Selfridge was stationed at the Presidio during the great San Francisco earthquake of April 18 , 1906 . His unit participated in search and rescue as well as cleanup operations . In 1907 , he was assigned to the Aeronautical Division , U.S. Signal Corps at Fort Myer , Virginia , where he was later instructed in flying a dirigible . He was also the United States government representative to the Aerial Experiment Association , which was chaired by Alexander Graham Bell , and he became its first secretary
great San Francisco earthquake
1906 San Francisco earthquake
Thomas Selfridge