Founder and President of Consolidated Aircraft Co. which later became the Convair Division of General Dynamics.
Son of David Wacker Fleet and Lillian Florence Adell (nee Waite) Fleet.
He was a graduate Culver Military Academy class of 1906. He attended for 4 years and attained the rank of cadet captain as the commanding cadet of an infantry company. He was editor-in-chief of the student newspaper, the "Vedette", captain of the debating team, fullback on the football team as well as the center on the basketball team. He later became a member of the Board of Directors of the Culver Educational Foundation.
He was a nephew of Colonel A.F. Fleet, Culver's 3rd Superintendent. He also served 2 terms as president of the Culver Alumni organization and was a life member. He served on the Board of Directors of the Culver Educational Foundation from 1948 until his retirement in 1966.
Two of his sons and 2 grandsons are CMA graduates: David Girton Fleet, CMA'29, Preston Mitchell Fleet, CMA'52, David Fulton Fleet, CMA'54, and Allen Mitchell Fleet, CMA'74.
Culver Military Academy's airfield, Fleet Field, was named in honor of the Fleet Family. The Fleet Space Theater and Science Center in San Diego were named in Reuben Fleet's honor in 1973. Fleet was awarded an honorary life membership in the International Aero Space Hall of Fame in March of 1965.
During World War I, he served as a Major in the US Army Air Service from 1917-22, commanding 34 flying fields as executive officer for flight training in the United States. He earned the distinction of being named "Air Mail Pilot Number One" when he was appointed officer in charge of the first air mail flights between New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. This distinction was given at a special inauguration on May 15, 1918 with President Woodrow Wilson in attendance. Fleet was the retired president of Consolidated Aircraft Corporation, founding Consolidated in 1923, later becoming the Convair Division of General Dynamics Corporation.
Since 1962 Fleet has contributed over 14,000 books to the Culver Memorial Library. He personally contributed the Academy chapel organ in memory of Col. A.F. Fleet, Superintendent of Culver Military Academy from 1897-1911.
In recognition of his numerous contributions to Culver, Reuben was presented Culver's Distinguished Service Award Sabre in October 1974. The presentation was made by Col. Ben Barone during a special ceremony at Fleet's home in San Diego.
1st wife was Elizabeth Clarkson Girton whom he married April 29, 1908 in Aberdeen, Washington. 2 children from this marriage: Phyllis Fleet born April 24, 1909 in Lewis County, WA. David Girton Fleet born April 30, 1901 in Lewis County, WA. By the 1930 census, he was listed as "single". He was married to Dorothy Mitchell about 1933.
Son of David Wacker Fleet and Lillian Florence Adell (nee Waite) Fleet.
He was a graduate Culver Military Academy class of 1906. He attended for 4 years and attained the rank of cadet captain as the commanding cadet of an infantry company. He was editor-in-chief of the student newspaper, the "Vedette", captain of the debating team, fullback on the football team as well as the center on the basketball team. He later became a member of the Board of Directors of the Culver Educational Foundation.
He was a nephew of Colonel A.F. Fleet, Culver's 3rd Superintendent. He also served 2 terms as president of the Culver Alumni organization and was a life member. He served on the Board of Directors of the Culver Educational Foundation from 1948 until his retirement in 1966.
Two of his sons and 2 grandsons are CMA graduates: David Girton Fleet, CMA'29, Preston Mitchell Fleet, CMA'52, David Fulton Fleet, CMA'54, and Allen Mitchell Fleet, CMA'74.
Culver Military Academy's airfield, Fleet Field, was named in honor of the Fleet Family. The Fleet Space Theater and Science Center in San Diego were named in Reuben Fleet's honor in 1973. Fleet was awarded an honorary life membership in the International Aero Space Hall of Fame in March of 1965.
During World War I, he served as a Major in the US Army Air Service from 1917-22, commanding 34 flying fields as executive officer for flight training in the United States. He earned the distinction of being named "Air Mail Pilot Number One" when he was appointed officer in charge of the first air mail flights between New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. This distinction was given at a special inauguration on May 15, 1918 with President Woodrow Wilson in attendance. Fleet was the retired president of Consolidated Aircraft Corporation, founding Consolidated in 1923, later becoming the Convair Division of General Dynamics Corporation.
Since 1962 Fleet has contributed over 14,000 books to the Culver Memorial Library. He personally contributed the Academy chapel organ in memory of Col. A.F. Fleet, Superintendent of Culver Military Academy from 1897-1911.
In recognition of his numerous contributions to Culver, Reuben was presented Culver's Distinguished Service Award Sabre in October 1974. The presentation was made by Col. Ben Barone during a special ceremony at Fleet's home in San Diego.
1st wife was Elizabeth Clarkson Girton whom he married April 29, 1908 in Aberdeen, Washington. 2 children from this marriage: Phyllis Fleet born April 24, 1909 in Lewis County, WA. David Girton Fleet born April 30, 1901 in Lewis County, WA. By the 1930 census, he was listed as "single". He was married to Dorothy Mitchell about 1933.
