Benton Baldwin was born December 11, 1908 at DeLand, FL. He married Flossie Gail Pinkerton of Riverside, CA on November 25, 1934. He died May 20, 1995 at age 86 at Winter Park, FL. His family members were well-educated. His father was a Yale Ph.D. in literature and language. His mother held an M.A. and taught chemistry, science and German in high schools in Florida, San Luis Obispo and Ventura, CA. She also taught at the junior college level. His sister, Berta, held an M.S. in entomology.

Lt. Col. Benton Baldwin (R), April 17, 1945 (Source: NASM)

Image, above, from his NASM dossier (cited, left sidebar), shows Lt. Col. Baldwin on the right accepting the Legion of Merit award from Maj. Gen. Paul L. Williams. Photo taken at an airbase "somewhere in England," April 17, 1945. For reasons unknown, even by his family, his nickname was "Lucky."

B.R. Baldwin, Survey Camp, 1930 (Source: Baldwin Family)

Baldwin was ambitious. He was educated in public schools in Florida and California. He graduated Ventura High School in 1926. He then spent one year at Ventura Junior College and then two years at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) taking a pre-engineering course (1928-30). He then spent two years at the University of California at Berkeley (1930-32) in railroad engineering. According to a draft autobiography among his papers, he did not earn a degree.

He was a hard worker nonetheless. In high school he was a plumber's assistant, electrician's assistant, shoe clerk, chemist in an oil refinery testing laboratory, field hand at an oil refinery, usher and doorman at a theater, baker's assistant, sporting goods and leather goods store clerk, and he had various milk and newspaper delivery routes. With all that, he became the first Eagle Scout in San Luis Obispo, CA.

In college he earned room and board by working at a large nursery during school terms. He worked in the oil fields during summers and attended two summer engineering surveying camps (right, with photo caption below) and an upper division ROTC summer camp at Crissy Field, San Francisco.

B.R. Baldwin, Survey Camp, 1930, Caption (Source: Baldwin Family)

"Lucky" Baldwin landed once at Tucson on Thursday September 27, 1934. He carried a single passenger, Lt. Roscoe A. Dunahoo. Based at Riverside, CA, March Field, they were flying a Martin YB-12-A. They appear to have been on a round-robin flight from March back to March. They stayed on the ground 4.5 hours through the lunch hour before departing westbound. They gave no reason for their flight.

The sources of items referenced above and exhibited below are cited in the right sidebar. Among them is a group of approximately 100 letters written mostly between 1934 and 1938. The majority is from his mother, and they include typical mother subjects like keeping warm, congratulations and concerns about his flying and relationships with his wife. Below, in chronological order, are some of the letters.

First is a 3-page letter from Hilda Thomas of Selby, CA dated February 4, 1934. Several letters from her are among the group belonging to Mr. Denault. This one congratulates Baldwin, belatedly, for his graduation from the pilot program at Randolph Field the previous October. There is no indication of who the writer is, or how she is related to Baldwin. She appears to know his family.

Hilda Thomas Letter to Benton Baldwin, February 4, 1934 (Source: Denault)

Hilda Thomas Letter to Benton Baldwin, February 4, 1934 (Source: Denault)

Hilda Thomas Letter to Benton Baldwin, February 4, 1934 (Source: Denault)

From 1934-35 Baldwin was based at Hamilton Field, San Rafael, CA with the 31st and 11th Bombardment Squadrons. There he experimented with liquid oxygen for breathing in bomber sorties at 25,000 feet. He was promoted to First Lieutenant January 22, 1936. Below, another, shorter letter from Hilda Brown dated July 29, 1935 puts one of his high-altitude flights in context.

Hilda Thomas Letter to Benton Baldwin, July 29, 1935 (Source: Denault)

Benton's (allegedly, see below) soon-to-be wife, Gail Pinkerton, shares the salutation line of this note. A third letter from Thomas, dated December 30, 1935, is below. Benton and wife are the "Adorable Ones."

Hilda Thomas Letter to Benton Baldwin, December 30, 1935 (Source: Denault)

According to information clearly written in his NASM biographical folder (cited above and in left sidebar) Gail and Baldwin were married November 25, 1935. However, this letter mentions that a photograph of them was taken on their first anniversary, which suggests they married in 1934. Does anyone KNOW the real date?

