C.K. Langford, Ca. 1925 (Source: Woodling)

C.K. Lankford landed once at Tucson, Monday, August 19, 1929. He flew A-7437, a Boeing F2B. Based at San Diego, CA aboard the U.S.S. Saratoga, he arrived amidst nineteen other naval aviators, each signed into the Register on the middle third of page 112. Other than the first six who signed their own names, the rest, including Lankford, were entered by an unknown hand all at once. Please direct your browser to the link and review page 112. There you'll see that signers Chourre through Wick comprise the group of twenty. They all remained overnight at Tucson, departing the morning of the 20th for El Paso, TX.

What were they doing at Tucson? They were on a grand cross-country flight headed from San Diego to Cleveland, OH and back to participate in the National Air Races (NAR) held August 24th-September 2nd at Cleveland that year. Lt. Cdr. Homer Wick was commanding officer of Squadron No. 1 based on the Saratoga.

Wick brought his entire squadron through Tucson on behalf of the NAR. During the 1920s and 1930s, the Navy ordered numerous activities by its personnel, ships and airplanes to build confidence in the naval force among the U.S. citizenry, to provide real-life training for personnel, as well as to encourage recruitment.

Lankford's job in the group was as a member of the the aerobatic team named the "Nine High Hats." Below, Lankford is circled and shown with the rest of his section (the officers immediately to his right and kneeling below him) and the entire 9-man team just three days before he landed at Tucson. He also participated in event No. 21 of the NAR, the Navy Pursuit Race. It took place on August 30th and covered 100 miles in ten, 10-mile laps. According to the Aircraft Yearbook for 1930, sixteen navy pilots competed. Lankford placed fourth with an average speed of 126.08MPH. Please direct your browser to Wick's page to see a tabulation and identification of all the men in his squadron.

The "Nine High Hats," August 16, 1929 (Source: NHH via Bob Woodling)

Alas, neither Lankford nor his airplane were going to make it to Cleveland. The Cleveland Plain Dealer of Monday, August 26, 1929 carried the following article and photographs documenting the crash at Lorain, OH of Lankford and his Boeing. It was a harbinger of things to come.

Cleveland Plain Dealer, Monday, August 26, 1929 (Source: Woodling)

Below, another photograph accompanying the article above. Lankford was injured badly enough to be taken to the hospital (with a broken jaw and facial cuts). We learn from this photo that his airplane number was A-7437.

Cleveland Plain Dealer, Monday, August 26, 1929 (Source: Woodling)

So what about the "Nine High Hats" now being eight? At Cleveland the sections of the team shifted responsibilities of lead and train and none other than Charles Lindbergh filled out the lineup, flying lead with Kivette and O'Beirne in trail. Below from the Naval Institute, is a photo documenting that event on August 30, 1929. Left to right, O'Beirne, Kivette, Lindbergh and L.E. Gehres.

Lindbergh Substituting for Lankford, August 30, 1929 (Source: U.S. Naval Institute)

Below, another image of O'Beirne, Lindbergh and Kivette. Note the High Hat emblem on the A-1 jackets and compare with the image above.

Frank O'Beirne, Charles Lindbergh & F.N. Kivette, August 30, 1929, Cleveland, OH (Source: Web via Woodling)

Lankford was educated at the U.S. Naval Academy, class of 1925. Below, his biography page from the 1925 "Lucky Bag," the name of the senior yearbook. In the lower photo, O'Beirne appears to have rearranged his scarf and buttoned up his jacket. His goggles are a little higher on his forehead, and Kivette has tucked his jacket pocket flaps inside. Lindbergh has the same twist to his necktie in both images, has donned his goggles, and buttoned the third button on his jacket. They appear, too, to have moved to the port side of the airplane behind them.

U.S. Naval Academy, BIography from the 1925 "Lucky Bag" (Source: Woodling)

The "Black N**" notation (meaning Black N with two stars) at the end of his activities list signifies earning two of the mysterious and unsanctioned Black Ns, which for almost 100 years had been a "scarlet" letter for midshipmen of questionable virtue who have racked up more demerits than most. Direct your browser to the link (PDF, 192Kb) to learn more about the Black N.

Morning Oregonian September 17, 1931 (Source: Woodling)

The New York Times, September 17, 1931 (Source: NYT)

About two years after his crash in Ohio, Lankford was assigned to the Panama Canal Zone and tasked with carrying some relief supplies from there to Belize (then British Honduras). The articles, above and right, from the Morning Oregonian and The New York TImes, respectively, document the end of that flight which killed Lankford and two of his crew.

Lankford did not enjoy a life long enough to build a successful Navy career as did many of his fellow travelers that accompanied him through Tucson in August of '29.

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