Joseph Park graduated from the US Military Academy in 1904. He recieved his pilot license in February 1913, and was killed in an air crash just a few months later.
Park Field in Shelby County, Tennessee was later named in his honor.∼
Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) May 09, 1913, DAILY EDITION.
U.S. Army Bird-Man Meets Death on San Diego-Los Angeles Flight.
By United Press Leased Wire.
Santa Ana, Cal. May 9. - Lieut. J.D. Parks, U.S.A., was instantly killed today when his aeroplane careened into a gully at Olive, near here, while he was attempting to take the air after a short rest. The machine dashed into a tree, and Parks' head was crushed beneath the heavy engine.
Parks, who was connected with the army corps stationed at San Diego, started early today to fly from San Diego to Los Angeles. He passed over Santa Ana shortly after 8 o'clock, following the line of the Santa Fe railroad. At Olive the road branches, one spur running eastward to Riverside and one continuing northward to Los Angeles.
Park took the Riverside direction, but discovered his error and landed in a field near the village to get his bearings.
Upon re-ascending after a rest the aviator evidently mis-calculated the length of the field and was unable to *clear a ravine that marked its boundary*. The aeroplane wheels stuck the further bank, and the frail craft plunged down an embankment, bringing up against a huge oak tree.
Parks' his head smashed to a pulp, was dead when he was removed from the wreckage by Albert Hesick and George McCoy, farmers who had seen him fall. Both shoulders were crushed, and his back apparently broken. Hesick guarded the body while McCoy ran to Olive and telephoned to Cornner Windblinger at Santa Ana.
San Diego, May 9. - Lieut J.D. Parks, army aviator, left North Island, in San Diego by, at 5:10 a.m. today for a flight to Los Angeles. According to officials at the army aviation camp, he planned to make the entire flight without landing. He estimated that the flight would take about three hours.
Lieut. Parks has been stationed here for some time and recently has been making many spectacular flights.
A few days ago when the cruiser South Dakota was in the harbor, Parks made a flight to give the gunners a chance to get practice in obtaining sight on an aeroplane. He went up to about 6,000 feet and hid behind a big cloud, and, circling above it, kept himself from sight of the gunners for some time.
Almost daily he made sensational practice flights and showed great skill in swooping down directly from great heights and make perfect landings.
Parks was alone on today's flight.
Lieut. Parks, when he was preparing for his flight this morning, felt confident that it could be made without landing and in any case one or two landings along the beach. He made a good getaway and circled the aviation field until he reached a height of 2,000 feet.
Everything was working apparently with satisfaction to him and he then headed directly for the north and was soon lost to view. His flight had not been announced. The distance to Los Angeles by airline is 112 miles, and Parks had practically covered that distance in a sustained flight of two and a half hours made since his coming to the army camp here about February 1. He had had training at Hammondssport, N.Y. He was single about 30 years old. His home was in New Hampshire.
* Difficult to read.
Park Field in Shelby County, Tennessee was later named in his honor.∼
Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) May 09, 1913, DAILY EDITION.
U.S. Army Bird-Man Meets Death on San Diego-Los Angeles Flight.
By United Press Leased Wire.
Santa Ana, Cal. May 9. - Lieut. J.D. Parks, U.S.A., was instantly killed today when his aeroplane careened into a gully at Olive, near here, while he was attempting to take the air after a short rest. The machine dashed into a tree, and Parks' head was crushed beneath the heavy engine.
Parks, who was connected with the army corps stationed at San Diego, started early today to fly from San Diego to Los Angeles. He passed over Santa Ana shortly after 8 o'clock, following the line of the Santa Fe railroad. At Olive the road branches, one spur running eastward to Riverside and one continuing northward to Los Angeles.
Park took the Riverside direction, but discovered his error and landed in a field near the village to get his bearings.
Upon re-ascending after a rest the aviator evidently mis-calculated the length of the field and was unable to *clear a ravine that marked its boundary*. The aeroplane wheels stuck the further bank, and the frail craft plunged down an embankment, bringing up against a huge oak tree.
Parks' his head smashed to a pulp, was dead when he was removed from the wreckage by Albert Hesick and George McCoy, farmers who had seen him fall. Both shoulders were crushed, and his back apparently broken. Hesick guarded the body while McCoy ran to Olive and telephoned to Cornner Windblinger at Santa Ana.
San Diego, May 9. - Lieut J.D. Parks, army aviator, left North Island, in San Diego by, at 5:10 a.m. today for a flight to Los Angeles. According to officials at the army aviation camp, he planned to make the entire flight without landing. He estimated that the flight would take about three hours.
Lieut. Parks has been stationed here for some time and recently has been making many spectacular flights.
A few days ago when the cruiser South Dakota was in the harbor, Parks made a flight to give the gunners a chance to get practice in obtaining sight on an aeroplane. He went up to about 6,000 feet and hid behind a big cloud, and, circling above it, kept himself from sight of the gunners for some time.
Almost daily he made sensational practice flights and showed great skill in swooping down directly from great heights and make perfect landings.
Parks was alone on today's flight.
Lieut. Parks, when he was preparing for his flight this morning, felt confident that it could be made without landing and in any case one or two landings along the beach. He made a good getaway and circled the aviation field until he reached a height of 2,000 feet.
Everything was working apparently with satisfaction to him and he then headed directly for the north and was soon lost to view. His flight had not been announced. The distance to Los Angeles by airline is 112 miles, and Parks had practically covered that distance in a sustained flight of two and a half hours made since his coming to the army camp here about February 1. He had had training at Hammondssport, N.Y. He was single about 30 years old. His home was in New Hampshire.
* Difficult to read.
Joseph Park graduated from the US Military Academy in 1904. He recieved his pilot license in February 1913, and was killed in an air crash just a few months later.
