Hawthorne C. Gray

Biography

Hawthorne C. Gray brought courage to the early days of military aviation, setting records in high-altitude balloon flights that expanded the Army’s understanding of flight and its dangers. His willingness to push upward into uncharted airspace reflected both bravery and the scientific curiosity needed to make the future of flight safer for others.

Although he paid with his life for those daring experiments, Gray’s name endures among aviators, and Arlington National Cemetery shelters the memory of his tireless striving.