Henry Willets Hoyt was born on May 26, 1890 in Florida. He served as a Lieutenant in the US Navy aboard R38/ZR-2 during World War I.

LT Hoyt 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.

LT Hoyt is now buried in the Clearwater Municipal Cemetery, Clearwater, Pinellas County, Florida, USA. He was also a recipient of the Navy Cross, the 2nd highest award for extraordinary heroism at great personal risk. On September 17, 1917, in the War Zone, he went up about 400 feet as observer in a captive balloon during severe rain squalls & gusts, from the USS Huntington. As it was being brought down, he was knocked out of the basket and caught underwater in the balloon rigging. He was saved by Patrick McGunigal, who went overboard, cleared the tangle, and put a line around Hoyt so that he could be hauled up on deck. McGunigal received the Medal of Honor.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com