abandoned. A broken wing and skid were replaced, but as it was after 5 o'clock by this time, the Chevy Chase trip was decided upon instead of a second Frederick attempt. Ovation at Club. Lieut. Milling made a short test flight, and then descended for his brother aviator, Lieut. Kirtland. They left at 5:25 o'clock for the 12-mile trip. At 6 o'clock members of the Chevy Chase Club noticed the biplane approaching above the golf course. The landing was made a little to the north of the tennis court, a large crowd greeting the aviators. After an informal reception until 7 o'clock the machine was again started for the return to College Park. The men at the park were worried at the nonappearance of the officers, but just before darkness fell some one spied them in the distance. Bonfires were lighted, and the lamps of the quartermaster's machine, that had earlier in the day been called upon to tow the machine back to the park, were removed, and pointed to the skies. In a few minutes the machine arrived at the field, and after circling the park several times was brought slowly to the ground, making a perfect landing. When the aviators stepped from their machine some one started a cheer, which ended in an ovation. They were followed by several of the men in the signal corps, who made the little "aeroplane village" wake up with a rousing old West Point yell—a real "long corps." Both of the men were severely chilled, their hands being almost numb from the cold. Return This Morning. Word was received from Capt. Chandler, at Gaithersburg, that he and Lieut. Arnold will return early this morning. The Rex-Smith machine was shipped to Conneaut Lake yesterday afternoon. The aviator, Paul Peck, will follow tomorrow. He will make his first flight at the lake next Monday. After leaving Conneaut Lake, the trip south will be commenced. The Fox machine that has been undergoing a series of repairs and adjustments is now in condition to fly, the trouble having been located in the elevating plane. Frank Kastory will make a flight early this morning in the machine, and if it proves satisfactory it will be taken to the Montgomery county fair, at Rockville, the last of this month, by Kastory and Ed Fisher. They hope to win the $500 purse that has been offered. [cut off text] STUDENTS STRANDED [[/newspaper clipping]]