Hilda Thomas Letter to Benton Baldwin, December 30, 1935 (Source: Denault)

As the letter above implies, he left the military and in 1936 and went to the Douglas Aircraft Factory, Santa Monica, CA in jig design. He stayed with Douglas from February to May 1936.

His desire, however, was to work for the airlines. His network of friends kept him informed of potential openings, like in this letter dated January 5, 1936 from a friend in Chicago identified as Orvis. This is actually two separate notes, both in the same envelope. Orvis calls Baldwin's attention to openings for pilots at Delta and American Airlines, and at Chicago & Southern as well as United.

Orvis' Letter to Benton Baldwin, January 5, 1936 (Source: Denault)

Orvis states that he would laugh at a commission if it was offered to him. Orvis was probably a military colleague of Baldwin's.

A January 7, 1936 letter from his wife Gail enclosed Orvis' notes and Gail urges Baldwin to heed his advice. She inquires about his cold and encourages him to persevere in his job search efforts. Her two-page letter follows.

Gail Baldwin Letter, January 7, 1936 (Source: Denault)

According to one Web source, James L. Pinkerton (see the stationery) was probably Gail's father, a (newspaperman?) working on the Riverside Enterprise.

Gail Baldwin Letter, January 7, 1936 (Source: Denault)

Baldwin kept his options open during the time he was unemployed after leaving the military. Below, a letter dated January 9, 1936 from the University of Redlands announcing his admission to the University.

Acceptance Letter, University of Redlands, January 9, 1936 (Source: Denault)

Likewise, he applied for employment with TWA, below.

Benton Baldwin, Trans-Continental & Western Air Application, April 30, 1936 (Source: Denault)

Sometime in 1936 Baldwin went to work for United Air Lines Transport Corporation. No correspondence around his application or acceptance was among his letters. He was domiciled at Cheyenne, WY, flying the Salt Lake City and Chicago routes for the first two years. Below, we have a seemingly cordial letter from Gail dated October 7, 1936. Baldwin notes on the envelope "Bad one." The reason is, either due to the separation of Gail at Riverside and Baldwin at Cheyenne, or preexisting marital problems, Gail accuses him of a possible indiscretion. Nevertheless, she is courteous and cites a box of warm clothing she got together to send him for the coming Wyoming winter.

Letter from Gail Baldwin, October 7, 1936 (Source: Denault)

The right page of the image above continues below. Then go back to the left page above.

Letter from Gail Baldwin, October 7, 1936 (Source: Denault)

Below, a letter dated December 15, 1936 from friend Joe Potter, whom Baldwin probably knew from his time at the Douglas Aircraft Factory. He remarks about visiting Riverside and "Dale," an obvious reference to "Gail." The undercurrent of Depression-era poverty shows in this letter, with Joe returning a borrowed shirt and trenchcoat, finally purchasing some new clothes for himself and his wife, and anticipating a lean Christmas.

Letter from Joe Potter, December 15, 1936 (Source: Denault)

Page two of Potter's letter below.

Letter from Joe Potter, December 15, 1936 (Source: Denault)

Potter mentions ear troubles suffered by Baldwin. Ear problems indeed. Baldwin was quarantined for three weeks at Cheyenne with scarlet fever during the month of December, 1936. A letter from his sister, brother-in-law and mother dated December 28, 1936 follows that confirms the quarantine. Note the mailing address.

Letter from Ed Baldwin, December 28, 1936 (Source: Denault)

Among thanks for gifts and family news, Baldwin's sister Berta, and mother add their notes in the same envelope, below. We learn that Baldwin has a niece, Peggy, and a nephew, Joe. At the bottom of the page, typically, his mother mentions what appear to be two air crashes, leaving her message of "please be careful" unspoken.

Letter from Ed Baldwin, December 28, 1936 (Source: Denault)

Baldwin let no grass grow under his feet while he recovered. He maintained correspondence with his academic network, as in the next letter from the Dean of Engineering at UCLA.

UCLA Letter, January 8, 1937 (Source: Denault)

He also corresponded with and joined the American Birth Control League, Inc. On January 14th, he received a reply below.

