Squadron, from Wheeler Field, Oahu, kills Arizona native 1st Lt. Charles Linton Williams (1898–1927). Higley Field, at Mesa, Arizona, is renamed Williams Field on 24 February 1942, and Williams Air Force Base in January 1948. The base was closed on 30 December 1993. 29 September Georg Wulf, co-founder of Focke-Wulf, is killed in the crash of the first Focke-Wulf F 19 Ente ("Duck"), D-1960. Second airframe is constructed, eventually put on display in Berlin air museum, destroyed in bombing raid in 1944. 27 October "SAN ANTONIO, Tex., Oct. 27. - Two student fliers, who made successful parachute jumps after their planes had collided 2500 feet above Kelly field (sic) today face possible court martial charges because of the accident. Kelly field (sic) officials said that the two pilots, J. D. Cleveland of Cleveland, and E. A. Sanburn of Upper Lake, Cal., were engaged in unauthorized ‘dog-fighting’ at the time of the accident. They were flying in a three-ship formation of pursuit planes in a manoeuver designed to perfect them in flying solo planes. Officials said, however, that they were supposed to adhere to their formation, and not simulate actual dual combat in the air. According to the officers this was what caused the accident. After the planes interlocked and plunged together toward the earth, the two pilots made perfectly timed parachute jumps. The planes did not become disengaged until they were 500 feet above the ground. Both were demolished, even the motors being hopelessly wrecked. The matter will be referred to an investigating board Friday, which will decide on the advisability of putting the case before a court martial." Curtiss AT-4 Hawk, 27-219, flown by J. B. Cleveland, according to the Aviation Archeology Data Base, collided with AT-4, 27-215, flown by E. A. Sanborn, NW of Kelly Field. (Note slight spelling differences of names.) 4 November US Army Air Corps Capt. Hawthorne C. Gray succeeds in setting new altitude record in a silk, rubberized, and aluminum-coated balloon out of Scott Field, Illinois, reaching , but dies when he fails to keep track of his time on oxygen, and exhausts his supply. The record is recognized by National Aeronautical Association, but not by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale because the dead aeronaut "was not in personal possession of his instruments." Gray is posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his three ascents on 9 March, 4 May and 4 November. 8 December