Elmer Fowler Stone

Infobox Military Person
name=Elmer Fowler Stone
lived=1887-1936
placeofbirth=Livingstone, New York
placeofdeath=


caption=Commander Elmer Fowler Stone
nickname=
allegiance=U.S. Coast Guard
serviceyears=1910-1936
rank=Commander
commands=
unit=
battles=
awards=Navy Cross
Air Force Cross (UK)
relations=
laterwork=

Elmer Fowler Stone (22 January, 1887 - 20 May 1936) was a United States naval aviator and a Commander in the United States Coast Guard.

Fowler was born in Livingstone, New York and grew up in Norfolk, Virginia. He joined the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service in 1910.

In early 1915, with the encouragement of their commanding officer, Stone and Normal B. Hall approached the Curtiss Flying School in Newport News, Virginia about using aircraft in air-sea rescue operations, and participated in experimental flights in a Curtiss F flying boat. In 1916 he was trained in aircraft use at the United States Navy flight facility in Pensacola, Florida, and also studied aeronautical engineering at the Curtiss factory. On April 10, 1917, Stone was appointed as Coast Guard Aviator No. 1 and Naval Aviator No. 38.

In May of 1919 first lieutenant Elmer F. Stone was the pilot of the NC-4 (LCDR A. C. Read, USN was the Aircraft Commander and Navigator), the first aircraft to make a transatlantic flight. After the historic flight, he was awarded the British Air Force Cross by the government of England (June 9, 1919), and received a promotion to the temporary rank of captain on 25 September 1919. He was awarded the Navy Cross for "distinguished service in making the first successful trans-Atlantic flight" on November 11, 1920.

He continued to promote aviation in the U.S. Coast Guard during the 1920s, as well as developing the shipboard catapult systems and landing deck arresting gear aboard the Navy carriers "Lexington" and "Saratoga." He collaborated with the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company on development of airborne "motor lifeboats" for the explicit purpose of lifesaving missions, and in this is one of the pioneers of modern air-sea rescue. He also commanded destroyers used in the enforcement of Prohibition. On December 20, 1934, he broke the World Seaplane Speed Record, 191 miles per hour over a 3 kilometer test course.

He died on May 20, 1936 of a coronary thrombosis, while inspecting a new aircraft.

On May 5, 1983 he was inducted into the United States Naval Aviation Hall of Honor. He is also a member of the US Coast Guard Aviation Hall of Fame.

Notes and references

*cite web
title="Commander Elmer Fowler Stone"
publisher=United States Coast Guard web site
url=http://www.uscg.mil/history/people/Elmer_Stone.html
accessdate=2008-06-14
*cite web
title=Official orders, correspondence and documents related to E. F. Stone's aviation career
publisher=United States Coast Guard web site
url=http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-cp/history/AC_legacy_of_e_stone.pdf
accessdate=2006-12-15 Dead link|date=June 2008

External links

* [http://www.uscg.mil/history/aviationindex.asp U.S. Coast Guard web site - Aviation History index]
* [http://www.uscg.mil/history/uscghist/aviationchron.html Chronology of Coast Guard Aviation history]