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T. E. Bennett Aviation Collection

 Collection
Identifier: MS-318

Scope and Content

The T. E. Bennett Aviation Collection is a small collection of World War I and Post-World War I related documents collected by Mr. Bennett. The collection is divided into two major series.

Mr. Bennett was Secretary of the Aero Club of Dayton during the early 1920s. Series I, Dayton Aero Club contains primarily newspaper clippings collected by Mr. Bennett. One file contains clippings documenting activities of the Aero Club of Dayton. A second file contains clippings of World War I events. Of particular interest are clippings reporting the death of Germany’s “Red Baron.” The third file contains clippings reporting aviation-related events after World War I. Of particular interest are clipping discussing the need to establish a separate Air Force, independent of the U.S. Army and several clippings reporting the altitude record established by Major R. W. Schroeder, Chief Test Pilot at McCook Field, Dayton, Ohio.

Mr. Bennett was a pilot during World War I. Series II, U.S. Army Publications/Records contains U.S. Army publications he received during and shortly after World War I. Of particular interest to aviation enthusiasts are instructions given to pilots and student pilots at the Kelly Field U.S. Aviation School including, “General Instructions,” “Notes and Rules for Pilots,” “Instructions for Spirals,” and “Aerial Navigation Instructions.” The series also contains some blank publications/forms including, “Morning Report,” “Efficiency Report,” and “Service Record.”

Dates

  • Creation: 1917-1923

Creator

Restrictions on Access

There are no restrictions on accessing materials in this collection.

Restrictions on Use

Copyright restrictions may apply. Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright. Permission to publish, quote or reproduce must be secured from the repository and the copyright holder.

Biography of Thomas E. Bennett

Thomas E. Bennett was born October 29, 1987 in Inchon, Korea to Walter George Bennett, a member of the English Consular Service, and Hana Glover Bennett. Thomas completed his elementary school education at Nagasaki, Japan and his secondary education at St. Joseph Academy, Yokohama, Japan.

In 1912, at the age of 15, he came to the United States and enrolled at St. Mary's College (later became the University of Dayton), Dayton, Ohio. He attended St. Mary's College until 1913. After the Dayton Flood of 1913, he transferred to the University of Wisconsin where he studied engineering until he graduated in 1917. He then returned to Dayton, Ohio.

In June 1917 he entered the U.S. Army and was assigned to Battery A., 322nd Field Artillery, 83rd Division, Chillicothe, Ohio. On October 9, 1917 he was transferred to the Aviation Section of the Signal Corps and assigned to the Signal Cops Aviation School, Wilbur Wright Field, Dayton, Ohio. He then attended the United States School of Military Aeronautics at the University of Illinois. He graduated on March 16, 1918 and received his pilot wings. He was then promoted to 2nd Lieutenant and assigned to Kelly Field, San Antonio, Texas for duty as an Instructor Pilot. Later, on October 23, 1918, he was reassigned to Payne Field, West Point, Mississippi. He was discharged from the U.S. Army on January 7, 1919 with the classification of "Pursuit Pilot" with 172.27 flying hours.

After being discharged from the U.S. Army, Mr. Bennett was assigned to the 83rd Division, Organized Reserves, McCook Field, Dayton, Ohio. He was a member of the Officer Reserve Corps until May 27, 1936.

Mr. Bennett married Annis Quayle in May 1923. Family histories indicate that from the time of his discharge from the U.S. Army in 1919 until he married Ms. Quayle, he did some barnstorming with Chenoweth Aviation of Richmond, Indiana. However, his primary employer, except for a short stint with an electrical contractor, from 1919 until his retirement in 1963 was the Dayton Power and Light Company (DP&L). While employed with DP&L, he was involved with the design of high tension lines and supervised line crews in Xenia, Ohio. Finally, he was assigned to the Power Distribution and Sales Department where he worked until his retirement in 1963.

Mr. Bennett was active in The Aero Club of Dayton, the Wilbur Wright Post of the American Legion (later Post 5), and was instrumental in starting the Electric Club of Dayton. The Electric Club was a group of men and women associated with both the residential and commercial use of electrical services.

Mr. Bennett moved to Florida in 1965 and remained there until his death in 1983.

Extent

0.4 linear feet

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

The T. E. Bennett Aviation Collection is a small collection of World War I and Post-World War I related documents collected by Mr. Bennett. The collection is divided into two major series: Dayton Aero Club papers and U.S. Army publications.

Statement of Arrangement

The collection is organized into two series:

  1. Series I: Dayton Aero Club
  2. Series II: U.S. Army Publications/Records

Acquisition Information

The collection was donated by Mr. Ron Bennett, son of T. E. Bennett, on May 17, 2002.

Title
Guide to the T. E. Bennett Aviation Collection (MS-318)
Status
Completed
Author
Finding aid prepared by John Armstrong, 2004
Date
2015
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Special Collections Repository

Contact:
Wright State University Libraries
Special Collections and Archives
3640 Colonel Glenn Hwy
Dayton OH 45435-0001 USA
937-775-2092