Here is a brief capsule of what it was all about from Yale University's websight

 

Most of us don't realize when we join Yale Aviation that it has such a rich history and holds such an illustrious place in the world of aviation.

Yale Aviation has roots as far back as 1915, when the First Yale Unit was started by then-Yale-sophomore Trubee Davison. The First Yale Unit is considered to be the first naval air reserve unit. Davison and 11 other Yale students were fascinated with the possibilities of aviation in general and of naval aviation specifically. After meeting with Admiral Robert Peary to gain authorization for the unit, Trubee Davison acquired a Curtiss Model "F" seaplane and members of the First Yale Unit were trained as pilots during the summer of 1916. They were used as the first aerial coastal patrol unit.

Through they were still civilians and volunteers, the Yale students now had an official mission. On August 29, 1916, Congress passed the Naval Reserve Appropriations Act and established a Naval Reserve Flying Corp. In March 1917, 13 days before the United States entered World War I, the First Yale Unit volunteers enlisted en masse.

From this small group of 29 emerged an assistant secretary of war, an undersecretary of the Navy and a secretary of defense. Lt. David Ingalls, a member of the First Yale Unit, flying a Sopwith Camel with the RAF, was the first naval aviator to become an ace. He later served as assistant secretary of the Navy. Trubee Davison was injured in a crash during training and never saw combat. However, he went on to become the director of the Civil Aeronautics Board. First Yale Unit members Robert Lovett and Artemus Gates became commandants of the Army and Navy air corps, respectively.
Members of the First Yale Unit in August 1916.

Another Yale Flyer, Juan Trippe, went on to found Pan American Airlines, the first airline to introduce trans-oceanic flights and beautiful flying clipper ships. Frederick W. Smith, who revived Yale Aviation in 1964 while an undergraduate, went on to found Federal Express.

So when you climb aboard one of the Yale Trainers next time, stop and think about some of the people who have preceded you. The possibilities that await you as you soar skyward are endless.

 

 

F Trubee Davison

 

These are photos from the two Yale books and they are probably pretty typical of what was there and the activities at Unit 2 in Bayshore & 3 on the Knapp Estate

 

 

Although Trubee Davison was the guy most responsible for getting this group up and flying and J.P. Knapp was a fine patriot who used his power of his presses towards the war effort ....it is the guy in the photo below most likely as the one who got the Knapps involved with putting up an airfield on their Mastic estate.

"CHIP"

Archibald G. McIlwaine 1917

Archie was Dodi Knapp's step brother. J. P. married Archie's Mom, Elizabeth Laing McIlwaine about 1905. Archie & Dodi were close in age and had spent time together from the time they were known as Master McIlwaine & Master Knapp

As a student at Yale "class of 1918" Archie got involved with the first Yale Unit early on and was probably instrumental in bringing it to the attention of his step dad and brother. He actually shipped over to England in the fall of 1917 and flew 26 missions in France. His mother who was a regular Southampton summer socialite before she was even a Knapp gave up her summer season in 1918 to be in Europe with her son.

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THE THIRD NAVAL UNIT