1919 First transcontinental air race


The first transcontinental air race in the United States begins, with 63 planes competing in the round-trip aerial derby between California and New York. As 15 planes departed the Presidio in San Francisco, California, 48 planes left Roosevelt Field on Long Island, New York.

Lieutenant Belvin Maynard, flying a Havilland-4 with a Liberty motor, won the 5,400-mile race across the continent and back. Maynard reached the Presidio in just over three days, rested and serviced his plane for another three days, and then returned to Roosevelt Field in just under four days. Maynard won for the lowest total elapsed time, but in actual flight time--24 hours, 59 minutes, and 49 seconds--three others accomplished the round-trip journey faster.

Among other notable events of the day:

1918 - Oct 8:  During the Meuse-Argonne offensive, a group of US soldiers gets lost, but in the ensuing events, Pvt. York manages to save the unit, in the process causing (either with his sharpshooting and.or help of others) about 25 enemy soldiers killed, and capturing about 132.  For his actions and leadership, this pacifist was promoted and awarded the US Congressional Medal of Honor.

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Actually, he was in a squad of 15 sent out to recon an area.  IN a first engagement, they were beset by  a machine gun nest that gunned down half...

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