Charles Irving Elliott

Charles Irving Elliott
Photo Courtesy of Hawaiian Airlines Archives
Born November 13, 1892
Barnum, West Virginia
Died July 5 , 1972 age 79
Burbank, CA
Cause of death Stroke
Other names "Captain Sam"
Occupation Navy Pilot / Airline Pilot
Employer Inter-Island Airways / Hawaiian Airlines
Known for Aviation pioneer of the Hawaiian Islands
Spouse(s)

Christine Elliott

Bertha Widmann-Elliott

Charles Irving "Sam" Elliott (1892-1972) was a pioneer aviator in the Hawaiian Islands. As an airline pilot, he is credited with the first scheduled passenger flight between the Hawaiian Islands, the first scheduled airmail flight between the Hawaiian Islands, and the first scheduled cargo flight in the USA/Hawaiian Islands.[1]

Early Life

Elliott was born on November 13, 1892 in Barnum, West Virginia to Fredrick and Susan (Blackburn) Elliott.[2] Elliott had three younger sisters (Ruth, Lilly, and Myrtle) and two younger brothers (Francis and Donovan)[3]. His teenage years were spent in Seaside, Oregon where he worked with his father as a carpenter.[3] Elliott joined the US Navy in 1915 and married Christine E. Benton on Sept. 12, 1918 in San Diego, California.[4]

Elliott started his naval career as a carpenter's mate stationed at Rockwell Field (now North Island Naval Air Station) on the San Diego Harbor. In 1919, Elliott applied for and was accepted into the Navy's first ever flight training class for enlisted personnel.[5] [1] After graduation from flight school, he was selected to remain at the Pensacola Naval Air Station in Florida as a flight instructor.[5] His next assignment was to fly seaplanes at Ford Island Naval Air Station in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.[5] Being an enlisted man, Chief Petty Officer Elliott was referred to as a Naval Aviation Pilot, or AP for short.[5]

Airline career

In 1929, the newly formed Inter-Island Airways needed to hire a Chief Pilot to help begin flight operations. The founder of Inter-Island Airways, Stanley Kennedy Sr., flew Curtiss H-16 seaplanes [1] for the US Navy in World War I and planned on using seaplanes for his airline due to his knowledge of their capabilities and the lack of suitable airports in Hawaii at the time.[5] For these reasons, Kennedy wanted someone with naval seaplane experience, so when Elliott applied he was hired as Chief Pilot for Inter-Island Airways on August 1, 1929. Elliott's initial tasks were to oversee the construction of the company's hangar,[5][6] hire new pilots, and fly the company's Bellanca Pacemaker on sightseeing flights over Oahu while waiting for their Sikorsky S-38 amphibious aircraft to arrive from the factory in Connecticut.[5] Inter-Island Airways had chosen Armistice Day (November 11) to be the inaugural day for air travel between the Hawaiian Islands.

Captain Elliott in a S-38 on the bay at Kona, Hawaii (Courtesy of Hawaiian Airlines Archives)

First Scheduled Airline Flight in the Hawaiian Islands

On November 11, 1929, Territorial Governor Lawrence M. Judd led the events attended by thousands of spectators for the first airline flight between the Hawaiian Islands. Betty Judd, the Governor's daughter, christened the two S-38's with bottles of Champaign and floral leis.[1] [5] Elliott captained the S-38 "Hawaii" with mate/mechanic Elmer Koski in lead-formation with the S-38 "Maui" captained by Carl Cover and mate/mechanic Leonard Fry. The two S-38's departed John Rodgers Field (now Honolulu International Airport) and met up with 49 military aircraft and the Inter-Island Airways Bellanca (flown by Darr Alkire) circling overhead to fly in formation past Honolulu and Waikiki, and then out to Diamond Head. [1][5] The two S-38's continued on to Maui where they were met by "the greatest throng ever assembled with exception perhaps of the opening day of the county fair", wired the Honolulu Star-Bulletin.[5]

The two S-38's soon departed Maui for their next leg to Hilo on the Island of Hawaii. Upon landing at Hilo, the Honolulu Star-Bulletin wired "...public and official enthusiasm exceeding any similar demonstrations in the history of this island city...a vast crowd at the airport, drawn from all sections of the island in the realization that the flight opens a new era in Hawaii transportation...long before the arrival of the Sikorskys all sides of the Waiakea airport was lined by hundreds of automobiles. The report that the ships had been sighted over Hawi at 11:55am was the signal for a cheer ".[5]

