Livingston Gilson Irving

Livingston Gilson Irving
Born 1895
San Francisco, California
Died 1983
Service/branch U.S. Army Air Service, A.E.F.
Rank First Lieutenant
Unit 103rd Aero Squadron
Awards Distingushed Service Cross
Relations Father, Samuel C. Irving (1858–1930) mayor of the City of Berkeley, California from 1915 to 1919. Mother- Laura F. Sell

Livingston Gilson Irving DSC,[1] (1895 –1983) was an American World War I pilot.

Text of citations

Distinguished Service Cross - for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 103d Aero Squadron, 3d Pursuit Group, U.S. Army Air Service, A.E.F., near Bantheville, France, 10 October 1918. Accompanied by another pilot, Lieutenant Irving attacked an enemy formation of 11 planes, four of which were above him. In spite of the great odds, he dived into the lower formation, and after a sharp combat destroyed one plane, and with the aid of his companion forced a second plane to earth.[2]

Victories

Date # Type Location Aircraft flown Unit assigned Notes
10 October 1918 One kill,One assist Bantheville, France 103d Aero Squadron, 3d Pursuit Group

Prior to World War I, Irving attended the University of California, Berkley.[3]

After World War I, Livingston worked with his brother at the California Cider Company overseeing the orchards. He also flew out of Crissy Field as part of the Air Corps Reserve.[4]

In 1927 The Pabco Pacific Flyer, a Breese-Wilde Model 5, was bought by the Paraffine Companies Inc. of San Francisco California owned by Irving's father, Samuel C. Irving. Livingston Irving became the first contestant to enter the Dole Air Derby. While most contestants had navigators, Irving qualified as both.[5] While on the takeoff attempt for the Dole prize, Irving crashed the bright orange Pabco Pacific Flyer painted with the Indian head of his WWI unit. Irving escaped uninjured exiting the ill-fated air race.

In November 1927, his aircraft was wrecked in the Mojave Desert, ripping off both wings, it was then sold to directly to Irving for $10.00. It was rebuilt by the Breese Aircraft Company to a cabin style with a new fuselage, wing, wheels and a new propeller. Aircraft Industries Inc, then lengthened the aircraft 8" and added new wings five feet longer. The new plane was re-registered as the seven place Irving Cabin Monoplane with the intent on use as an aerial radio broadcasting station KHAC Flying Broadcasters (Inc.).[6][7] In June 1929, the aircraft was sold again to the Pacific Finance Corporation for $2000 with 550 flight hours logged. The aircraft was dismantled in December 1932.[8]

Livingston retired from the Army Air Force at the rank of colonel.

References

  1. ^ "Honor Roll of the Air Service". Aerial age weekly. 3 March 1919. 
  2. ^ "Livingston Gilson Irving". http://militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/recipient.php?recipientid=15991. Retrieved 4 November 2011. 
  3. ^ University of California, Berkeley. Associated Students, University of California, Berkeley. Junior Class, Zeta Psi Fraternity. Iota Chapter (University of California, Berkeley). The Blue and gold. 
  4. ^ "The Slater-Irving connection was sealed in Paraffine". http://berkeleyheritage.com/eastbay_then-now/slater-irving.html. Retrieved 4 November 2011. 
  5. ^ "The Slater-Irving connection was sealed in Paraffine". http://berkeleyheritage.com/eastbay_then-now/slater-irving.html. Retrieved 3November 2011. 
  6. ^ "Radio Stations 1920-1930". http://www.nrcdxas.org/articles/192x.txt. Retrieved 3 November 2011. 
  7. ^ "United States Callsign Policies". http://earlyradiohistory.us/recap.htm. Retrieved 3 November 2011. 
  8. ^ "United Airlines Executive Air Traveller". http://www.dmairfield.org/people/breese_va/Breese.pdf. Retrieved 3 November 2011. 
People and aircraft
Campaigns and battles
Entente Powers air services
Central Powers air services