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Maxfield Louis Henry

Name:
Louis Henry Maxfield
Rank:
Lieutenant Commander
Serial Number:
Unit:
U.S. Rigid Air Detachment
Date of Death:
1921-08-24
State:
Cemetery:
Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia
Plot:
Row:
Grave:
4560
Decoration:
Comments:

Comdr. Louis H. Maxfield, U.S.N., was head of the U.S. Rigid Air Detachment based at Howden. He was born in 1883 in Minnesota USA and entered the Naval Aviation service in 1914. He served in Europe during WW1 and was in command of the U.S. Naval Station at Painbaeuf in France.

LCDR Maxfield was killed when the experimental dirigible R-38 broke up and exploded in England on it 4th and final test flight prior to being purchased by the U.S. Navy from the British who built the airship. The intentions were for America to utilize this ship during WWI and become the main means of transportation in the future. A total of 44 men lost there lives 17 were Americans. Witnesses said it appeared to break in the middle and the front half exploded, the tail end fell in the Humber River, Hull, England, there were 4 survivors pulled from it. One being the pilot.

Cause of Explosion: Zepplins fly on hydrogen and as a result of their highly flammable lifting gas, it exploded over the river with thousands of spectators on the shore watching this amazing aircraft take off. No one on the shore-side were injured.

LCDR Maxfield is now buried in the Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.britishairshippeople.org.uk