dual personalities

Today we toast Captain Thomas S. Baldwin, who made history when he flew an airplane for the first time over the Mississippi River on this day in 1910.

The starting point for the flight was a field just east of Bellefontaine Cemetery. The flight area was cleared of spectators, soldiers took guard positions around the field, and Baldwin’s plane, the Red Devil, was wheeled out. After a short test flight, Baldwin took off at 5:11 p.m. Some 200,000 persons lined the riverfront on both sides to watch the red biplane fly from the north St. Louis field and land in Illinois opposite Arsenal Street.

On the return flight Baldwin astounded the crowds by flying under both the Eads and McKinley bridges at the breakneck speed of 50 miles an hour. He landed at 6:05 p.m., exactly at his starting point.

Pretty cool, eh?

And in memory of Charlie Kirk, who was murdered on this day last year, please listen to Marco Rubio’s speech at the memorial service last year. Lest we forget.