Theodore G . Ellyson Theodore Gordon Ellyson , USN ( 27 February 1885 - 27 February 1928 ) , nicknamed " Spuds " , was the first United States Navy officer designated as an aviator ( " Naval Aviator No . 1 " ) . Ellyson served in the experimental development of aviation in the years before and after World War I . He also spent several years before the war as part of the Navy ' s new submarine service . A recipient of the Navy Cross for his antisubmarine service in World War I , Ellyson died in 1928 when his aircraft crashed over the Chesapeake Bay . Early life and pre - aviation naval career . Born in Richmond , Virginia , Ellyson entered the United States Naval Academy in 1901 and graduated with the class of 1905 . During the five years following his graduation , he served on USS " Texas " and ; as Watch and Division Officer of USS " Pennsylvania " and later USS " Colorado " ; and on USS " West Virginia " , USS " Rainbow " , and USS " Shark " on the Asiatic Station . After his return to the United States in April 1910 , he commanded the USS " Tarantula " until November of that year , and then had duty in connection with fitting out the submarine USS " Seal " at Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company . He commanded her briefly after her commissioning on 2 December 1910 . Naval Aviator Number One . In December 1910 , Ellyson was ordered to North Island , San Diego , California for instruction in aviation under Glenn Curtiss . While at an Aero Club show on 28 January 1911 near the flight school , Ellyson took off in a Curtiss “ grass cutter ” plane to become the first Naval aviator . With a blocked throttle , this ground plane was not supposed to fly , and Ellyson was not proficient enough to fly . He slewed off left , cracking up the plane somewhat by making a wing - first landing . However , Ellyson wasn ’ t injured and from then on he was considered to have made his first flight on this date . He also cooperated with Curtiss in the design of a pontoon for aircraft and after Curtiss ' first flight on 27 January 1911 , Ellyson went up with Curtiss in February to become the first passenger to go aloft in a floatplane . Later that month , he participated in experiments demonstrating the potential use of floatplanes from ships , when the aircraft was hoisted onboard " USS Pennsylvania " and subsequently lowered to the water for its return flight to North Island . From the time Ellyson began instruction in aviation until 29 April 1913 , he devoted all of his time to active flying and experimental work in aviation . This included the establishment of Naval Aviation Camps at Annapolis in September 1911 when , with then - Lieutenant John H . Towers , he flew an aircraft from Annapolis to Milford Haven , Virginia , a non - stop distance record for float planes . World War I service . In 1917 , he had duty at the Naval Academy and with the Midshipmen on cruise on " USS Wyoming " and " " . On 14 February 1918 , he was detached for duty at the Submarine Chaser Base , New London , Connecticut and in June arrived in London , England for duty with a submarine chaser squadron at U . S . Naval Base 27 at Plymouth . Ellyson was awarded the Navy Cross for distinguished service in World War I for his development of successful tactics for the submarine chaser squadron . Post - war service and death . Following the Armistice in 1918 , he remained in the European Area , commanding Nucleus Crew 14 ( zeppelin ) from March to May 1919 . Upon his return to the United States , he assisted in fitting out the destroyer " USS J . Fred Talbott " at William Cramp and Sons , and served on that vessel as commanding officer from the time of her commissioning in June 1919 until July 1920 . During the next five months he commanded the " USS Little " and " USS Brooks " . On 10 January 1921 , he was ordered to Hampton Roads , Virginia to serve for eight months as Executive Officer of the Naval Air Station , Naval Operating Base . The Bureau of Aeronautics was established in the Navy Department on 1 September 1921 , and on 21 October , Commander Ellyson became Head of the Plans Division of that Bureau . He remained in that assignment until December 1922 , when he became Aviation Member of the U . S . Naval Mission to Brazil , cooperating in the reorganization of the Brazilian Navy . He returned to the Bureau of Aeronautics in May 1925 . On 20 July 1925 , he assumed command of Torpedo Squadron 1 and from March to June 1926 was Executive Officer of " USS Wright " , a seaplane tender . On 23 June 1926 , he was ordered to duty in connection with the fitting out of " USS Lexington " , the Navy ' s second aircraft carrier , and was on board when she was placed in commission . Commander Ellyson was killed on 27 February 1928 , his 43rd birthday , in the crash of a Loening OL - 7 aircraft in the lower Chesapeake Bay while on a night flight from Norfolk , Virginia , to Annapolis , Maryland . His body washed ashore and was recovered in April 1928 . He was buried in the Naval Academy Cemetery , in Annapolis . Legacy . In 1941 , the destroyer " USS Ellyson " was named in his honor . The vessel was launched on 25 July 1941 by the Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company in Kearny , New Jersey and sponsored by the Commander ' s daughter , Miss Gordon Ellyson . The ship was commissioned on 28 November 1941 with Lieutenant Commander J . B . Rooney in command . In 1961 , Ellyson was designated the recipient of the Gray Eagle Award for the period 1911 to 1928 , when he was the senior active Naval Aviator . In 1964 , Ellyson was enshrined in the National Aviation Hall of Fame in Dayton , Ohio .