Remembering America’s First Jewish Aviator
The Jewish Historical Society of Greater Washington recently wrote about a memorial service held for Arthur Welsh, an influential aviation pioneer and our country’s first Jewish aviator.
Photo: National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution
Welsh, born Laibel Willcher in Russia, emigrated with his parents to America as a boy. He served in the Navy and eventually found his way to the inner circle of the Wright brothers where he served as a test pilot (weren’t they all in those days?) and a flight instructor. One of his students was none other than Henry H. (Hap) Arnold, who later became a five-star General and the U.S. Army Air Chief of Staff during World War II.
In his autobiography, Global Mission, General Henry Arnold wrote of Welsh, “He taught me everything I know, but he knew much more.”
As a Jewish aviator myself, I can’t help but be moved by this amazing story. There is a more detailed account of Welsh’s story available online at the online exhibit available at the Jewish Historical Society of Greater Washington’s website.
Thanks for sharing this! My husband is a Naval Aviator and I fly with the Civil Air Patrol, so we’re one Jewish couple with aviation on the brain pretty much constantly. It’s inspiring to read about how a Jewish immigrant made an American dream take flight — literally and figuratively.
THANK YOU FOR THAT REPORT
I SEE THAT ALSO HERE IN THE USA WE HAVE OUTSTANDING PILOTS
MY COUSIN OMER ADAN OF THE IDF FLEW FIGHTERS AGAINST EGYPT DURING THE YOM KIPPUR WAR WHILE HIS FATHER THE LATE MAJ GEN BREN ADAN COMMANDER OF THE 162ND IDF DIVISION WAS SURROUNDING THE EGYPTIN 3RD ARMY.
TWO OF MY DAUGHTERS ARE IN THE USAFX / CIVIL AIR PATROL ONE IS A TEC/SARGENT AND THE OTHER JUST JOINED AS AN AIRMAN I AM CAPT. JERRY ERIC GOLDSTEIN A PHYSICIAN AND ATTORNEY AT LAW AT SQUADRON 602 IN PA