| Keywords: smithsonian institution smithsonianinstitution man portrait mustache moustache pilot goggles collar smile 1922 airmail leather cap aviation aviator helmet leather helmet leatherhelmet flight hopeful leather coat leathercoat national postal museum nationalpostalmuseum wesley l. smith wesleylsmith wesley smith wesleysmith w.l. smith wlsmith smith movember people outdoor Date: c. 1922  Object number: A.2009-21  Medium: paper; photo-emulsion  Description: Wesley Smith was a pilot for the Post Office Department's airmail service. He flew the mail from November 8, 1919 June 15, 1927, making him one of the longest serving pilots in the Department. He spent most of his time in the service based in the New York and New Jersey airmail fields. On April 27, 1920 Smith was flying the mail between College Park, Maryland and Newark, New Jersey when he encountered a heavy fog. He flew over it, using his compass. When he came down to see where he was, he flew into trees on the Orange Mountains. Smith survived that crash and continued to fly for the Air Mail Service until it was turned over to private contractors. At that time, Smith went on to serve as the operations manager for National Aviation Transport (NAT). National Postal Museum, Curatorial Photographic Collection Photographer: Unknown  Place: United States of America  See more items in: National Postal Museum Collection  Credit line: National Postal Museum, Curatorial Photographic Collection   Photographer: Unknown  Persistent URL:http://www.arago.si.edu/index.asp?con=2&cmd=1&id=207519  Repository:National Postal Museum  View more collections from the Smithsonian Institution. Date: c. 1922  Object number: A.2009-21  Medium: paper; photo-emulsion  Description: Wesley Smith was a pilot for the Post Office Department's airmail service. He flew the mail from November 8, 1919 June 15, 1927, making him one of the longest serving pilots in the Department. He spent most of his time in the service based in the New York and New Jersey airmail fields. On April 27, 1920 Smith was flying the mail between College Park, Maryland and Newark, New Jersey when he encountered a heavy fog. He flew over it, using his compass. When he came down to see where he was, he flew into trees on the Orange Mountains. Smith survived that crash and continued to fly for the Air Mail Service until it was turned over to private contractors. At that time, Smith went on to serve as the operations manager for National Aviation Transport (NAT). National Postal Museum, Curatorial Photographic Collection Photographer: Unknown  Place: United States of America  See more items in: National Postal Museum Collection  Credit line: National Postal Museum, Curatorial Photographic Collection   Photographer: Unknown  Persistent URL:http://www.arago.si.edu/index.asp?con=2&cmd=1&id=207519  Repository:National Postal Museum  View more collections from the Smithsonian Institution. |