James Lincoln Holt Peck (September 8, 1912 – May 1996) was an American
pilot
An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its directional flight controls. Some other aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are also considered aviators, because they a ...
who served in the
Spanish Republican Air Force
The Spanish Republican Air Force was the air arm of the Armed Forces of the Second Spanish Republic, the legally established government of Spain between 1931 and 1939.
Initially divided into two branches: Military Aeronautics ('' Aeronáutica M ...
during the
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil War ( es, Guerra Civil Española)) or The Revolution ( es, La Revolución, link=no) among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War ( es, Cuarta Guerra Carlista, link=no) among Carlists, and The Rebellion ( es, La Rebelión, lin ...
.
Biography
Peck was one of the few
African-American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American ...
aviators in the Air Force of the
Spanish Republic
The Spanish Republic (), commonly known as the Second Spanish Republic (), was the form of government in Spain from 1931 to 1939. The Republic was proclaimed on 14 April 1931, after the deposition of King Alfonso XIII, and was dissolved on 1 A ...
He was born in
Stoops Ferry,
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
. Despite obtaining a commercial pilot's license and having done two years of University studies, Peck was turned down when he applied to join the
U.S. Air Corps and
Navy flying school.
He went to
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
during the
Civil War
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
in 1936 and joined the
Spanish Republican Air Force
The Spanish Republican Air Force was the air arm of the Armed Forces of the Second Spanish Republic, the legally established government of Spain between 1931 and 1939.
Initially divided into two branches: Military Aeronautics ('' Aeronáutica M ...
, eventually earning rank of the first lieutenant. Peck was credited with shooting down 5 aircraft, 2
Heinkel He-51
The Heinkel He 51 was a German single-seat biplane which was produced in a number of different versions. It was initially developed as a fighter; a seaplane variant and a ground-attack version were also developed. It was a development of t ...
s from the
Legion Condor
The Condor Legion (german: Legion Condor) was a unit composed of military personnel from the air force and army of Nazi Germany, which served with the Nationalist faction during the Spanish Civil War of July 1936 to March 1939. The Condor Legio ...
and 3
Fiat CR.32
The Fiat CR.32 was an Italian biplane fighter used in the Spanish Civil War and the Second World War. Designed by the aeronautical engineer Celestino Rosatelli, it was a compact, robust and highly manoeuvrable aircraft for its era, leading to i ...
Aviazione Legionaria
The Legionary Air Force ( it, Aviazione Legionaria, es, Aviación Legionaria) was an expeditionary corps from the Regia Aeronautica, Italian Royal Air Force that was set up in 1936. It was sent to provide logistical and tactical support to the ...
fighters, becoming one of three American aces in Spain, having also made friendship with
Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Miller Hemingway (July 21, 1899 – July 2, 1961) was an American novelist, short-story writer, and journalist. His economical and understated style—which he termed the iceberg theory—had a strong influence on 20th-century fic ...
while there.
Peck left Spain when the
International Brigade
The International Brigades ( es, Brigadas Internacionales) were military units set up by the Communist International to assist the Popular Front government of the Second Spanish Republic during the Spanish Civil War. The organization existed f ...
s and all foreign fighters were ordered to withdraw from the Republican side of the Spanish Civil War by the
Non-Intervention Committee
During the Spanish Civil War, several countries followed a principle of non-intervention to avoid any potential escalation or possible expansion of the war to other states. That would result in the signing of the Non-Intervention Agreement in Au ...
. He returned to the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
.
On returning to the US, Peck attempted to join the various US military services but was refused due to his involvement in the Spanish Civil War and instead joined the
US Merchant Marine
United States Merchant Marines are United States civilian mariners and U.S. civilian and federally owned merchant vessels. Both the civilian mariners and the merchant vessels are managed by a combination of the government and private sectors, an ...
as an officer.
Writings
During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, Peck authored many articles on warfare technology. One publication Peck wrote extensively for was ''
Popular Science
''Popular Science'' (also known as ''PopSci'') is an American digital magazine carrying popular science content, which refers to articles for the general reader on science and technology subjects. ''Popular Science'' has won over 58 awards, incl ...
'' a well known monthly. And in late 1945, the editors of ''Popular Science'' in an act of journalistic bravery, printed an extensive and detailed article by Peck explaining how radar worked, but also on the contents page had his photo in a prominent placement on that page and also included short bio on Peck, so that the long time readers of Popular Science, knew at last that the author whose articles they were impressed by was an African-American.
