k , ▁ 2 7 – 2 2 0 , ▁three ▁miles ▁N W ▁of ▁G orm an , ▁Texas ▁ ▁after ▁take ▁off ▁from ▁G orm an ▁Field . ▁In ▁September ▁ 1 9 2 9 , ▁the ▁Army ▁Air ▁Corps ▁names ▁its ▁field ▁north ▁of ▁San ▁Antonio , ▁Texas , ▁Rand olph ▁Field ▁for ▁the ▁Austin , ▁Texas ▁native . ▁Rand olph ▁was ▁inter red ▁at ▁Fort ▁Sam ▁Houston , ▁Texas . ▁ ▁Iron ically , ▁Captain ▁Rand olph ▁had ▁been ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁committee ▁assigned ▁to ▁select ▁a ▁name ▁for ▁the ▁new ▁air field . ▁Rand olph ▁had ▁surv ived ▁w reck ing ▁a ▁F ok ker ▁D . V II ▁at ▁Mod esto , ▁California , ▁on ▁ 1 9 ▁April ▁ 1 9 2 0 . ▁ 2 7 ▁February ▁Commander ▁The odore ▁Gordon ▁El ly son , ▁the ▁first ▁Naval ▁A vi ator , ▁Lieutenant ▁Commander ▁Hugo ▁Schmidt ▁and ▁Lieutenant ▁Rog ers ▁Ran seh oun sen , ▁crash ▁to ▁their ▁death s ▁in ▁the ▁sole ▁Lo ening ▁X OL - 7 ▁am ph ib ian , ▁A 7 3 3 5 , ▁( an ▁O L - 6 ▁modified ▁with ▁an ▁experimental ▁th icker ▁wing ), ▁in ▁the ▁lower ▁Ch es ape ake ▁Bay ▁while ▁on ▁a ▁night ▁flight ▁from ▁Nor folk , ▁Virginia , ▁to ▁Ann apolis , ▁Maryland . ▁The ▁Navy ▁searches ▁for ▁the ▁lost ▁aircraft ▁for ▁a ▁month ▁without ▁success . ▁On ▁ 1 1 ▁March ▁the ▁office ▁of ▁the ▁Secretary ▁of ▁the