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Vernon Lee Burge (November 29, 1888 – September 6, 1971) was an aviation pioneer. He was the first American enlisted man to be certified as a military pilot. After ten years as an enlisted man, Burge was commissioned during World War I and served the next 25 years as an officer. ==Biography== He was born on November 29, 1888. In the autumn of 1907, Private First Class Vernon Burge was assigned to Fort Myer, Virginia, to join the newly formed Aeronautical Division, U.S. Signal Corps under Captain Charles deForest Chandler.〔Tillman, 2006, pp. 20–21.〕 At that time, the Aeronautical Division was composed of only three officers, ten enlisted men and one female civilian clerk. There was to have been an eleventh enlisted man, but he deserted after learning of his assignment.〔Tillman, 2006, p. 217.〕 At first, the unit trained in the military use of balloons. While Burge was stationed there in August 1909, the Wright Brothers brought to Fort Myer the first fixed-wing aircraft purchased by the U.S. Army, a variant of the Wright Model A termed the Wright Military Flyer and designated by the Signal Corps as "Signal Corps (S.C.) No. 1".〔Chivalette, Master Sergeant William I. ("Chapter 2: Enlisted History." ) Part of ''Professional Development Guide.'' Air Force Pamphlet AFPAM36-2241, July 1, 2009. Retrieved on November 20, 2009.〕 Burge worked as a member of the ground crew for the aircraft, and trained in its technology. On December 16, 1909, Burge transferred to Company H, Signal Corps, traveling in February 1910 to Fort Sam Houston, Texas to serve under Lieutenant Benjamin Foulois as one of ten enlisted mechanics repairing the frequently damaged S.C. No. 1.〔Tillman, 2006, p. 82.〕 Along with Glenn Madole and a civilian mechanic in August 1910, Burge contrived a way to fasten three wheels to the aircraft so that its skids would not be damaged as much upon landing. Crude as it was, this was the first tricycle landing gear on an aircraft. Foulois' initial reaction was negative: "One of the unpleasant features of landing on wheels is the difficulty experienced in stopping the machine."〔Coffman, 2004, p. 165.〕 However, the wheels saved the aircraft from more frequent repair, and subsequent aircraft models incorporated wheels. On December 11, 1911, the Army shipped S.C. No. 7, a Wright Model B, and spare parts to enable six months of operations to Fort William McKinley in the Philippines. Corporal Burge and Private Kenneth L. Kintzel accompanied the aeroplane as mechanicians and were joined by five Army mechanics already in Manila.〔Correll, John T. ''Air Force Magazine'', August 2007. ("The First of the Force." ) Retrieved on November 20, 2009.〕 S.C. No. 7, equipped with floats as a seaplane, was assembled and flown for the first time on March 21, 1912.〔Hennessey, 1958, p. 79.〕 1st Lt. Frank P. Lahm, who had been the Army's first passenger on the Wright Military Flyer in 1909, rejoined the 7th Cavalry in the Philippines in November 1911 and was detailed to open the Philippine Air School in March 1912 by Chief Signal officer of the Philippine Department, Lt. Col. William A. Glassford. Although two officers were to be instructed, only one (1st Lt. Moss L. Love) volunteered for the dangerous duty, and Glassford approved Burge's request for pilot training without waiting for approval from the Chief of Signal in Washington, D.C. Burge met the requirements of the ''Fédération Aéronautique Internationale'' (FAI) on June 14, 1912 and received FAI aviation certificate No. 154 (Love received No. 155 on June 28).〔Hennssey, 1958, pp. 79-80.〕〔Air University. (Milestones. ) Retrieved on November 20, 2009.〕〔''Aero Club of America'', (p. 66. "Holders of Aviator's Certificates of the Aero Club of America." ) Retrieved on November 23, 2009.〕 The Chief of Signal later disapproved the training of enlisted men as pilots, but Burge's certification as a pilot was already a fact. He reversed himself and accepted Burge's certification on August 14, 1912 and promoted him to sergeant.〔 He was also rated a master signal electrician.〔(''The Official Bulletin'', Saturday, July 14, 1917, page 15. ) Retrieved on November 20, 2009.〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Vernon Burge」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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