Lester J. Maitland

Lester J. Maitland
Nickname(s)	Les
Born	(1899-02-08)February 8, 1899 Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Died	March 27, 1990(1990-03-27) (aged 91) Scottsdale, Arizona
Allegiance	United States
Service / branch	Aviation Section, Signal Corps Air Service, United States Army United States Army Air Corps United States Army Air Forces Michigan Air National Guard
Years of service	1917-1943, 1951-1956
Rank	Brigadier general
Commands	386th Bomb Group (medium) 28th Bombardment Squadron 8th Attack Squadron
Battles / wars	World War II
Awards	Silver Star Distinguished Flying Cross
Other work	Director, Wisconsin Aeronautics Commission Michigan Director of Civil Defense Episcopal lay-minister

Lester James Maitland (February 8, 1899 – March 27, 1990) was an aviation pioneer and career officer in the United States Army Air Forces and its predecessors. Maitland began his career as a Reserve pilot in the U.S. Army Air Service during World War I and rose to brigadier general in the Michigan Air National Guard following World War II.

In 1927 Maitland and Lt. Albert F. Hegenberger completed the first transpacific flight from California to Hawaii, flying the modified transport Bird of Paradise. Although the recognition accorded them was less in comparison with the adulation given Charles Lindbergh for his transatlantic flight only five weeks earlier, Maitland and Hegenberger's feat was arguably more significant from a navigational standpoint.^[1]

Maitland continued his career in the Air Corps, serving in combat as a bombardment group commander during World War II. He later became the first director of the Wisconsin Aeronautics Commission and the Director of Civil Defense for the state of Michigan before changing professions and becoming an Episcopal minister.