Dates

• Existence: 1896-1928

Biographical Note

Charles B. D. Collyer was born August 24, 1896. He grew up in Korea, China, England, and the United States. Collyer attended the Virginia Military Institute and enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps during World War I. He served as a test pilot and instructor at Langley Field (Virginia) for the duration of the War and was honorably discharged from the Army in 1919.

After the war, he served as an air mail pilot and conducted mapping work for the U.S. Army. He teamed up with John Henry Mears to break the record for circumnavigation of the globe, which they completed in twenty-three days, fifteen hours and twenty-one minutes. Captain Collyer died while attempting to break his own record for crossing the United States. The Lockheed Vega he was flying, theYankee Doodle, came down during a thunderstorm outside of Prescott, Arizona on November 3, 1928.

At the time of his death, Collyer was engaged to Eleanor Waddell. He was buried in Arlington Cemetery with full military honors; his grave is #3450 in Section 2.

Source:

Biography derived from collection materials.

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