Founder and President of Consolidated Aircraft Co. which later became the Convair Division of General Dynamics.
Son of David Wacker Fleet and Lillian Florence Adell (nee Waite) Fleet.
He was a graduate Culver Military Academy class of 1906. He attended for 4 years and attained the rank of cadet captain as the commanding cadet of an infantry company. He was editor-in-chief of the student newspaper, the "Vedette", captain of the debating team, fullback on the football team as well as the center on the basketball team. He later became a member of the Board of Directors of the Culver Educational Foundation.
He was a nephew of Colonel A.F. Fleet, Culver's 3rd Superintendent. He also served 2 terms as president of the Culver Alumni organization and was a life member. He served on the Board of Directors of the Culver Educational Foundation from 1948 until his retirement in 1966.
Two of his sons and 2 grandsons are CMA graduates: David Girton Fleet, CMA'29, Preston Mitchell Fleet, CMA'52, David Fulton Fleet, CMA'54, and Allen Mitchell Fleet, CMA'74.
Culver Military Academy's airfield, Fleet Field, was named in honor of the Fleet Family. The Fleet Space Theater and Science Center in San Diego were named in Reuben Fleet's honor in 1973. Fleet was awarded an honorary life membership in the International Aero Space Hall of Fame in March of 1965.
During World War I, he served as a Major in the US Army Air Service from 1917-22, commanding 34 flying fields as executive officer for flight training in the United States. He earned the distinction of being named "Air Mail Pilot Number One" when he was appointed officer in charge of the first air mail flights between New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. This distinction was given at a special inauguration on May 15, 1918 with President Woodrow Wilson in attendance. Fleet was the retired president of Consolidated Aircraft Corporation, founding Consolidated in 1923, later becoming the Convair Division of General Dynamics Corporation.
Since 1962 Fleet has contributed over 14,000 books to the Culver Memorial Library. He personally contributed the Academy chapel organ in memory of Col. A.F. Fleet, Superintendent of Culver Military Academy from 1897-1911.
In recognition of his numerous contributions to Culver, Reuben was presented Culver's Distinguished Service Award Sabre in October 1974. The presentation was made by Col. Ben Barone during a special ceremony at Fleet's home in San Diego.
1st wife was Elizabeth Clarkson Girton whom he married April 29, 1908 in Aberdeen, Washington. 2 children from this marriage: Phyllis Fleet born April 24, 1909 in Lewis County, WA. David Girton Fleet born April 30, 1901 in Lewis County, WA. By the 1930 census, he was listed as "single". He was married to Dorothy Mitchell about 1933.
Son of David Wacker Fleet and Lillian Florence Adell (nee Waite) Fleet.
He was a graduate Culver Military Academy class of 1906. He attended for 4 years and attained the rank of cadet captain as the commanding cadet of an infantry company. He was editor-in-chief of the student newspaper, the "Vedette", captain of the debating team, fullback on the football team as well as the center on the basketball team. He later became a member of the Board of Directors of the Culver Educational Foundation.
He was a nephew of Colonel A.F. Fleet, Culver's 3rd Superintendent. He also served 2 terms as president of the Culver Alumni organization and was a life member. He served on the Board of Directors of the Culver Educational Foundation from 1948 until his retirement in 1966.
Two of his sons and 2 grandsons are CMA graduates: David Girton Fleet, CMA'29, Preston Mitchell Fleet, CMA'52, David Fulton Fleet, CMA'54, and Allen Mitchell Fleet, CMA'74.
Culver Military Academy's airfield, Fleet Field, was named in honor of the Fleet Family. The Fleet Space Theater and Science Center in San Diego were named in Reuben Fleet's honor in 1973. Fleet was awarded an honorary life membership in the International Aero Space Hall of Fame in March of 1965.
During World War I, he served as a Major in the US Army Air Service from 1917-22, commanding 34 flying fields as executive officer for flight training in the United States. He earned the distinction of being named "Air Mail Pilot Number One" when he was appointed officer in charge of the first air mail flights between New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. This distinction was given at a special inauguration on May 15, 1918 with President Woodrow Wilson in attendance. Fleet was the retired president of Consolidated Aircraft Corporation, founding Consolidated in 1923, later becoming the Convair Division of General Dynamics Corporation.
Since 1962 Fleet has contributed over 14,000 books to the Culver Memorial Library. He personally contributed the Academy chapel organ in memory of Col. A.F. Fleet, Superintendent of Culver Military Academy from 1897-1911.
In recognition of his numerous contributions to Culver, Reuben was presented Culver's Distinguished Service Award Sabre in October 1974. The presentation was made by Col. Ben Barone during a special ceremony at Fleet's home in San Diego.
1st wife was Elizabeth Clarkson Girton whom he married April 29, 1908 in Aberdeen, Washington. 2 children from this marriage: Phyllis Fleet born April 24, 1909 in Lewis County, WA. David Girton Fleet born April 30, 1901 in Lewis County, WA. By the 1930 census, he was listed as "single". He was married to Dorothy Mitchell about 1933.
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