Lt. Leonard Melka and 'Yellow Bird' (Bernard 191 plane) : Biplane landed on the beach

Item Information

Title:
Lt. Leonard Melka and 'Yellow Bird' (Bernard 191 plane) : Biplane landed on the beach
Description:
From a series of images of New England characters. Aviation - Coast Guard escort for "Yellow Bird" Bernard 191 flight, Old Orchard Beach. Pictured with crowd just before first successful French non-stop trans-Atlantic flight, setting a record for speed and distance flown, as well as being the first successful radio broadcast from the air. Escorted for the beginning of the flight by veteran Maine aviator Lt. Leonard Melka who, along with Lt. Cdr. Carl C. von Paulsen in command of Coast Guard Section Base 7 in Gloucester, MA became a pioneer of Coast Guard aviation when he co-piloted a surplus Vaught UO-1 sea plane in 1925 to help spot and apprehend rum smugglers during Prohibition. Congress was impressed and began officially funding Coast Guard aviation endeavors in 1926.
Photographer:
Blackington, Alton H.
Date:
[ca. June 13, 1929]
Format:
Photographs
Genre:
Glass plate negatives
Location:
Special Collections and University Archives, University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries
Collection (local):
Alton H. Blackington Collection
Subjects:
Air pilots--Photographs
Biplanes--Photographs
Melka, Leonard
Extent:
1 photograph ; 12.5 x 10 cm.
Link to Item:
http://credo.library.umass.edu/view/full/muph061-sl505-i001
Terms of Use:
Requests to publish, redistribute, or replicate this material should be addressed to Special Collections and University Archives, University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries.
Contact host institution for more information.
Place of origin:
Old Orchard Beach (Me.)
Language:
English
Identifier:
muph061-sl505-i001