Letter, American Birth Control League, Inc., January 14, 1937 (Source: Denault)

"The Sex Technique in Marriage," Book Advertisement, 1937 (Source: Web)

I'm not sure of Baldwin's interest in this book (he was 28 years old at the time), but given the tension between him and Gail, perhaps this was an effort to be a better husband. "The Sex Techique in Marriage" book was advertised in the American Journal of Public Health and at least one other publication, the American Mercury, in 1937, right.

A DIGRESSION:

Regardless of the professional prestige and status of the American Journal of Public Health, and notwithstanding the checkered and contentious philosophical history of the American Mercury, from our 21st century perspective, the stated purpose of the American Birth Control League, Inc. recalls some of the more heinous ideological experiments of the 20th century.

The League's purpose reads, "To promote eugenic birth selection throughout the United States so that there may be more well-born and fewer ill-born children, a stronger, healthier and more intelligent race."

The League published a journal, the Birth Control Review, containing articles by physicians and social workers who probably would be questioned today about their thinking.

One article, entitled "Superfluous People," concludes, "THE most urgent eugenlc task of birth control consists, firstly In the elimination of definitely injurious stock and secondly in the continued control of the 'soclal problem group'...." The "social problem group," i.e. the "superfluous people," in this article were the urban poor.

END DIGRESSION.

Let's give Baldwin the benefit of the doubt and believe that he was interested in a simple how-to manual; not in a program of national genetic manipulation to supress the poor.

Continuing, below is another two-page letter from sister Berta and Ed dated February 13, 1927. It is written in Berta's hand. It is interesting to learn how she managed her address book over 60 years before Microsoft Outlook™.

Letter, February 13, 1937 (Source: Denault)

Page two follows. Baldwin is out of quarantine. A main feature of this letter is Berta's budget discussion. It is very revealing of the income and outlay of a family of four during the Great Depression. Many, many were worse off.

Letter, February 13, 1937 (Source: Denault)

At United Air Lines Transport Corporation, Baldwin earned the civilian Airline Pilot Rating (certificate No. 29879) and from 1936-37 he served as copilot; 1937-39 First Officer;1939-41 as Reserve Captain for the airline. Below, a couple of pieces of correspondence related to continuing education for his airline work. The first is from the Department of Commerce in response to his request for a radio handbook.

Department of Commerce Letter, April 7, 1937 (Source: Denault)

The second, also dated April 7th, is from the Stanavo Specifications Board in response to his request for their pilot's handbook for 1937.

Letter, Stanavo Specifications Board, April 7, 1937 (Source: Denault)

The next letter reveals a hobby that explains why some of the stamps on some of the envelopes among his letters were cut off. There was no stamp collection among the artifacts owned by Mr. Denault.

Letter, U.S. Post Office, April 14, 1937 (Source: Denault)

This May 19, 1937 four-page letter from Berta and Ed finds Gail with Baldwin at Cheyenne. They appear to have found a place to stay. And Berta and Ed are negotiating with their own landlord. And with the University of San Francisco for salary.

Letter, Berta & Ed, May 19, 1937 (Source: Denault)

Baldwin had given his mother a camera the previous Christmas, which she was using to good advantage. Berta give advice for having children: "Heaven help you..."

Letter, Berta & Ed, May 19, 1937 (Source: Denault)

Baldwin was growing a moustache; Ed's family is getting new eyeglasses. And there's always yardwork to do.

Letter, Berta & Ed, May 19, 1937 (Source: Denault)

"Campy" is Ed and Berta's car. Harry Maynard is unknown, but there is an H. Bowman who signed the Register. He could be the "Hal" from March Field. Based at March, H. Bowman landed at Tucson Saturday January 14 & 20, 1933 traveling to San Antonio and Riverside, respectively, with passengers.

Letter, Berta & Ed, May 19, 1937 (Source: Denault)

Below, a news clipping inclosed with the letter. It describes the completion of the 17-month, half-million dollar effort to rebuild the Los Angeles-Ventura section of U.S. Highway 101. The source and date of the newspaper are unknown.

Letter, Berta & Ed, May 19, 1937, News Clipping (Source: Denault)

Below, from June 20, 1937, a two-page letter from Baldwin's mother. Although postmarked June 20th, his mother dated her letter, somewhat confusedly, July 2nd. Her prodding of Gail to develop, "...some interest that is worthwhile that you can share with him...." is either innocently helpful counsel, or reflective of a sense that all was not well in their relationship.

