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At the age of 85 years, <em>Frank Purdy Lahm</em> passed away after a most distinguished military career; a long, useful, and eventful life; even a charmed life which survived one war. three airplane crashes, two forced landings, two serious automobile accidents, and a falling horse which broke his rider’s leg in three places. His was a life made vital by a consuming interest in aviation, a life blessed by family and a host of friends, a life made tranquil by a spotless conscience.</div>
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His military service which, including cadet time, spanned forty-four and a half years, included service with the 6th Cavalry m the Philippines, campaigning against the "insurrectos”; three years of teaching French at West Point; attendance at the French Cavalry School at Saumur; two years’ duty with the infant Aeronautical Division, Office of the Chief Signal Officer (1907-1909); attendance at the U.S. Army Cavalry School; a second tour in the Philippines, this time with the 7th Cavalry; a tour with the 6th Cavalry at Texas City, Texas, protecting the border from raids by Mexican bandits; one year as Secretary of the Signal Corps Flying School, North Island, San Diego, California; and two years (1917-1919) of World War I service in France during which he organized the balloon service of the AEF and later organized and commanded the air service of the Second Army. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for this war service.</div>
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Subsequent to World War I, he attended the Army War College; served in G3, War Department; was Air Officer, 9th Corps Area on the west coast; served as Assistant Chief of Air Corps in the rank of Brigadier General (1926-1930) during which time he organized and commanded the first Air Corps Training Center (San Antonio, Texas), and planned and supervised the initial construction of Randolph Field, the West Point of the Air, which was inaugurated in 1930. He viewed this period as the culmination of his military career. Subsequently he was again air officer of the 9th Corps Area; air attache to France, Belgium, and Spain, and military attache to France and Belgium; and air officer of the 2d Corps Area, Governors Island, New York. Finally, in September 1941, he was promoted to Major General and given command of the Gulf Coast Training Center, San Antonio, Texas, where he retired on 30 November of that same year.</div>
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One of the most interesting and significant aspects of his life was his active participation in the very earliest days of aviation. In 1904, while on leave from West Point, he was introduced to free ballooning in France by his father Frank S. Lahm. He received his balloonist certificate from the Federation Aerommtique Internationale that same year. In 1905 he qualified for the Aero Club of America’s free ballooning license No. 4. The following year he and Major Henry B. Hersey won the first Gordon Bennett international balloon race with a flight of 402 miles from Paris, France, over the English Channel to Flying Dales, Yorkshire. England. In 1907 he flew as a passenger in the French dirigible "Ville de Paris.”</div>
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In 1908, while on duty in Washington with the Office of the Chief Signal Officer, he qualified as an airship (dirigible) pilot along with Lieutenants Foulois and Selfridge. His airship license was No. 2. On 9 September of that year he flew in the “Wright Flyer” with Orville Wright, thus becoming the first passenger aloft in an airplane. The next year, with Lt. F.E. Humphreys, he was selected to receive flight instruction with Wilbur Wright in the first U.S. Army airplane. On 26 October 1906, both officers soloed, becoming the first military airplane pilots. Frank Lahm received airplane pilot license No. 2. In 1911, with Lt. Hart, he won the National (U.S.) balloon race and this same year with Mr. Jeff Wade, won second place in the Gordon Bennett international balloon race. During this period, 1912 to 1914, in the Philippines, he conducted flying instruction and experimented in the use of pontoons on the Wright B airplane. He was of certainty an “Early Bird.”</div>
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Retirement was spent in New York City, Cleveland, Los Angeles, and finally Tucson, Arizona, and Chaska Beach, Huron, Ohio. Among his many interests were: Council of World Affairs, Boy Scouts of America, YMCA, Early Birds, Aviation Posts, Richland County Historical Society (Ohio), Rotary, travel, and hunting trips to Wyoming. At the request of Colonel Charles de Forest Chandler, he completed and had published a book, <em>How Our Army Grew Wings</em>, which Chandler had been unable to complete prior to his (Chandler’s) death in 1939. He participated in the 50th Anniversary of powered flight in 1953, and later was elected an Elder Statesman of Aviation. In 1963 he was inducted in the National Aviation Hall of Fame at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.</div>
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He was a rare man, at once a fine Army officer of outstanding integrity, an aviation pioneer, an enthusiastic sportsman, and an individual beloved of many for his courage, his modesty, and his unusual charity.</div>
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General Lahm is survived by his widow, the former Grace Wolfe Kenson, a son, Colonel Lawrence Lahm ’42, a daughter, Mrs. Robert E. (Barbara) McMahon, and eleven grandchildren. Surviving also are a sister, Mrs. Frank (Katherine) Parker, widow of Major General Frank Parker USMA ’94, and two nieces, Katherine Parker and Mrs. John (Ann) Honeycutt, wife of Major General John Honeycutt ’33. General Lahm’s first wife, Gertrude Jenner, preceded him in death in 1931.</div>
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<em>—Col. Lawrence Lalim</em></div>