MEMORANDUM
From: MIDN Johnson, Intro to Naval Science
To: LT Franklin, Lt Mathews
Subj: Naval Aviation Memorandum
Naval aviation has come a long way since the first flight. The Navy took something that was once just a hobby to a system of an advanced war fighting machine. There is no doubt that at sea the Navy has complete dominance of the waters, the main reason for this is the Aviation part. The interest in a flying machine came in 1898. The job was to observe and report any possibilities of a flying machine, and in 1908 and 1909 naval officers were present at flights of the Wright brother, who were from Ohio. Following the successful launch from a ship, which was made by a Curtiss biplane off of an 83-foot wooden platform, the Navy began to make the cruiser Birmingham*. On 8 May 1911, the Navy bought their first aircraft from Curtiss which would be called the A-1 Triad. This date is considered the Naval Aviation’s birthday. Later the Wright Brothers also sold the Navy an aircraft, also both of them agreed to train pilots and mechanics for their aircrafts*. Shortly after Eugene Ely landed a plane on the after turret of the USS Pennsylvania, and took off again then landed on shore. This caused the age of the aircraft carrier. By the closing of 1911 the Navy had 3 planes, 4 pilots and one air station. Not long after the Naval Aeronautic Station, in Pensacola, Florida was established. Pensacola became the primary training facility for all naval aviators and aircrew*. Now Pensacola is one of the most respectful places to train and to relax. It is still the Navy’s place to train and to stash future pilots. When the American’s joined WWI in 1917 the United States had 54 aircraft, 1 airship, 3 balloons, and 1 Naval Air Station. During WWI, Aircraft were used for surveillance and reconnaissance. Airplanes were used in a little dog fights but mostly for surveillance. By the end of WWI the Navy had 6,716 officers, 30,693 enlisted men, 252