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Early Life
editJohn Richard Harding, IV was born in Nashville, Tennessee June 2, 1896. His parents were John Richard Harding, III[1] and Roberta Chase Harding[2]. John Harding, IV was known as John Harding, Jr. He also went by Jack Harding.[3]
John went to the Webb Preparatory School, in Bell Buckle, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt School of Engineering in Nashville.[4] His education was disrupted from college when he volunteered for the Army Air Service in World War I.[5]
Military Service
editIn the Round-The-World Flight of 1924, Harding was assistant engineer officer and co-pilot of plane #4, The New Orleans[6]
Lieutenant Harding was a mechanician for the New Orleans, a Second Lieutenant in the Air Service Reserve, and a Master Sargent in the Regular Army Air Service.[7]
He and the other aviators were all awarded the Distinguished Service Medal[8], the French Legion of Honor[9] and the Japanese Order of the Sacred Treasure[10]
Business Career
editThe Sigma Chi fraternity at Vanderbilt University initiated John in 1925 after his distinguished military service. He had pledged the Alpha Psi chapter before enlisting for World War I.[11]
After his service, Harding traveled two years on the international lecture circuit, speaking on the topic of The First World Flight[12], with Lowell Thomas, author of the book.[13]
In 1926 he was one of three principal officers of Florida Airways, director and manager of maintenance.[14]
In 1928 he was appointed to the national Aeronautical Chamber of Commerce.[15]
In 1929 John married Blondena H. Carstens of Davenport, Iowa.[16]
In 1930 he was a liaison engineer at Boeing Aircraft Company where he perfected many devices.[17] In 1934 he was in their sales division, with his former pilot Eric Nelson.[18]
In 1936 he left Boeing for Menasco Manufacturing Company, a Los Angeles engine builder.[19] In 1941 he was at Pump Engineering Service Company in Cleveland, Ohio.[20]
By 1943, John Harding had founded Harding Devices Company in Dallas, Texas. They manufactured aircraft accessories.[21]
The First World Fliers had several reunions, including one in Dayton, Ohio in 1957[22], and one in Beverly Hills in 1964.[23]
Death
editIn 1968, John Richard Harding, IV died in La Jolla, California after a six month illness.[24]
Further Reading
editThe First World Flight, by Lowell Thomas 1925[25]
A Look Back: First Around the World Flight by the USAF Museum 2020.[26]
The World Flight and Military Aviation in the 1920's Summer 2022 pp. 27-68.[27]
References
edit- ^ Harding, John (22 December 1931). "John Harding, 53, Father of Flyer, Found Dead". The Tennessean. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ Harding, Roberta (23 September 1924). "Fliers Mother Proud of Her Boy". Los Angeles Evening Express. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ Harding, Jack (14 May 1937). "Many Notable Business Heads Converge". The Nashville Banner. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ Harding, John (2 August 1924). "Plans of Fliers To Resume Trip Halted by Fog". The Chattanooga News. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ Harding, John (7 September 1924). "Nashville's World Flier". The Tennessean. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ Harding, j (13 June 1932). "John Harding Sketch in Aviation Blue Book". The Nashville Banner. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ Harding, John (31 August 1924). "Lieut John Harding, Jr". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ Harding, John (27 April 1925). "Service Medals Awarded Fliers". Redland Dailey Facts. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ Harding, John (13 October 1925). "Ambassador Will Present Legion of Honor Cross Here". The Nashville Banner. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ Harding, John (6 November 1926). "Japs To Honor Yank Aviator". The Omaha Evening Bee. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ Harding, j (8 January 1925). "Sigma Chi Initiates John Harding, Jr". The Tennessean. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ Harding, John (1925). The First World Flight (1st ed.). Boston: Boston Houghton Mifflin. pp. 1–328. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ Thomas, Lowell (8 June 1925). "World Flier Here For Short Visit". The Nashville Banner. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ Harding, John (8 February 1926). "Ford-Stout Metal Planes Resume Flight To Florida". The Nashville Banner. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ Harding, John (3 January 1928). "Aeronautical Chamber Gets John Harding, Jr". The Herald-Sun. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ Carstens, Blondena (26 March 1929). "Society". Evening Star. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ Harding, John (26 August 1930). "Army, Navy Flying Row to be Heard". Oakland Tribune. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ Harding, John (24 June 1934). "Executive Posts Held by Early Globe Circlers". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ Harding, John (2 March 1936). "Northwest News". The Bellingham Herald. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ Nelson, Eric (4 February 1941). "Here is Who's Attending Air Conference". The Brownsville Herald. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ Harding, John (28 September 1943). "First Round-The-World Flight Started 19 Years Ago Today". The Nashville Banner. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ Harding, John (24 April 1957). "Famed Plane in Field Museum". The Journal Herald. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ Harding, John (1 September 1964). "First Round The World Fliers to be Honored". Los Angeles Evening Citizen News. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ Harding, John (28 May 1968). "McCook Pilot Dies; Set World Record". The Journal Herald. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ Thomas, Lowell (1925). The First World Flight (1st ed.). Boston: Boston Houghton Mifflin. pp. 1–328. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
- ^ "First Around the World" (PDF). AFMC History & Heritage Program. U.S. Air Force. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
- ^ Head, William. "The World Flight and Military Aviation in the 1920's" (PDF). afhistory.org. AIR & SPACE POWER History. Retrieved 29 December 2023.