Viewing page 8 of 21

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

[stamped] FROM THE FLYING PIONEERS BIOGRAPHIES OF HAROLD E. MOREHOUSE

Callan then returned to Hammondsport and later, when the AMERICA was sold to England, Callan was sent there to supervise its delivery and acceptance. During the year Callan was instructing on flying boats at Hammondsport when he was not traveling.

Starting in the fall of 1914 Callan was a representative for Curtiss in Italy on sales and demonstration work. There he also assisted in organizing the Naval Flying School at Taranto and trained a number of Italian students. For his excellent service he was awarded a gold medal by the Italian Government.

Callan was in this service until the fall of 1916 when he returned and was placed in charge of the Curtiss Buffalo flying school. During the winter of 1916-1917 he was Inspector for Army and Navy planes for the Curtiss Company.

In February 1917, Callan was commissioned a lieutenant U.S. Naval Reserves. In July he was placed in charge of construction and organization of Naval Air stations in France, Italy and England, and during 1918 was Commander of U.S. Naval forces in Italy. From that fall to February, 1919 he was Aide for Aviation in Italy. That year he was also a member of the Committee for Aviation at the Peace Conference. In March, 1918 he was promoted to Lieutenant Commander, and in May, 1919 to Commander.

Remaining in Europe Callan served on various technical, legal and financial aviation missions until 1923 when he purchased an interest in Airships, Inc. at Hammondsport, New York, with his former Curtiss colleagues Charles Witmer and Beckwith Havens. There he took over the Presidency of the firm which was engaged in the development and manufacture of lighter-than-air craft accessories. Callan remained there until early in 1929 when he became Vice-President of the American Aeronautical Corporation at Fort Washington, New York. In 1930 he returned to Hammondsport, where he remained until 1934.

Following this Callan was in the real estate business in Albany, New York until 1937. From 1937-1940 he served in the Traffic Department of Pan American Airways, and in 1941-1942 was an Air Attache to several European countries.

During World War II Callan was a Staff Naval Officer and retired in 1948 as Rear Admiral.

3