Howard Fey signed the Register at Tucson as a military pilot Tuesday, July 3, 1928 at 12:55 PM, exactly 90 years before the upload date of this page. He carried a single passenger, Hoyt Vandenberg, who would make a name for himself shortly. They were based at Riverside, CA, March Field, and arrived at Tucson westbound from El Paso, TX. Lt. Fey stated their destination as Yuma, AZ. Vandenberg was a flight instuctor at March Field at the time. They flew in the deHavilland DH-4M1 Fey identified as 32-819.

The photograph, below shows Fey in the front cockpit of a Boeing DH-4M-1, 23007. It is dated October 4, 1926 at 9:00AM. The location was identified as "over Hawaii."

Howard M. Fey (L), October 4, 1926 (Source: Site Visitor)

Fey was born May 2, 1899 in Scranton, IA. The 1900 U.S. Census, his first, placed him at age one living with his mother, father and 2-year old brother, Pearl Gardner (he never used the name Pearl), on a farm in Scranton. His father was a farmer. With them lived a farm hand, Tom Holmon (22). In 1910, the Census included a younger sister named Audria. His draft registration card, below, dated September 12, 1918.

Howard Fey, WWI Draft Registration, September 12, 1918 (Source: ancestry.com)

In 1920, the Census agreed with 1910, but the family had moved to Santa Ana, CA. From his draft registration we know that they moved before September 12, 1918. His father's occupation was now listed as a house carpenter. The family had two cousins living with them. Howard, age 20, did not list an occupation. The 1921 and 1923 Santa Ana city directories listed him as a student.

The Army Register, 1926, below, showed that he joined the military early in the 1920s and graduated from primary flight school in 1923. Simultaneously, he earned a B.S. in mechanical engineering from the University of California.

Army Register, 1926 (Source: ancestry.com)

Who's Who in American Aeronautics, 1928 (Source: Link)

His flying experience was summarized in this REFERENCE, right. The description provided context for the in-flight photograph in Hawaii at the top of this page. He had a degree in mechanical engineering from Berkeley and had two patents, one for a ball turret, and one for a cam shaft improvement.  

Between 1928 and 1930 he left the military. During his last year in the military he pioneered routes up and down the west coast, which he then began to fly commercially at Maddux in 1930.  Soon he went north to United Airlines in Boise.

He married. The 1930 Census placed him at age 30 in Boise, ID living with his wife, Elise (Johnson; 25). They rented their home for $43 per month. He was a pilot working in the "air industry." The Boise city directory for 1934 identified him as a pilot for Varney Air Lines. Fey was one of the first 24 pilots who formed the first commercial airline pilot union, ALPA, while at United Airlines in the 30s.  These pilots risked being fired for unionizing.

The 1940 Census placed him on Oak Hill Road, Oakland, CA. He lived with his wife and their daughter Joyce (4). His occupation was "Tranport Pilot" with an airline. His salary was $5,000+ per year, a good sum in 1940. He and Elise owned their home, which was valued at $11,000. His continuing success didn't last much longer.

Howard Fey suffered an airplane accident near Centerville, UT. He was a captain enroute for United Airlines. He died of horrific injuries, as described in his death certificate, below. He is buried in Santa Ana.

Howard Fey, Death Certificate, November 4, 1940 (Source: ancestry.com)

---o0o---

THIS PAGE UPLOADED: 07/03/18 REVISED: