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MILLING, T. DEWITT, BRIG. GEN. - USAP. - BIGG. FILE - FOLDER NO. 2 ITEM NO5A

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 
NATIONAL AIR MUSEUM 

I made my first landing after spiraling from an altitude of 600 feet [[strikethrough]] above the field [[/strikethrough]] that he flew with me many times, thereafter, during the remainder of my stay. I have always felt that it was the instruction I received from Orville Wright that carried me through my flying career without being killed. 

After our solo flights, Arnold and I conducted our practice flights daily, [[strikethrough]] and ground school until the middle of June when we were ordered to College Park. (In addition to the pleasant association from an official standpoint, [[/strikethrough]] All was not work however as Arnold and I had the good fortune to be repeatedly entertained by the Wrights at their home on Hawthorne Street. Usually on Sunday night we would be invited for supper where Miss Catherine would serve one of the best meals we had ever eaten. After supper , Bishop Wright, their father(who was then still alive), Orville, Wilbur and all of the recipients, would sit around the livingroom and hear the stories of how the Wright Brothers started as boys and conducted their work until they actually flew their first airplane. The Wright's house,[[strikethrough]] (which was then at Dayton) [[/strikethrough]] as well as the bicycle shop, is now erected in the village of the Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan.)

[[strikethrough]] By the time that Arnold and I arrived at [[/strikethrough]] The middle of June we were [[?]] to College Park where we formed the grounds [[strikethrough]] were [[/strikethrough]] in shape and the necessary buildings and hangers erected. The plane we had ordered had not arrived and it was not until July 1 that flying could be started. Capt. Charles F. Chandler, Signal Corps, had reported as Commanding Officer of the School and 1st Lieut. John P. Kelly, Medical Reserve, USA,(a Spanish-American Veteran) had reported for duty as Medical Officer. To provide the necessary enlisted detachment, 15 Signal Corps specialists were assigned [[strikethrough]] as supervisors of technical [[?]] repairs. [[/strikethrough]] and as supervisor of technical repairs, a civilian, Henry Mollineau was hired. 

[[strikethrough]] The three officers who [[strikethrough]] had taken [[/strikethrough]] were taking training at the Curtiss School at San [[strikethrough]] [[Ciel?]] [[/strikethrough]] Diego, California had reported for duty. They were flying a 2-seater Curtiss plane. Lt. Walker, after one flight requested relief - Lt. Kelly had been killed in an accident on the 10th of May, and Lt. Beck, the remaining officer, was ordered [[/strikethrough]] 

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