Among Friends

Among Friends. Wright Brothers National Memorial. Resourcefulness, tireless work ethic, dedication, and importance of family, these words describe both the Wright brothers and Outer Banks residents. Through these shared traits, the Wrights and their Outer Banks neighbors developed mutual respect and lifelong friendships., They worked and dined together, socialized, and even discussed flight theories. When the Wrights achieved flight, their friends were there to lend a hand and witness history. Descendants of the first-flight witnesses still live in the Outer Banks and are active in the First Flight Society, the long-time park partner., (caption) , Johnny Moore - A sixteen-year-old boy who lived his whole live on the Outer Banks as a hunting and fishing guide., Adam Etheridge - A member of the US Life-Saving Service at Kill Devil Hills. He became a life-long friend of the Wright brothers and took care of their camp buildings when they left Kitty Hawk in 1903., W.C. Brinkley - A lumberman from Manteo. He happened to be at the Kill Devil Hills US Life-Saving Station when the Wright brothers signaled the crew to come over and assist with the flyer., Willis Dough - A member of the US Life-Saving Service at Kill Devil Hills. He witnessed and assisted the Wright brothers in their later 1908 flights when they returned to Kitty Hawk for the last time together., Orville Wright - Orville piloted the first flight on December 17, 1903: 12 seconds, 120 feet., John T. Daniels - A member of the US Life-Saving Service at Kill Devil Hills, he took the famous photograph of the Wright brothers' first flight., Wilbur Wright - Wilbur steadied the wing, then let go as the flyer lifted off.