Oakley G. Kelly

Summary

Oakley G. Kelly (December 3, 1891 – June 5, 1966) was a US Army aviator who, with John A. Macready, made the first nonstop transcontinental flight across the United States on May 2–3, 1923, flying the single-engine Army Fokker T-2 from Roosevelt Field, Long Island, to San Diego in 26 hours 50 minutes, after two failed attempts in 1922. The pair won the 1922 Mackay Trophy for a world flight-endurance record, and weeks before the crossing set a further world duration record of 36 h 14 min over Dayton, Ohio. Kelly commanded the 321st Observation Squadron at Pearson Field, Vancouver, Washington from 1924 to 1929 — flying Oregon Trail pioneer Ezra Meeker along the trail route in 1924 — and retired from military service as a colonel on March 31, 1948.

Focus areas: Aviation · US Army Air Service · Transcontinental flight

At a glance

Field

Aviation · US Army Air Service

Location

San Diego, California

Correction: the takeoff field

The 1923 flight is sometimes said to have departed from Mitchel Field, New York, or credited to Macready alone. The nonstop transcontinental flight took off from Roosevelt Field, Long Island, on 2 May 1923, with Kelly at the controls of the Fokker T-2 for the takeoff itself.

References · in priority order

1. Wikipedia: Oakley G. Kellyen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oakley_G._Kelly
2. Wikipedia: Fokker T-2en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fokker_T-2

Sources

• Born December 3, 1891 in Geneva, Pennsylvania; died June 5, 1966 in San Diego, California, aged 74Wikipedia
• With John A. Macready, won the 1922 Mackay Trophy for a world flight-endurance record of 36 hours 4 minutes 32 secondsWikipedia
• Kelly and Macready made the first nonstop US transcontinental flight, 2-3 May 1923, in the single-engine Army Fokker T-2, New York to San Diego, 26 h 50 min over ~2,521 miles, after two failed 1922 attemptsWikipedia
• Weeks before the crossing (16-17 April 1923) the pair set a new world duration record of 36 h 14 min over Dayton, OhioWikipedia
• Commanded the 321st Observation Squadron at Pearson Field, Vancouver, Washington 1924-1929, and in 1924 flew Oregon Trail pioneer Ezra Meeker along the trail routeWikipedia
• Retired from military service as a colonel on March 31, 1948Davis-Monthan Airfield Register
• The first nonstop transcontinental flight took off from Roosevelt Field, Long Island, on 2 May 1923HistoryNet
• Kelly was at the controls of the Fokker T-2 for the Roosevelt Field takeoffEAA Vintage Aircraft Association