Scott Air Force Base in St. Clair County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Lieutenant General Ira C. Eaker
April 13,1896 - August 6, 1987
— Airlift/Tanker Association Hall of Fame Inductee - 1993 —
Photographed By Thomas Smith, October 5, 2021
1. Lieutenant General Ira C. Eaker Marker
Inscription.
Lieutenant General Ira C. Eaker. April 13,1896 - August 6, 1987. Air power visionary and pioneer, Lt Gen. Eaker secured approval of the Chief of the Air Corps, refined air refueling procedures, selected planes and crews and served as the chief pilot for the "Question Mark" record setting endurance flight of 150 hours and 40 minutes in January 1929. In September 1929, he piloted a Boeing Model 95 Mail Plane on the first non-stop transcontinental flight sustained solely by air refueling. The flight from Oakland Ca. to overhead Mitchel Field NY. took 28 hours and 25 minutes. These two flights by Lt. Gen. Eaker significantly advanced the development of air refueling and greatly expanded the possibility of air power in future operations.
Air power visionary and pioneer, Lt Gen. Eaker secured approval of the Chief of the Air Corps, refined air refueling procedures, selected planes and crews and served as the chief pilot for the "Question Mark" record setting endurance flight of 150 hours and 40 minutes in January 1929. In September 1929, he piloted a Boeing Model 95 Mail Plane on the first non-stop transcontinental flight sustained solely by air refueling. The flight from Oakland Ca. to overhead Mitchel Field NY. took 28 hours and 25 minutes. These two flights by Lt. Gen. Eaker significantly advanced the development of air refueling and greatly expanded the possibility of air power in future operations.
Erected 1993 by Airlift/Tanker Association Hall of Fame.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Military. A significant historical month for this entry is January 1929.
Location. 38° 32.401′ N, 89° 51.81′ W. Marker is in Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, in St. Clair County. Marker is on Main Street just east of Symington Drive, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 100 Heritage Dr, Scott Air Force Base IL 62225, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Nancy Harkness Love (here, next to this marker); Maj. Gen Robert. Patterson (here, next to this
Credits. This page was last revised on October 21, 2021. It was originally submitted on October 21, 2021, by Thomas Smith of Waterloo, Ill. This page has been viewed 116 times since then and 8 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on October 21, 2021, by Thomas Smith of Waterloo, Ill. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
