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until late in September, at which time the Curtiss Company again sent him to Russia to deliver a number of Curtiss[[strikethrough]]Model[[/strikethrough]]Type "R" [[strikethrough]]F[[/strikethrough]]flying [[strikethrough]]B[[/strikethrough]]boats. On this trip he married the daughter of a Russian Officer.

Witmer was in Russia as the Curtiss Company representative until the revolution broke out in 1917 when he escaped with his wife and twin boys in a small boat and returned to the United States, [[strikethrough]]when he[[/strikethrough]] With America entering World War 1, Witmer joined the Navy as a Lieutenant. In 1918 he was promoted to [[strikethrough]]Lt.[[/strikethrough]]Lieutenant Commander and made Superintendent of Aircraft Construction for the First Naval District, Lighter-than-air. Later he was transferred, as Superintendent of Aircraft and Inspection, to Akron, Ohio, where he remained until 1920, when he resigned to join his friend and former Curtiss pilot, J. Lansing "Lanny" Callan, to organize Airships, Inc. at Hammondsport, New York as designers and manufacturers of lighter-than-air craft and accessories. There they soon became well known for their line of life rafts and flotation gear. Witmer was active in this venture until December, 1923, when he resigned as President of the firm due to ill health.

Following this he moved to California and made his home there until he passed away at Santa Barbara from paralysis on October 24, 1929 at age 45. He was survived by his wife, two sons and daughter. He was buried at Santa Barbara.

Flying [[strikethrough]]P[[/strikethrough]]pioneer Charles Witmer [[strikethrough]]passed away just before the founding of the Early Birds, but[[/strikethrough]]certainly deserves a full measure of [[strikethrough]]the same[[/strikethrough]]honor [[strikethrough]]and credit[[/strikethrough]] for the very active part he played in the progress of early aviation history. He [[strikethrough]]also[[/strikethrough]]held California flying license No. 4. As one of the first key men of the early Curtiss organization he contributed materially to their overall accomplishments.

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