Peyton Conway March Jr. (January 1, 1897 – February 13, 1918) was an officer of the United States Army and military aviator.

Early life and education

March was the son of Peyton C. and Josephine Smith ( Cunningham) March and was born at Fort Monroe, Virginia, where his father was stationed. He attended Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania, where his grandfather, Francis March a professor. March was the first to hold the title of "Professor of English Language and Literature" anywhere in the United States or Europe.

Military career

In 1917, March enlisted in the United States Army and was assigned to the Aviation Section of the Signal Corps. He trained in Toronto and Austin, Texas. In 1918, March was commissioned as a

second lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...

in the Signal Corps after completing flying tests and gunnery instruction. On February 12, 1918, he was seriously injured in an airplane accident at Hicks Field, near Fort Worth, Texas, and died of his injuries in the base hospital on February 13, age 21.Wire service, "Two Killed Result Of Aircraft Falling - About Forty Aviators At Training Fields Have So Far Met Death", ''San Bernardino News'', San Bernardino, California, Wednesday February 13, 1918, Volume 45, Number 37, page 1. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

Honors

The following month, on March 11, 1918, March Field (present day March Joint Air Reserve Base), located ten miles southeast of Riverside, California, was named in his honor.Armed Services Press, ''Welcome to March Air Force Base'' – 1971 Unofficial Guide and Directory, Riverside, California, 1971, page 3.

References

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* {{DEFAULTSORT:March, Peyton C. Jr. 1897 births 1918 deaths Aviators killed in aviation accidents or incidents in the United States Burials at Arlington National Cemetery Lafayette College alumni People from Austin, Texas Military personnel from Texas United States Army Air Service pilots of World War I United States Army officers United States Army Signal Corps personnel