Letter, June 20, 1937 (Source: Denault)

We learn, however, that she was an accomplished woman, teaching languages at the Ventura Schools, as well as a student of Spanish herself. In other letters she mentioned herself teaching the sciences, too. The ship she talks about near the end of the letter refers to a vacation cruise ship that she sailed with down to Panama.

Letter, June 20, 1937 (Source: Denault)

Baldwin was still based at Cheyenne in December when the following note was mailed from the Hotel Utah in Salt Lake City.

Hotel Restaurant Bill, Devember 31, 1937 (Source: Denault)

Baldwin replied with the following explanation. The 77¢ was clearly an amount for which Baldwin, in his earlier days, would keep meticulous accounting.

Hotel Restaurant Bill, Response, Devember 31, 1937 (Source: Denault)

The New Year of 1938 was greeted with a letter from wife Gail, who now appeared to be living back in Riverside, CA. It appears as if Baldwin wasn't writing often enough to her.

Letter from Wife Gail, January 2, 1938 (Source: Denault)

Gail's second page sounds as if it is being written by a bored young woman.

Letter from Wife Gail, January 2, 1938 (Source: Denault)

At some point Baldwin transferred with United Airlines to Newark NJ and was based at LaGuardia Field, Long Island, NY. While with the airline, he performed some of the flying for the experimental work on the new ultra-high frequency absolute altimeter and the first television broadcast from and airplane. He also worked on ice removal from aircraft windshields.

Below, an undated telegram with Thanksgiving wishes from wife Gail. The address is different from all the other letters above, so this may reflect his move east. It was not clear from remaining correspondence if Gail ever joined him in the east.

Thanksgiving Greetings from Gail, 1938(?) (Source: Denault)

Below, an undated note from his mother, written on a United note card. Again, it is not clear if this was delivered at Cheyenne or after he moved to New York.

Undated New Year Greeting (Source: Denault)

On the eve of WWII, Baldwin was reappointed First Lieutenant on January 22, 1941. His NASM dossier does not cover his war service, but he achieved and rose quickly in the ranks (see photo above). In 1944, Baldwin wrote at least two historic summaries of Army Air Corps subjects for the Assistant Chief of Air Staff, Intelligence. One was about bombadier training methods and results (PDF 206pp., 6MB); another similar study for navigators (PDF 280 pp. 9MB). Both these links are inop as of 02/06/23. Does anyone KNOW where the information presently lives?

No military service records or pilot log books were among Baldwin's memorabilia. He did keep two rings, however, one from early in the war and one from the Air Transport Command. The ring below turns out to be an early WW II era pilot's ring. It is made of sterling silver and has gold plated accents of pilot wings with propeller. Inside the ring is stamped "D.B. STERLING & 1/20th-12K G.F." The primary Air Corp wings are mounted on mother-of -pearl. It shows signs of being worn, but not abused.

Benton Baldwin's Vintage Air Corps Ring, Ca. 1940s (Source: Denault)

Benton Baldwin's Vintage Air Corps Ring, Ca. 1940s (Source: Denault)

Benton Baldwin's Vintage Air Corps Ring, Ca. 1940s (Source: Denault)

Below are two views of views of his Air Transport Command ring. The face is enamel cloisonné.

Ring, Air Transport Command (Source: Denault)

Ring, Air Transport Command (Source: Denault)

After the war, he resumed his duties with United Air Lines. He was involved in one tragic accident in 1947 at LaGuardia airport. It cost 42 lives, including his copilot. His NASM dossier (left sidebar) holds a news article from the New York Sun of June 11, 1947 that documents the inquiry held after the crash. Time Magazine also reported the accident in their June 9th issue. They state the cause was wind shear in the face of an approaching thunderstorm. The National Transportation Safety Board report is here download the report (PDF, 1.0Mb).

A group of relatively modern Air Force insignia patches is among Baldwin's memorabilia. Below, is a selection of his patches. It is unknown if he was actually a member of any of the organizations. The majority of these organizations are still operational.

Benton Baldwin, Patch Insignia (Source: Denault)

Among his patches, from upper left, are the 3096th Aviation Depot Squadron, 56th Equipment Maintenance Squadron, two versions of the Pacific Air Forces patch and Tactical Air Command (both elements of SAC), and the Air Force Logistics Command (probably ca. 1960s).

