The year 1945 marks the beginning of the forty-third year of powered flight in America. Before we celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the first flight of the Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk air travel will be the world’s primary means of transportation. No spot on the globe will be more than fifty hours distant from wherever you may live. Truly the shortest distance between any two points on earth will be an airline!

During the last few years we have seen the airplane being developed into the mightiest weapon of war that the world has ever seen. We have witnessed the miracle of the creation of our great Army and Navy aërial task forces. And we have seen our air forces lead the way to victory over the enemies of our civilization. Just as the airplane brought us peace, it must also be retained as a military weapon that will always be a threatening force to restrain any fanatics who may again seek to destroy democracy and peace.

As a commercial transport, the airplane will also serve to keep the peace. Commercial airliners will make the world much smaller, and no nation will be a great distance from another. We shall all be able to travel by air to the most far-distant country in a matter of hours. All nations will be closer neighbors, and we shall all have a better understanding of our neighboring nations. The more we visit and mingle with the people of the entire world the more we can help to spread the doctrine of democracy of America. The airplane will play a great part in eliminating the greed and jealousy that breeds war. The young people of today will govern America tomorrow. The airplane will be the vehicle through which they will learn to know the peoples of the world. Through this better understanding America may always be the symbol of peace and prosperity.

However and wherever you fly, here’s wishing you all “Happy Landings!”

INDEX OF PERSONS

[A], [B], [C], [D], [E], [F], [G], [H], [I], [J], [K], [L], [M], [O], [P], [R], [S], [T], [V], [W].

Allen, Brigadier General James, [22]
Allison, James A., [77]
Arnold, General Henry H., [29], [37], [70]
Bacon, Roger, [6]
Baldwin, F. W., [19], [24]
Baldwin, Captain Tom, [18]
Ballentine, Admiral John J ., [95]
Beachey, Lincoln, [28]
Bell, Dr. Alexander Graham, [18]
Bell, Lawrence, [37], [77]
Bennett, Floyd, [49]
Besnier, [7]
Blakely, Lieutenant Charles A., [26]
Bleriot, Louis, [20], [25]
Boeing Aircraft, [53], [54], [57], [58], [63], [66], [70], [71]
Brereton, General Louis, [37]
Brookins, Walter, [26]
Bruno, Harry, [50]
Byrd, Rear Admiral Richard E., [49]
Cayley, George, [7]
Chambers, Captain Washington Irving, [26], [28], [29], [72], [73]
Chanute, Octave, [9], [10], [12]
Chavalier, Lieutenant Commander G. DeC., [41]
Clark, Rear Admiral Joseph J ., [95]
Curtiss Airplane Company, [40], [44]
Curtiss, Glenn H., [18], [19], [20], [21], [24], [25], [27], [28], [37]
Dædalus, [6]
Da Vinci, Leonardo, [6], [7]
Doolittle, Lieutenant General James, [37], [76], [94]
Douglas, Donald, [24], [37], [42], [54], [55], [58]
Eaker, Lieutenant General Ira, [37], [76]
Earhart, Amelia, [52]
Edgerton, Lieutenant J. C., [38]
Ellyson, Lieutenant Theodore G., [28], [29]
Ely, Eugene, [27], [28], [41]
Fleet, Major Reuben H., [38], [74]
Fokker, Tony, [49], [50], [52]
Ford, Henry, [46]
Franklin, Benjamin, [7]
Frye, Jack, [55]
Gates, Artemus, [37]
George, Major General Harold L., [37]
Gilman, Norman H., [77]
Graham-White, Claude, [25]
Griffin, Commander V. C., [41]
Hall, E. J., [37]
Harris, Harold R., [60]
Hegenberger, Lieutenant A. F., [52]
Icarus, [6]
Johnstone, Ralph, [26]
Jouett, Colonel John, [37]
Kartveli, Alexander, [84]
Kelly, Lieutenant Oakley, [50]
Lahm, Brigadier General Frank P., [23], [37], [81]
Langley, Professor Samuel Pierpont, [10], [44]
Lawrance, Charles L., [44]
Lilienthal, Otto, [7], [8]
Lindbergh, Charles A., [49]
Lovett, Honorable Robert A., [37]
Macready, Lieutenant John, [50]
Maitland, Lieutenant Lester D., [52]
Manley, Charles, [10], [44]
Martin, Glenn L., [25], [30], [31], [37], [40], [42], [61]
McCurdy, J. A. D., [19]
McIntee, William, [24]
Misick, Captain Edwin, [60]
Mitchell, General William (“Billy”), [37], [40], [80]
Mitscher, Admiral Marc A., [72], [95]
Montgolfier Brothers, [7]
Montgomery, John J., [8]
Moss, Dr. Sanford, [65]
O’Hare, Lieutenant Commander Edward (“Butch”), [90]
Pegasus, [6]
Penaud, Alphonse, [8]
Pond, George, [50]
Post, Wiley, [57]
Pride, Rear Admiral John, [95]
Radford, Rear Admiral Arthur W., [95]
Randolph, Captain W. M., [81]
Read, Lieutenant Commander A. C., [35]
Rickenbacker, Captain E. V., [37], [60]
Rogers, Commander John, [29], [74]
Roosevelt, Franklin D., [90]
Roosevelt, Theodore, [22]
Saunders, John Monk, [53]
Selfridge, Lieutenant Tom, [19], [22]
Sherman, Rear Admiral Forrest P., [95]
Spaatz, Lieutenant General Carl, [37], [76]
Sperry, Lawrence, [56]
Stevens, Captain Albert W., [76]
Stout, William Bushnell, [46]
Stringfellow, John, [8]
Stultz, Wilmer, [52]
Thatch, Commander John, [90]
Tomlinson, Tommy, [65]
Towers, Vice Admiral John H., [29], [34], [35], [37], [72], [95]
Trippe, Juan, [50], [60], [62], [63]
Vincent, J. G., [37]
Wenham, F. H., [7]
Willard, Charles, [26], [28]
Wilson, Captain Gill Robb, [37]
Wright, Orville and Wilbur, [9], [12], [13], [14], [15], [16], [17], [18], [20], [21], [22], [23], [24], [25], [32], [37]