William Henry Hoff

"William immigrated in 1913. William served in the military in Kelly Field San Antonio, Texas (8/17/1917). He has a First Lieutenant in Army Aviation Corps during World War I, from August 17, 1917 to December 28, 1918. Prior to his military service he was pioneer aviator. He was chief mechanic and advance man for Eugene Ely when Ely first flew to and landed on a modified SS Pennsylvania on Jan. 18, 1911 and subsequently took off. The ship was anchored in San Francisco Bay during this event. Hoff rained as a pilot at the Glen H. Curtiss(?) flying school at North Island, San Diego, CA." Notes from Charles Hoff June 30, 2000.