Benton Baldwin, Christian Talisman (Source: Denault)

He also kept a Christian talisman. Whether it was carried on his pocket or not is uncertain, but it shows some wear. It appears to be fashioned from a silver spoon bowl. What looks like a silversmith's hallmark is stamped near the vee at the top. It has a St. Augustine soldier's medal with a cloisonne Air Corps logo attached by a metal ring.

Parker Pen Company "Flaminaire" Cigarette Lighter, Ca. 1951-1953 (Source: Denault)

I have no further information about Baldwin's late career, but some of the artifacts shared with us by Mr. Denault are from the 1950s. At left is his Parker Flaminaire lighter. There were several lighters, pipe tools and cigarette holders among Baldwin's materials, so we can assume he used tobacco. It is engraved with his nickname. Below, the bottom of that lighter.

Bottom of "Flaminaire" Cigarette Lighter, Ca. 1951-1953 (Source: Denault)

The Parker Pen Company licensed the rights to manufacture and sell the French, butane-filled Flaminaire. It was fueled by self-contained, disposable butane cartridges. Because of the high retail price it was not a viable market product for Parker. It was only manufactured and sold between 1951 and 1953. Good examples are found for sale today on eBay for reasonable cost. Baldwin's lighter shows signs of pocket wear, so we can assume it was well-used.

One of our Register airplanes, the Fokker Super Universal NC126M, has an interesting relationship to the Parker Pen Company. Please direct your browser to the link for details.

Below, another example of his assortment of lighters. This one appears to be given to him in 1951 by the Maruhachi Silk Company in Japan. The company is still in business. I have no information about the reason for the gift. "L." in the inscription is for "Lucky."

Maruhachi Silk Co. Lighter, 1951 (Source: Denault)

Maruhachi Silk Co. Lighter, 1951 (Source: Denault)

His dog tag, below, is from sometime during his military career after he received a tetanus shot in 1951 (note the "T-51" stamped on the tag). We note also, with type O-positive blood, that he is a universal donor. Baldwin was a member of the Army Air Reserve Association, so this tag could very well be an artifact from his reserve duties.

Benton Baldwin, Dogtag (Source: Denault)

The "P" at lower right of the tag means "Protestant." We can assume, then, that the Christian talisman exhibited above was in support of that belief.

Baldwin's youthful dice earnings alluded to in his accounting book presented for download at the top of the page are reflected in another of his artifacts. Below, a pair of Flying Box Car dice, which were preserved in their original wrapper. The Flying Box Car refers to the twin-engined Fairchild C-119 transport aircraft. The edges of these dice were nice and sharp. Their age is unknown, but probably from the 1940s or 1950s.

Flying Box Car Dice, Ca. 1940s-1950s (Source: Denault)

Below, the wrapper for the dice, unwrapped (L) and wrapped.

Flying Box Car Dice, Ca. 1940s-1950s (Source: Denault)

Flying Box Car Dice, Ca. 1940s-1950s (Source: Denault)

There is one Gail Baldwin among the entries in the Social Security Death Index born May 29, 1903 and died during September, 1983 at age 80. I'm not sure this is Baldwin's first wife. At some point in time he left Gail and remarried to Audrey Jane Higginson. Baldwin and his wife, Audrey, owned stock as illustrated in this stock certificate from his collection of artifacts. The certificate, from the Farmers National Corporation, is dated September 19, 1958.

Farmers National Corporation, Stock Certificate, September 19, 1958 (Source: Denault)

Farmers National still exists.

Farmers National Corporation, Stock Certificate, September 19, 1958 (Source: Denault)

The Orlando Sentinel reported that he and Audrey sold a home in 1994 for $412,000. This was about a year before Baldwin passed away. The Sentinel of July 11, 1996 cites Audrey as trustee selling a condomnium for $140,000.

The Sentinel of February 1, 2007 cites Audrey's death at age 88 at Satellite Beach, FL. Next of kin were listed as Gregory S. Baldwin, John Scott Baldwin (beneficiary on the stock certificate) and Lisa Ann Baldwin. I do not know their relationships to Baldwin.

Besides the Army Air Reserve Association cited above, Baldwin was a member of the Air Line Pilots' Association.

---o0o---

Dossier 2.2.21

THIS PAGE UPLOADED: 01/12/09 REVISED: 09/27/11, 01/11/12, 07/17/12, 01/06/23