Paul W. Beck

Who was Paul W. Beck?

Paul Ward Beck was an officer in the United States Army, an aviation pioneer, and one of the first military pilots. Although a career Infantry officer, Beck twice was part of the first air services of the U.S. Army, first as de facto head of the flying section of the Aeronautical Division, U.S. Signal Corps in 1911, then as a senior officer of the Air Service in 1920-1922. He is generally credited as being the first military officer to advocate a separate air arm.

The son of a cavalry officer, Beck developed an interest in aviation while detached to service with the U.S. Army Signal Corps at Benicia, California, in 1908-1910, attending several air meets. He was one of four students in the first class of U.S. Army and U.S. Navy pilot trainees taught by Glen Curtiss beginning January 1911, and commanded the "provisional aero company" at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. On 1 May 1912, he returned to the Infantry as required by army regulation.

Following service as a field grade infantry officer in World War I, Beck returned to aviation as part of the Air Service in 1920.