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The life of Henry L. Stevens
Training for a reconnaissance flight
The wartime biographical collection New England Aviators identifies Henry LeNoble Stevens as a son of Charles Stevens and Mary Wharton Sinkler, born at Pinopolis, South Carolina, on May 23, 1892. It records his marriage to Mary Elizabeth Carpenter on June 27, 1917. The full name and marriage details provide the link to the abbreviated Henry L. Stevens in the family record.
His education included schools in Charleston, South Carolina, Episcopal High School, the University of Virginia and Eastman Business College. The aviation account notes his participation in track at Virginia. He enlisted at Providence, Rhode Island, on May 13, 1917 and entered training at Plattsburg in northern New York before moving into aviation.
His training itinerary was long. It included Royal Flying Corps facilities in Canada—Toronto, Long Branch, Camp Rathbun and Armour Heights—and then Taliaferro Field near Fort Worth, Texas. He went overseas with the 139th Aero Squadron in February 1918. At Tours in central France, he worked on construction associated with the Second Aviation Instruction Centre. The published account says he was encouraged to remain but requested training for reconnaissance work.
Further preparation took him through Tours and Issoudun, both in central France. He became a first lieutenant on September 8, 1918 and joined the 50th Aero Squadron the following day. On September 12, during the opening of the Saint-Mihiel offensive, he flew in a Liberty-powered DH-4 on a mission to observe German withdrawals and reinforcements.
The same account reports that about four hours after departure his aircraft came down in flames near Pont-à-Mousson in northeastern France, behind German lines, and that he was killed. It offers a belief that the mission had been completed and that weather contributed to the aircraft's losing its way. The cause of the crash remains uncertain.
The account records burial at nearby Thiaucourt, France. The present location of his grave is uncertain.
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Family relationships
A life in dates
17 events
- Connection to this place
Aviation camp — Long Branch aviation camp.
Long Branch aviation camp, Ontario, Canada
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Enlisted at Providence, Rhode Island, and entered training at Plattsburg before aviation training.
Providence, Rhode Island
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Went overseas with the 139th Aero Squadron; subsequent work included construction at the Second Aviation Instruction Centre at Tours, France.
Tours, France
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Joined the 50th Aero Squadron the day after his promotion.
Bar-le-Duc, France
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Flew a DH-4 reconnaissance mission during the Saint-Mihiel offensive and was killed when the aircraft came down behind German lines. The precise cause of the crash is uncertain.
Pont-à-Mousson crash area, Grand Est, France
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Aviation training — Taliaferro Field.
Taliaferro Field, Texas, United States
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Eastman Business College education — Poughkeepsie, New York.
Poughkeepsie, New York
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Schooling — Charleston, South Carolina.
Charleston, South Carolina
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University of Virginia education — Charlottesville, Virginia.
Charlottesville, Virginia
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Notes & sources
Family records
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