First Scheduled Airmail Flight in the Hawaiian Islands

Another milestone happened in Elliott's airline career on October 8, 1934. Territorial Governor Joseph Poindexter and Honolulu Postmaster Charles Chillingsworth led the ceremonies for the inaugural flight carrying airmail between the Hawaiian Islands. In New York City, Postmaster General James Farley extended his congratulations over a nationwide radio broadcast. [1][7] Governor Poindexter handed the bags of mail up to Elliott and co-pilot James Hogg, then the S-38 "Maui" took off for Hilo introducing airmail service for the residents of Hawaii.[1]

First Scheduled Cargo Flight in the US

During World War II, the inter-island cargo ships were commandeered into military service, creating a crises for the people of Hawaii as shipping had been the only means of transporting cargo between the islands. Hawaiian Airlines (Inter-Island Airways changed its name to Hawaiian Airlines in 1941)[1] [8] petitioned the Civil Aeronautics Board for authorization to fly air cargo flights between the islands. Hawaiian Airlines was rewarded with United States Air Cargo Certificate #1.[1] [5] On March 20, 1942, Elliott captained the first scheduled air cargo flight in the United States. [1]

Retirement and Death

Elliott retired from Hawaiian Airlines in 1951[9]and moved to the US mainland. Christine passed away in 1961, and on November 14, 1962 (the day after his 70th birthday) Elliott married Bertha Widmann in Las Vegas, Nevada.[10] Elliott passed away in Burbank, California on July 5, 1972 from a stroke at the age of 79. [1] He is buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.[11]

Firsts

• First class of Navy enlisted men to go to flight school (1919)

• First airline pilot hired in the Territory of Hawaii (1929)

• First to fly a scheduled airline passenger flight in the Territory of Hawaii (1929)[12][13]

• First to fly a scheduled airmail flight in the Territory of Hawaii (1934)[13]

• First to fly a scheduled cargo flight in the United States/Territory of Hawaii (1942)

Honors

• On November 11, 1964, the House of Representatives for the State of Hawaii named "Elliott Street" at the Honolulu International Airport in his honor [1][9]

• On November 11, 2017, Hawaiian Airlines named its 21-acre "Charles I. Elliott Maintenance and Cargo Facility" in his honor[6][14]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Cohen, Stan (1986). Hawaiian Airlines, A Pictorial History of the Pioneer Carrier in the Pacific. Pictorial Histories Publishing Co. pp. 1–6, 9–62. ISBN 0-933126-81-6.
  2. ↑ West Virginia Births and Christenings, 1853-1928," database, FamilySearch. "West Virginia Births and Christenings". Familysearch.com. Retrieved 9 February 2018.
  3. 1 2 United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch. "United States Census, 1910". Familysearch.com. Retrieved 9 February 2018.
  4. ↑ California, County Marriages, 1850-1952," database with images, FamilySearch. "California, County Marriages, 1850-1952". Familysearch.com. Retrieved 9 February 2018.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Thiele, Ray (1994). Kennedy's Hawaiian Air. Olomana Publishers. pp. 4–5, 22–23, 87. ISBN 0-9643365-0-2.
  6. 1 2 Roldan, Maria Corina. "Hawaiian Celebrates its 88th Anniversary Unveiling its New Hangar in Honolulu". airwaysmag.com. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  7. ↑ "Inter-Island Air Mail Is Begun in Hawaii; Farley Opens Service in Broadcast Here". New York Times. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  8. ↑ Shane, Nelson. "Hawaiian Airlines Turns 82". Travel Weekly.com. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
  9. 1 2 Prisons, United States. Bureau of (1996). Proposed Detention Facility, Honolulu: Environmental Impact Statement. p. 3-SL4-PA9. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  10. ↑ Marriage Index, Nevada (Nov 14, 1964). Marriage record. Clark County Nevada: Nevada Marriage Index, 1956-2005," database, FamilySearch. p. F04. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  11. ↑ "Charles Irving Elliott grave marker". Findagrave.com. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  12. ↑ Roldan, María Corina (17 November 2017). "Hawaiian Celebrates its 88th Anniversary Unveiling its New Hangar in Honolulu". Airways Magazine. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  13. 1 2 "Hawaiian Airlines Dedicates New Facility on 88th Anniversary". Big Island Now | Hawaiian Airlines Dedicates New Facility on 88th Anniversary. 14 November 2017. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  14. ↑ Petranik, Steve. "Hawaiian Airlines New Repair Hangar Can Hold 5 Jets at Once". Hawaii Business Magazine. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
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