VERY RARE ! US NAVY COMMENDATION FOR 1st AIRSHIP TO CROSS UNITED STATES in 1924

Description: ORIGINAL! VERY RARE! U.S.NAVY COMMENDATION FOR 1st AIRSHIP TO CROSS UNITED STATES IN 1924 U.S. NAVY COMMENDATION FOR 1st AIRSHIP TO CROSS UNITED STATES IN 1924 Airship ZR-1 USS Shenandoah Crew Member's Commendation from Secretary of Navy, October 1924, with the original autographed signature of * U.S. Navy Lt. Commander Zachery Lansdowne Partially printed and typed document signed as lieutenant commander, * " Z. Lansdowne," 5 1/8" x 8 7/8". Dated October 26, 1924. "US Navy Rigid Airship ZR-1 USS Shenandoah commendation of its crew member ** Charles S. Solar from Secretary of Navy Curtis D. Wilbur that was transmitted to Commander Zachary Lansdowne on the airship, and subsequently typed and distributed by Lansdowne.Condition is very good with light spots, light wrinkles, and wear to the edges including a couple very small tears including two tears on the file holes along front left "hole punches”, (not affecting the content). Left side of the document has album residue from a period album mounting. Text still dark and legible throughout. The US Navy Rigid Airship USS Shenandoah made one of its most impressive demonstrations in October, 1924, when the ship made a difficult 19-day journey across the United States from Lakehurst,NJ. to San Diego, CA., via Forth Worth,TX and then traveled up the west coast to Seattle,WA and back to San Diego,CA before returning to Lakehurst,NJ. This was the first transcontinental flight and round trip transcontinental flight by rigid airship along with the longest trip at the time by rigid airship. The USS Shenandoah on its headline-making journey across the country, captured the enthusiasm of both the American public and also leaders in the field of Aviation from around the world. Commendation reads: "'Hearties (sic) congratulations on the successful completion of the longest journey ever made by airship. It demonstrated the ability of the rigid airship to remain away from its base for a period much longer than has been thought possible have notable influence on the development of this type of airship, for both military and civil purposes. The Department wishes to commend the Commanding Officer, Officers and men of the SHENANDOAH for the skill and perserverence [sic] which they have shown in this pioneer trip across the continent. It is a source of pride that the Navy built rigid airship should have first accomplished this round trip. / CURTIS D. WILBUR” * Zachary Lansdowne (b.1888-d.1925) was an experienced and well-known naval commander at the time of his death on September 3, 19 Shenandoah. Graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1909, Lansdowne was commissioned an ensign 2 years later, serving in the US Navy before receiving aeronautical training in Pensacola, Florida and Akron, Ohio. In 1917, he was sent abroad to study the use of dirigible airships for the duration of World War I. Lansdowne served on board the British airship R-34 as it made history by flying non - stop flight across the Atlantic. After a brief stint in Germany as an assistant naval attache from 1922-1923, Lansdowne was given command of the the first US Navy Rigid Airship USS Shenandoah. The ill-fated airship conducted an historic round-trip voyage across the United States, in acknowledgement of which the commendation featured the legendary airship's voyages, however, was the disastrous and deadly tour of the midwest, which ended as the ship encountered a squall in Noble County, Ohio. Parts of the ship (including the control car, which Lansdowne and 6 other crewmen were occupying) began to tear off a of the ship, crashing into fields below killing Landsdowne. In total, 14 men lost their lives in the tragedy. The destroyer USS Lansdowne was named after the fallen commander. ** Charles S. Solar (b.1895-d.1990) CHARLES S. SOLAR WAS ON ACTIVE SERVICE ON AIRSHIPS STARTING IN WW1 ON MARCH 29,1917. BESIDES BEING ON THIS HISTORIC TRANSCONTINENTAL ROUNDTRIP FLIGHT FOR WHICH HE WAS GIVEN THE COMMENDATION HE WAS ACTIVE ON AND AT : ZR-1 USS SHENANDOAH (CREWMEMBER AND CRASH SURVIVOR) ZR-2 (R-38) (PRESENT IN ENGLAND AIRSHIP BASE AT TIME OF CRASH) ZR-3 (LZ-126) USS LOS ANGELES (CREWMEMBER) ZRS-4 USS AKRON (CREWMEMBER BUT NOT AT TIME OF CRASH) ZRS-5 USS MACON (CREWMEMBER AND CRASH SURVIVOR) THE ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR ON DECEMBER 7 1941. SOLAR RECEIVED A PURPLE HEART FROM WOUNDS FROM ACTIONS D SURPRISE ATTACK. THIS IS NOT A COPY OR A REPRODUCTION PLEASE SEE MY 100% POSITIVE FEEDBACK AND BUY WITH CONFIDENCE.

Price: 6435 USD

Location: New York, New York

End Time: 2024-08-30T20:47:37.000Z

Shipping Cost: 4.99 USD