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Milling, t. Dewitt, Brig. Gen. USAF. - Biog. File - Folder No. 2 Item No. 5A
Smithsonian Institution
National Air Museum

In a few weeks it became apparent that there would be no military operations along the Mexican border at that time. Everyone was very desirous of establishing the school at some location which would be suitable for flying the year around. Excellent reports had come from Glen H. Curtiss, who had been operating a school at North Island, San Diego, California for 2 or 3 years. Finally, authority was granted and arrangements made with the Spreckles Company who owned all of the land to occupy North Island and most of the unit and equipment was transferred on June 14. A detachment, consisting of Kirtland, Graham, and McCall, with 26 enlisted men and two airplanes remained at Texas City for continued service with the division. Lt. McCall was killed the next month, flying alone, in a type-C Wright while lfulfilling the precision landing requirements for his military aviator rating test. The exact cause was not determined but was probably due to a stall. Lieut. Graham met with a serious motorcycle accident and was finally relieved from aviation duty and returns to his regiment. He returned to aviation duty during the first World War and was assigned to Kelly Field on March 7, 1918, remaining in the Air Corps until he retired from active service in 1929.

Upon arrival at San Diego, the enlisted personnel was put in tents and crude woden l buildings of unfinished lumber were put up to house the airplanes and shops. The officers lived at Coronado which was connected with North Island by a soul wind-spit, [[strikethrough]] which was[[\strikethrough]] sometimes covered with water at high tide, and affording the only over land means of access to and it was impossible to get to North Island except lby using the wind-spit.

The ponies we had collected at now came in most handy. While at Texas City, we had organized an aviator's polo team and had purchased several ponies which we had trained. All of these horses, plus the private mounts owned by several officers, were shipped to San Diego with the school equipment and they were all quartered in the stables of the Coronado Hotel. We used these horses to go back and forth to North Island across the wind-spit. Since we flew very early in the morning, this calvacade riding along the ocean front on the best residential street caused a good bit of criticism. We finally explained the dituation, and once it was understood, we had no trouble thereafter.

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