Viewing page 14 of 21

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

(52)66

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

John L. (Lanny) Callan

[[image: black and white photograph of John Callan]]

Early Curtiss Pilot - Instructor - Naval Officer

John L. Callan was born at Cohoes, New York, June 8th, 1886. He attended local schools, then graduated from the Albany Military Academy. He was employed by the National Exchange Bank at Albany during 1905-1906, then was with the Commercial Union Bank at Albany in 1907. After being with the Standard Oil Company of New York from 1908 into 1910 he entered the real estate business until 1911.
At that time Callan decided he wanted to get into aviation. He was eager to learn to fly but his parents objected and refused to help him. Although Lacking enough money to pay for a flying course he went to Hammondsport, New York, in the late fall of 1911 to investigate the Curtiss School. Curtiss first refused to accept him as a student unless he could pay, but when he saw that Callan was in dead earnest, he finally agreed to take him on and allow him to work out the remainder of his fee as a mechanic. Callan accepted the offer and about that time the school moved to San Diego, California, for the winter months.
As a result Callan was taken along as a member of the first winter class of students. Others in the class were William Atwater, S.C. Lewis, Rutherford Page, J.B. McCalley, John Kaminske and Julia Clarke. Lt. J.B. McClaskey was instructor of the class. Callan was an apt pupil

1