Details for Launching Site of First U.S. Army Warplane
Historical Marker —
Atlas Number 5061003048
Data
Marker Number
3048
Atlas Number
5061003048
Marker Title
Launching Site of First U.S. Army Warplane
Index Entry
Launching Site of First U.S. Army Warplane
Address
98 Taylor Avenue
City
Brownsville
County
Cameron
UTM Zone
14
UTM Easting
650996
UTM Northing
2865370
Subject Codes
aviation; military topics
Marker Year
1966
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
Yes
Marker Location
Fort Brown Reservation on May Street, near intersection of May Street and Taylor Avenue
Private Property
No
Marker Condition
In Situ
Marker Size
18" x 28"
Marker Text
From Old Fort Brown Cavalry Drill Field, near this spot, was made the first flight of a U.S. Army plane to be fired upon in armed hostilities, April 20, 1915. Two Signal Corps officers, Lts. Byron Q. Jones and Thos. Milling, flew a Martin T.O. Curtiss 75 on the border to spot movements of Mexican revolutionist Pancho Villa. They reached 2,600 feet; were up 20 minutes. Though they did not cross the Rio Grande, the plane was hit by machine gun and small arms fire. Their patrols lasted 6 weeks. Planes were used more effectively in fighting against Villa in 1916.
