Youthful Aviation Chief U.S. Navy's Only War Act
WASHINGTON March 28—With the respect and confidence that aviators place in fellow airmen,
David S. Ingalls of Cleveland comes to Washington to take a place in President Hoover's junior cabinet as assistant secretary of the Navy for aeronautics.
Ingall's brilliant war record, which brought him the title of the "Navy's only ace" and his active participation in aeronautical developments since the war, place him in a highly advantageous position to carry out the Navy's aviation program.
President Hoover sought a man thoroughly familiar with aeronautical problems, preferably a flyer; one who had administrative ability and could be relied upon to understand the viewpoint of pilots, legislators and Naval officers.
In the youthful Ohioan the President chose an ambitious executive who twice was elected to the Ohio state legislature, where he demonstrated ability to combine his knowledge of law and aviation by framing an air code for Ohio. In the Buckeye state he won the title of the ''flying legislator" through frequent trips in his own plane from Cleveland to Columbus.
Ingalls was flying with the Naval air forces when 18 years old, became an ace with four enemy planes and two balloons to his credit at 19. Soon after joining the Naval reserve forces as an ensign in 1917, he was ordered abroad and was attached to the British air force.
Flying a Sopwith Camel August 11, 1918, young Ingalls caught sight of the first enemy plane that was to fall prey to his fire. He and a Royal air force plane accompanying him dived toward the ship. The Albatross turned toward Ostend. He pursued it, firing at close range. Diving, twisting, turning, the enemy plane sought to escape the raking fire from above. Another burst of shells spit out from Ingall's gun and the German plane went into a tailspin. Young Ingalls had scored first victory.
Ingalls was awarded the British flying cross, the United States Navy's distinguished flying cross and the distinguished service medal. Today at 30 he faced the problem of carrying the Navy's five year aircraft program to completion.
The News-Palladium - Thursday, March 28, 1929
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