Frank P. Lahm

Frank Purdy Lahm
Born(1877-11-17)November 17, 1877
Mansfield, Ohio, U.S.
DiedJuly 7, 1963(1963-07-07) (aged 85)
Sandusky, Ohio, U.S.
AllegianceUnited States
Service / branch
Years of service1901–1941
RankBrigadier General
CommandsAir Corps Training Center
Battles / warsWorld War I
Awards
RelationsSamuel Lahm (grandfather)

Frank Purdy Lahm (November 17, 1877 – July 7, 1963) was an American aviation pioneer, the "nation's first military aviator",[1] and a general officer in the United States Army Air Corps and Army Air Forces.

Lahm developed an interest in flying from his father, a balloonist, and received among the first civil qualification certificates issued. He met the Wright Brothers in 1907 and used his interest in powered flight to become the Army's first certified pilot in 1909,[2] followed four years later by becoming its 14th rated Military Aviator.[3] In 1916 he became a career aviator, serving in the United States Army Air Service and its successors until his retirement in 1941 at the age of 64, rising to the rank of brigadier general.

Lahm reached mandatory retirement age on the eve of United States participation in World War II but contributed to the growth of the Air Force both during and following the war. Because of his leadership and administration during its construction, Lahm is also known as "the father of Randolph Field,"[4] and because of his lifelong devotion to aviation and aeronautical science, "the father of Air Force flight training".[5]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference simpsonxiv was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Hennessy 1958, p. 236, Appendix 14
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Hennapp10 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ "Tour of Historic Randolph" (PDF). Office of History and Research, HQ Air Education and Training Command. 1995. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference huff320 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).