Steponas Darius (known as Stephen Darius in the US; born Steponas Jucevičius-Darašius; January 8, 1896 – July 17, 1933) was a
Lithuanian American pilot, who died in a non-stop flight attempt in the ''
Lituanica'' from New York City to
Kaunas
Kaunas (; ) is the second-largest city in Lithuania after Vilnius, the fourth largest List of cities in the Baltic states by population, city in the Baltic States and an important centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaun ...
, Lithuania, in 1933.
Biography
Born in
Rubiškės, in the
Kovno Governorate
Kovno Governorate was an administrative-territorial unit (''guberniya'') of the Russian Empire, with its capital in Kovno (Kaunas). It was formed on 18 December 1842 by Tsar Nicholas I of Russia, Nicholas I from the western part of Vilna Govern ...
of the
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...
, Darius immigrated to the US with his family in 1907. In 1917 he joined the
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...
, after the United States entered
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, and changed his name to Darius. He served as a telephone operator in the 149th Field Artillery Regiment, fought in France, was wounded and received the
Purple Heart medal. In 1920, he returned to Lithuania and joined the
Lithuanian Army, graduating from
War School of Kaunas in 1921. He participated in the
Klaipėda Revolt of 1923. While living in Lithuania he completed pilot training. In 1927 he returned to the United States and started working in civil aviation. He initially formed South Bend Airways in partnership with Carl G. Jordan of
South Bend, Indiana. Their fleet consisted of a
Pheasant H-10 and an
Eaglerock Long Wing, both powered by OX-5 engines of World War I vintage. He lived for a while in the Jordan household prior to moving to Chicago.
While living in Lithuania he actively promoted various sports. He initiated the building of the first stadium in
Kaunas
Kaunas (; ) is the second-largest city in Lithuania after Vilnius, the fourth largest List of cities in the Baltic states by population, city in the Baltic States and an important centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaun ...
; it was later named after him – the
S. Darius and S. Girėnas Stadium. He played
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...
,
baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...
,
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. Tw ...
, and practiced
boxing
Boxing is a combat sport and martial art. Taking place in a boxing ring, it involves two people – usually wearing protective equipment, such as boxing glove, protective gloves, hand wraps, and mouthguards – throwing Punch (combat), punch ...
and
athletics, while also being an international
footballer, having played for
Lithuania national football team in its first competitive game against
Estonia
Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, and to the east by Ru ...
on June 23, 1923. He was also part of Lithuania's squad for the
1924 Summer Olympics
The 1924 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the VIII Olympiad () and officially branded as Paris 1924, were an international multi-sport event held in Paris, France. The opening ceremony was held on 5 July, but some competitions had al ...
, but he did not play in any matches.
Since he was the first to publish booklets about basketball and baseball, he is considered to have brought those sports to Lithuania. He was also the first chairman of Lithuanian Physical Education Union, and a founder of ''Sporto Žurnalas'' (''Sports Magazine'').
Death
On July 15, 1933, along with
Stasys Girėnas, he attempted a nonstop flight from
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
, United States to
Kaunas
Kaunas (; ) is the second-largest city in Lithuania after Vilnius, the fourth largest List of cities in the Baltic states by population, city in the Baltic States and an important centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaun ...
, Lithuania – a total of , in a
Bellanca CH-300 Pacemaker airplane named ''
Lituanica''. After successfully crossing the
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the ...
in 37 hours and 11 minutes, they crashed on July 17, at 0:36 am (Berlin Time), by the village of Kuhdamm, near
Soldin, Germany (now Pszczelnik, near the
Myślibórz area,
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...
), most probably because of difficult weather conditions combined with engine problems. Both aviators were killed in the crash. They had covered a distance of without landing, and were only short of their destination.
Awards and honors
* On 18 May 1934,
Lithuania
Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania, is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, P ...
issued a set of six
airmail stamps, in honor of Captains Darius and
Girėnas, and the
Lituanica* A monument to Darius and Girėnas is located in the northeast corner of
Marquette Park (Chicago), Marquette Park in Chicago.
*The
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
Liberty Ship was named in his honor.
* Asteroid
288960 Steponasdarius, discovered by
Kazimieras Černis and
Justas Zdanavičius in 2004, was named in his memory.
The official was published by the
Minor Planet Center on June 9, 2017 ().
Gallery
File:Steponas Darius (in cocpit) and Stasys Girėnas before Lituanica transatlantic flight in 1933 July.jpg, Darius (in cockpit) and Stasys Girėnas before the '' Lituanica'' transatlantic flight in 1933 July
File:10 litai (1993).jpg, Darius (left) and Girėnas on a Lithuanian 10 litas banknote
File:Darius and Girėnas 2013 Lithuanian stamp.jpg, 2013 Lithuanian stamp
References
External links
Palwaukee Airport (Wheeling, Illinois) featured on Lithuanian banknote
{{DEFAULTSORT:Darius, Steponas
1896 births
1933 deaths
People from Klaipėda District Municipality
People from Rossiyensky Uyezd
Emigrants from the Russian Empire to the United States
American people of Lithuanian descent
United States Army soldiers
United States Army personnel of World War I
Lithuanian Army officers
Lithuanian aviators
Aviators killed in aviation accidents or incidents in Germany
Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in 1933
Lithuanian men's footballers
Lithuania men's international footballers
Olympic footballers for Lithuania
Footballers at the 1924 Summer Olympics
Men's association football goalkeepers