Park Field in Shelby County, Tennessee was later named in his honor.∼
Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) May 09, 1913, DAILY EDITION.
U.S. Army Bird-Man Meets Death on San Diego-Los Angeles Flight.
By United Press Leased Wire.
Santa Ana, Cal. May 9. - Lieut. J.D. Parks, U.S.A., was instantly killed today when his aeroplane careened into a gully at Olive, near here, while he was attempting to take the air after a short rest. The machine dashed into a tree, and Parks' head was crushed beneath the heavy engine.
Parks, who was connected with the army corps stationed at San Diego, started early today to fly from San Diego to Los Angeles. He passed over Santa Ana shortly after 8 o'clock, following the line of the Santa Fe railroad. At Olive the road branches, one spur running eastward to Riverside and one continuing northward to Los Angeles.
Park took the Riverside direction, but discovered his error and landed in a field near the village to get his bearings.
Upon re-ascending after a rest the aviator evidently mis-calculated the length of the field and was unable to *clear a ravine that marked its boundary*. The aeroplane wheels stuck the further bank, and the frail craft plunged down an embankment, bringing up against a huge oak tree.
Parks' his head smashed to a pulp, was dead when he was removed from the wreckage by Albert Hesick and George McCoy, farmers who had seen him fall. Both shoulders were crushed, and his back apparently broken. Hesick guarded the body while McCoy ran to Olive and telephoned to Cornner Windblinger at Santa Ana.
San Diego, May 9. - Lieut J.D. Parks, army aviator, left North Island, in San Diego by, at 5:10 a.m. today for a flight to Los Angeles. According to officials at the army aviation camp, he planned to make the entire flight without landing. He estimated that the flight would take about three hours.
Lieut. Parks has been stationed here for some time and recently has been making many spectacular flights.
A few days ago when the cruiser South Dakota was in the harbor, Parks made a flight to give the gunners a chance to get practice in obtaining sight on an aeroplane. He went up to about 6,000 feet and hid behind a big cloud, and, circling above it, kept himself from sight of the gunners for some time.
Almost daily he made sensational practice flights and showed great skill in swooping down directly from great heights and make perfect landings.
Parks was alone on today's flight.
Lieut. Parks, when he was preparing for his flight this morning, felt confident that it could be made without landing and in any case one or two landings along the beach. He made a good getaway and circled the aviation field until he reached a height of 2,000 feet.
Everything was working apparently with satisfaction to him and he then headed directly for the north and was soon lost to view. His flight had not been announced. The distance to Los Angeles by airline is 112 miles, and Parks had practically covered that distance in a sustained flight of two and a half hours made since his coming to the army camp here about February 1. He had had training at Hammondssport, N.Y. He was single about 30 years old. His home was in New Hampshire.
* Difficult to read.
Park Field in Shelby County, Tennessee was later named in his honor.∼
Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) May 09, 1913, DAILY EDITION.
U.S. Army Bird-Man Meets Death on San Diego-Los Angeles Flight.
By United Press Leased Wire.
Santa Ana, Cal. May 9. - Lieut. J.D. Parks, U.S.A., was instantly killed today when his aeroplane careened into a gully at Olive, near here, while he was attempting to take the air after a short rest. The machine dashed into a tree, and Parks' head was crushed beneath the heavy engine.
Parks, who was connected with the army corps stationed at San Diego, started early today to fly from San Diego to Los Angeles. He passed over Santa Ana shortly after 8 o'clock, following the line of the Santa Fe railroad. At Olive the road branches, one spur running eastward to Riverside and one continuing northward to Los Angeles.
Park took the Riverside direction, but discovered his error and landed in a field near the village to get his bearings.
Upon re-ascending after a rest the aviator evidently mis-calculated the length of the field and was unable to *clear a ravine that marked its boundary*. The aeroplane wheels stuck the further bank, and the frail craft plunged down an embankment, bringing up against a huge oak tree.
Parks' his head smashed to a pulp, was dead when he was removed from the wreckage by Albert Hesick and George McCoy, farmers who had seen him fall. Both shoulders were crushed, and his back apparently broken. Hesick guarded the body while McCoy ran to Olive and telephoned to Cornner Windblinger at Santa Ana.
San Diego, May 9. - Lieut J.D. Parks, army aviator, left North Island, in San Diego by, at 5:10 a.m. today for a flight to Los Angeles. According to officials at the army aviation camp, he planned to make the entire flight without landing. He estimated that the flight would take about three hours.
Lieut. Parks has been stationed here for some time and recently has been making many spectacular flights.
A few days ago when the cruiser South Dakota was in the harbor, Parks made a flight to give the gunners a chance to get practice in obtaining sight on an aeroplane. He went up to about 6,000 feet and hid behind a big cloud, and, circling above it, kept himself from sight of the gunners for some time.
Almost daily he made sensational practice flights and showed great skill in swooping down directly from great heights and make perfect landings.
Parks was alone on today's flight.
Lieut. Parks, when he was preparing for his flight this morning, felt confident that it could be made without landing and in any case one or two landings along the beach. He made a good getaway and circled the aviation field until he reached a height of 2,000 feet.
Everything was working apparently with satisfaction to him and he then headed directly for the north and was soon lost to view. His flight had not been announced. The distance to Los Angeles by airline is 112 miles, and Parks had practically covered that distance in a sustained flight of two and a half hours made since his coming to the army camp here about February 1. He had had training at Hammondssport, N.Y. He was single about 30 years old. His home was in New Hampshire.
* Difficult to read.
Inscription
CAPT. JOS. D. PARK U.S.A.
APR. 3, 1882 — MAY 9, 1913
RUTH A. PARK
MAY 9, 1885 — MAR. 29, 1980
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