An Iowa farm boy, Eugene Ely, was the first man in the world to fly off and land on a ship. Known as the “The Father of Naval Aviation”, Ely was born in 1886 near Williamsburg, Iowa, and is buried there.
On Sunday, October 23, 2011, two ceremonies will be held at Williamsburg, Iowa to honor Eugene Ely and the 100 years of American Naval Aviation, 1911-2011.
The first event will take place at 12:30PM at the East York Cemetery, about 7 miles east of Williamsburg, IA where Ely is buried.
At about 12:50PM a fly-by will be made over the Ely gravesite to salute this true Naval Aviation Pioneer. Pilots are invited to participate in the fly-by. If you wish to participate, please contact Jim Jones at meyers67@mchsi.com and plan on meeting at the Iowa City Airport before the event. There will also be a program at 2pm in the day at the Williamsburg Recreational Center.
