Military aircraft began flying in Alaska in 1920 when the Black Wolf Squadron, or The Alaska Flying Expedition, made The New York to Nome Flight. Capt. St. Clair Streett commanded 7 men in 4 DH-4s as they took off from Mitchel Field on 17 July 1920. Each plane had a black profile of a Wolf's head painted on their sides. The trip organizer, Billy Mitchell wanted to establish an airway to Alaska and Asia. The 9,349 mile round trip route included flying west to North Dakota, then north through Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, the Yukon, and onwards to Fairbanks on 19 Aug. and finally Nome on the 23rd. They started their return trip on the 31st, landing Mitchel Field on 20 Oct. 1920 after 112 flying hours.
10 October 1928: Flying the Engineering Division-built XCO-5, serial number A.S. 23-1204, Captain St. Clair Streett and Captain Albert William Stevens, Air Service, United States Army, climbed toward the stratosphere.
Captain Stevens was experimenting with the use of photographs of the ground to determine the exact altitude of a high-flying aircraft. He asked Captain Streett to take him as high as possible. “Billy” Streett was Chief of the Flight Branch at Wright Field.
Dead link -http://www.litsite.org/index.cfm?section=Digital-Archives&page=Land-Sea-Air&cat=Aviation&viewpost=2&ContentId=2627 - LitSite.org Alaska - The Black Wolf Squadron
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to First Lieutenant (Air Service) Erik H. Nelson, U.S. Army Air Service, for extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight. As assistant pilot of one of the planes and engineering officer for the Alaskan Flying Expedition in a flight from Mitchel Field, New York to Nome, Alaska, and return, from 15 July to 20 October 1920, Lieutenant Nelson exhibited fortitude, perseverance, courage, and skill, which aided materially in the successful completion of this pioneer flight to Alaska.
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Army Distinguished Service Medal to First Lieutenant (Air Service) Erik H. Nelson, United States Army Air Service, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of the United States, in a duty of great responsibility during World War I. Lieutenant Nelson, as pilot of Airplane No. 4, the "New Orleans," and Engineer Officer of the U.S. Army Air Service around-the-world flight from 6 April 1924 to 28 September 1924, displayed sound technical skill, initiative, untiring energy, and resourcefulness and succeeded in piloting his airplane throughout the voyage. His sound judgment, indefatigable energy, and courageous conduct in the face of extraordinary perils contributed largely to the success of this pioneer flight of airplanes around the world. In the efficient performance of his arduous duties he aided in the accomplishment of an exploit which brought great credit to himself and to the Army of the United States.
