Few
passengers hurrying to and from the spacious McKenzie Terminal
realize that Easterwood Airport on the Texas A&M University
campus honors an early pioneer in military aviation. Jesse
Lawrence Easterwood was born at Wills Point, Texas, on December
5, 1888. He enrolled at Texas A&M in 1905 as a member of B
Company Infantry. "Red,"as he was affectionately
known, played second base on the baseball team and quickly
became one of the best liked men at Texas A&M.
Easterwood left Texas A&M in 1909
to pursue business opportunities in Mexia Easterwood where he
became one of the town's leading citizens. The day the United
States declared war on Germany in 1917, he sold his business and
volunteered for duty as an aviator. At the Dallas recruiting
station he was one of three selected for the air service from
more than 300 applicants. Then, it was on to Pensacola, Florida
where he became the second American to qualify as a naval
aviator. Following a brief stint as an instructor at Pensacola,
he was transferred to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
for engineering training.
By 1918, with the Allies in desperate need of
experienced aviators, Easterwood sailed for Europe with the
first group of American pilots. He was soon commanding one of
the new Handly-Page bombers with the Royal Flying Corps. He
completed 16 missions deep behind German lines. |
On one especially
dangerous flight, his was the only aircraft of a four-plane
flight that returned to base.
In addition, he saw service with the air
forces of France and Italy, ferrying the giant Caproni bombers
from Italy to France. This was perilous work and Easterwood,
with a combination of skill and luck, survived fires and
crashes. By the end of the war, he was one of three survivors
from the original group of 68 American pilots.
After the war, Easterwood remained in the
Navy, flying in the dangerous early airmail experiments. In 1919
he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant and transferred to
Coco Solo, Canal Zone. As a division commander, he took it upon
himself to test fly all aircraft with mechanical problems. On
May 16, 1919, Easterwood crashed and died while attempting an
emergency landing in a seaplane with a notoriously bad engine.
He was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for his heroic deeds
during World War One.
In 1940, Texas A&M paid tribute to
Easterwood's memory by naming its new flying field in his honor.
After 54 years, Easterwood Airport is still a vibrant and active
monument, not just to Jesse Easterwood, but to all Aggies who
fought for their country. |
