News Letter 1941 Jul-Dec - Air Force Historical Studies Office

A Veteran Retires
FRANK P. LAHM APPOINTED MAJOR GENERAL
On~ of the pioneers in Army aviation, former Brigadier
General Frank p. Lahm, became a Major General
last month when the nomination for his promotion,
made by President Roosevelt on September IS, was
confirmed by the Senate two days later. General
Lahm's promotion took place two months before he
will reach the statutory retirement age of 64.
General Lahm, now Air Officer for the First Army,
began the career which led to his present high
rank in 1901 when he was graduated from the United
States Military Academy and commissioned a second
lieutenant of Cavalry.
General Lahm's career has been a significant one.
Since he first went to France to study aeronautics
in 1905 he has been in the forefront in the making
of aviation history--both civil and military.
Lighter-than-air as well as heavier-I:han-air flying
has held the General's interest, and his name
appears many times in the annals of orogress in
both of these fields. Not only was he the first
Army airplane pilot, but also one of the first
balloon pilots in military history. As far as
existing records show he was, in addition, the
firs t oerson in the mi Iit a rv se rv ice of any country
to make a solo flight in an airplane.
First
Cross-Country
Outside of military aeronautical history General
Lahm can list among his accomplishments the establishment
with Orville Wright, of one of the first
endurance records for aircraft, remaining in the
air for one hour, 12 minutes and 40 seconds. Also
with Orville Wright he completed the first crosscountry
flight, a ten-mile iourney from Fort Myer
to Alexandria, Virginia, and return.
In the field of lighter-than-air flying General
Lahm's activities led to his winning an International
Balloon Race (from Paris, France, to Flying
DorIes, England) as far back as 1906. During
the early part of this country's participation in
the World War he was especially active in the
lighter-than-air field, being attached to the
Balloon Wing, Second Army, of the British Expeditionary
Forces in France shortly after joining the
A.E.F. While with this unit he participated in an
attack which lasted from September 6 to October I,
1917. He was also attached for a time to the Balloon
Headquarters of the French Army at Soissons,
France, and served with this group during the attack
on Chemin Des Dames on October 23, 1917.
After rece1v1ng this experience with the British
OCTOBER 19