Peck's aviation and warfare technology articles were also featured in several other works including ''
Harper's Magazine
''Harper's Magazine'' is a monthly magazine of literature, politics, culture, finance, and the arts. Launched in New York City in June 1850, it is the oldest continuously published monthly magazine in the U.S. (''Scientific American'' is older, b ...
'', ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'', ''
Scientific American
''Scientific American'', informally abbreviated ''SciAm'' or sometimes ''SA'', is an American popular science magazine. Many famous scientists, including Albert Einstein and Nikola Tesla, have contributed articles to it. In print since 1845, it i ...
'', ''
Science Digest
''Science Digest'' was a monthly American magazine published by the Hearst Corporation from 1937 through 1988.
History
''Science Digest'' was first published in January 1937 in an 8 x 5 inch digest size format of about 100 pages. ...
'', and leading aviation magazines such as ''
Aero Digest'', ''
Popular Aviation
Ziff Davis, Inc. is an American digital media and internet company. First founded in 1927 by William Bernard Ziff Sr. and Bernard George Davis, the company primarily owns technology-oriented media websites, online shopping-related services, an ...
'', ''
The Sportsman Pilot'', and ''
Air Trails
The following is a list of publications from Street & Smith.
"Slick" magazines
*'' Mademoiselle''
*''Mademoiselle Living '' (1947–1949) becomes:
*''Living'' (1949–1959) continues by Conde Nast
*''The Popular Magazine''
*'' Air Trails M ...
''. Peck also has a militant column,
Plane Talk, distributed to more than 100 weekly newspapers through the
Associated Negro Press
The Associated Negro Press (ANP) was an American news service founded in 1919 in Chicago, Illinois by Claude Albert Barnett. The ANP had correspondents, writers, reporters in all major centers of the black population in the United States of Americ ...
of which Peck was the Aviation Editor.
Works
Peck is author of two books, ''
Armies with Wings'' published in 1939 and ''
So You're Going to Fly?'' published in 1941. With his first book, The
New York Times magazine
''The New York Times Magazine'' is an American Sunday magazine supplement included with the Sunday edition of ''The New York Times''. It features articles longer than those typically in the newspaper and has attracted many notable contributors. ...
called the final chapter "one of the best descriptions of a test pilot's job ever written."
Affiliations
Peck was also a member of
The National Aeronautic Association and
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) is a Frederick, Maryland-based American non-profit political organization that advocates for general aviation. AOPA's membership consists mainly of general aviation pilots in the United States ...
. He was also Pennsylvania's Secretary of the
National Airmen's Association and
Progressive Negro Organization.
Death
James Peck died in May 1996 in
San Diego
San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the List of United States cities by population, eigh ...
,
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
.
See also
*
Abraham Lincoln Brigade
The Abraham Lincoln Brigade ( es, Brigada Abraham Lincoln), officially the XV International Brigade (''XV Brigada Internacional''), was a mixed brigade that fought for the Spanish Republic in the Spanish Civil War as a part of the Internationa ...
*
Spanish Republican Air Force
The Spanish Republican Air Force was the air arm of the Armed Forces of the Second Spanish Republic, the legally established government of Spain between 1931 and 1939.
Initially divided into two branches: Military Aeronautics ('' Aeronáutica M ...
*
Military history of African Americans
The military history of African Americans spans from the slavery in the United States, arrival of the first enslaved Africans during the colonial history of the United States to the present day. In every war fought by or within the United States ...
*
Salaria Kee, the only African-American female volunteer nurse in the Spanish Republic
*
List of Spanish Civil War flying aces
The following is a list of Spanish Civil War flying aces.
See also
*Spanish Air Force
* Aviación Nacional
*Spanish Republican Air Force
The Spanish Republican Air Force was the air arm of the Armed Forces of the Second Spanish Republic, th ...
References
Bibliography
* Broadnax, Samuel L. ''"Skies, Black Wings: African American Pioneers of Aviation."'' Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc. 2007
* Buckley, Gail Lumet . ''"American Patriots: The Story of Blacks in the Military from the Revolution to Desert Storm."'' 2001
* Stanley, Sandler. ''"Segregated Skies: All-Black Combat Squadrons of WW II."''
Smithsonian Institution Press
The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums and education and research centers, the largest such complex in the world, created by the U.S. government "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge". Founded ...
1998
External links
African Americans in the Spanish Civil War
{{DEFAULTSORT:Peck, James
1912 births
1996 deaths
American people of the Spanish Civil War
African-American military personnel
Spanish Civil War flying aces
20th-century African-American people