The first aerial circumnavigation of the world was completed in 1924 by four aviators from an eight-man team of the United States Army Air Service, the precursor of the United States Air Force. The 175-day journey from April to September covered over 26,345 miles (42,398 km). The team generally traveled east to west, around the northern Pacific Rim, through to South Asia and Europe and back to Seattle's Sand Point Airfield in the United States. Airmen Lowell H. Smith, Leslie P. Arnold, Erik H. Nelson, and John Harding Jr. made the trip in two single-engined open-cockpit Douglas World Cruisers (DWC) configured as floatplanes for most of the journey. Lead aircraft Chicago, and the New Orleans completed the expedition. Four more flyers in two additional DWC began the journey but their aircraft crashed or were forced down. All airmen survived. They were awarded the Distinguished Service Medal, and the flight won the Mackay Trophy aviation award for 1924.
The first aerial circumnavigation is completed by a team from the US Army.
On September 28, in the year 1924, The first aerial circumnavigation is completed by a team from the US Army. This event is recorded as a Historical Events event in the history of September 28, one of 480 recorded events on this date across all of history.
Key Facts
- This event took place on September 28, 1924 (AD era).
- It is categorised as a Historical Events event in recorded history.
- Referenced in 1 Wikipedia article.
- Wikipedia source last updated on 6 September 2026.
On This Date in History 480
This article draws on content from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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