Viewing page 14 of 20

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

In Late June, 1912, Fish became assistant instructor for Harry Atwood at Atwood Park, Boston, Massachusetts. There he flew in the Boston Meet, June 29th through July 7th, entering major events and carrying passengers. Through July and August, in addition to his work with Atwood, he was also flying exhibitions and carrying passengers around Boston and vicinity. On August 30th he started flying for several days' engagment at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, carrying passengers. Following this he flew in the Chicago meet at Cicero Flying Field and Grant Park, September 12th through the 20th, where he was active in all the major events. When the meet ended he was awarded first prize for total time flown during the meet.
September 26th he again flew from Chicago to Milwaukee, this time to fly a newsreel photgrapher over the Vanderbilt Cup Races. On October 9th his plane was partially wrecked in a storm during the night when it was staked out at Springfield, Illinois. He had it rebuilt in time to fly one week at the Illinois State Fair, which started October 18th. Fish continued to fly exhibitions around Chicago and vicinity and as the fall season ended he shipped his machine back to Los Angeles for the winter. There he flew in the Los Angeles meet at the Ascot Park Race Track November 28th through December 1st. Following this he took a rest from flying during the winter months at his home in Los Angeles. During mid-March, 1913, he visited the Curtiss Camp at North Island, San Diego, to learn of the activities there.
In 1915 Fish started flying for J.S. Berger, exhibition booking agent, and in March of that year was sent to Mexico, along with Howard Rinehart and Eugene Heth, to fly for Villa. Berger had contracted to procure and sell airplanes Villa and supply flyers for them. That spring on one of his flight missions for the Villa forces, Fish found himself at 500 feet over a garrison of enemy troops. For a few moments he was in continuous rifle fire and was hit in four places. He succeeded in getting back to his base and just as he landed fell forward over the controls, totally exhausted. He was bleeding badly and his machine was splattered with blood back to the tail. He was not dangerously wounded, but he nearly lost
2.