Viewing page 14 of 20

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

the mid-west. About mid-year the Chicago Aviation Reserves was formed which later that fall was taken over by the Aviation Section, Signal Corps, United States Army to train flying recruits at Ashburne Field. These operations were formally started on October 28, 1916. About that time Hoover completed re-building his fire damaged tractor plane, assisted by Fred E. Goodall. Hoover soon joined the Signal Corps training group as a civilian flying instructor which ended his exhibition flying career. This military training operation grew rapidly and by year's end a number of well known pioneer pilots were also engaged as instructors. 

In January, 1917 the entire unit was moved to a Driving Park at Memphis, Tennessee to continue training through the winter months. In the move was a large group of instructors and supporting personnel, 16 Curtiss JN-4 training planes and spare parts. In the spring the unit was moved back to Ashburne Field, then later to Chanute Field, Rantoul, Illinois. There in mid-1917 Hoover was made a Senior Civilian Instructor. 

During the early winter of 1917-1918 the unit was again moved south, this time to Park Field, Millington, Tennessee near Memphis for the winter. In May, 1918 Hoover was transferred to the newly formed Engineering Division, Bureau of Aircraft Production at McCook Field, Dayton, Ohio as a Senior Test Pilot for the War Department. There he was engaged in the test flying of many types of both United States and foreign World War I military planes, and he became associated with Colonel J. G. Vincent who was Commanding Officer at the Field, Vincent, formerly one of the executive staff of the Packard Motor Car Company, was co-designer and development engineer of the Liberty engine program. 

After the war the Packard Company made plans for an extensive post-war aviation development program and Vincent resigned from the Service, returned to Detroit and induced Hoover to go with him as company test pilot. On June 5, 1919 Hoover was granted flying license No. 533 by the Joint Army and Navy Board of Aeronautic Cognizance. 

At Detroit the Packard Company carried on an active development and production program of both planes and engines, and for their flight testing Hoover located and established a company flying field located four miles west of Lake St. Clair on 

4