GEORGE D. GRUNDY, JR. - AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED 03/17/1971 - HFSID 269159

GEORGE D. GRUNDY, JR. ALS: "George D. Grundy Jr.", 1¼p, 7¼x10½. Norfolk, Virginia, 1971 March 17. On his personal letterhead to Mr. Calow. In full: "Thank you for your interest in aviation. I am sending you two pictures taken on Graham Beach, Staten Island New York, 1917 One is a Wright Martin with a Curtiss OK5 90 H.P. Motor. I am on the left and the other pilot is Tex [illegible], the man who taught me to fly. The other picture is a Benoist flying boat with an air cooled motor. It also flew with a 100 H.P. Roberts Motor. We liked the way the boat would take off, because the tail was out of the water at all times. It was built by Tom Benoist in Sandusky, Ohio. I am also at the left side of this picture. My father and I owned the 'Staten Island Aviation School' and operated it from 1916 to 1920 At that time we were training pilots for World War I. Hope this will be helpful to you. With kindest regards". Photographs not present. George Debaun Grundy Jr. (1898-1998) was the last surviving member of the Early Birds of Aviation, a club of early aviators who made solo flights on or before December 17, 1916. He flew only a short time testing and demonstrating auto pilots in a Benoist flying boat as he stood on a wing with a second person on the opposite wing to balance the plane. After quitting aviation, Grundy went into real estate, where he remained until retirement. Lightly creased with mid-horizontal fold, not at signature. Fine condition.