14 Facts About Russell Maughan

Russell Lowell Maughan was an officer in the United States Army and a pioneer aviator.

Russell Maughan's career began during World War I, and spanned the period in which military aviation developed from a minor arm of the Army Signal Corps to the huge Army Air Forces on the verge of becoming a separate service.

In 1924 Russell Maughan completed the first flight across the continental United States within the hours of daylight of a single calendar day.

Russell Maughan graduated from Utah State Agricultural College in June 1917.

The United States had entered World War I and Russell Maughan enlisted as an Army aviation cadet.

Russell Maughan was credited with four aerial victories and awarded the Distinguished Service Cross on October 27,1918, the citation for which is given below.

Russell Maughan remained in the Air Service following the end of the war and was assigned to its Engineering Division at McCook Field, Dayton, Ohio, as a test pilot.

On July 1,1920, when the Air Service became a combat arm of the Army, Russell Maughan received a Regular commission as a 1st lieutenant, Air Service.

Russell Maughan transferred to Crissy Field at the Presidio of San Francisco in 1921 and joined the 91st Observation Squadron, then engaged in aerial forest fire patrol.

Russell Maughan served in the Philippines from 1930 to 1935, with duty as Secretary of Aviation and Consultant to the Philippine Cabinet from 1930 to 1932.

Russell Maughan, promoted to lieutenant colonel, commanded the 60th Transport Group, Pope Field, North Carolina, from July 28,1941, to April 15,1942.

Colonel Russell Maughan retired in 1946, and died April 21,1958, at San Antonio, Texas, during surgery.

Russell Maughan is buried in the Logan City Cemetery near the Utah State University campus in Logan, Utah.

Russell Maughan is a member of the Utah Aviation Hall of Fame and is honored with a plaque in the Hill Aerospace Museum, Hill Air Force Base, Utah.