Callan, John Lansing, 1886-1958

U.S. naval officer, aviator, and aviation executive.

From the description of Papers of John Lansing Callan, 1907-1956. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 71060456

Biographical Note

• 1886, June 8: Born, Cohoes, N.Y.
• 1905: Graduated, Albany Military Academy, Albany, N.Y.
• 1905 - 1907 : Clerk, National Exchange Bank, Albany, N.Y.
• 1907 - 1910 : Sales representative, Standard Oil Co. of New York
• 1910 - 1911 : Cashier, Commercial Union Cooperative Bank, Albany, N.Y.
• 1911: Licensed as aircraft pilot
• 1911 - 1914 : Instructor, Curtiss Aeroplane Co., Hammondsport, N.Y.
• 1914: Relief pilot; proposed “America” transoceanic flight
• 1914 - 1916 : Representative in Italy and England, Curtiss Aeroplane Co.
• 1916 - 1917 : Instructor, Curtiss Aeroplane Co., Hammondsport
• 1917: Enrolled as a lieutenant, United States Flying Corps Duty on Seattle (cruiser) Commanded naval air stations, Le Moutchic, Le Croisic, and Ile Tudy, France
• 1918: Promoted to lieutenant commander Commanded naval air forces in France, Italy, and England
• 1918 - 1919 : Duty as naval aide for aviation in Italy
• 1919: Promoted to commander Duty, Paris Peace Conference, Paris, France Duty as naval representative of the American Aviation Command to France, Italy, and England
• 1919 - 1920 : Duties in aviation section of office of the Chief of Naval Operations; at the Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Fla.; and in the Office of Naval Intelligence
• 1921: Released from active naval duty
• 1921 - 1929 : President and general manager, Airships, Inc., Hammondsport, N.Y.
• 1921 - 1940 : Naval reserve officer
• 1927: United States representative, Aviation Conference, Pan American Union
• 1929: Vice president, American Aeronautical Corp., Port Washington, N.Y.
• 1930 - 1934 : President, Industrial Manufacturers Aircraft Associates, Hammondsport, N.Y.
• 1935 - 1937 : President, Real Estate Exchange Corp., Albany, N.Y.
• 1937 - 1940 : Traffic representative, Pan American Airways
• 1940: Recalled to naval duty, Plans Division, Bureau of Aeronautics
• 1941: Promoted to captain Duty as assistant air and naval attaché, United States embassy, Rome, Italy
• 1941 - 1942 : Prisoner of war, Rome, Italy
• 1942 - 1944 : Duty as naval attaché, staff of European governments in exile, London, England
• 1944 - 1945 : Duty as chief naval staff officer, Rome, Italy
• 1945 - 1946 : Duty as president of a general court-martial, Brooklyn Navy Yard, Brooklyn, N.Y.
• 1946: Duty in “Operation Crossroads” (Bikini atomic bomb tests)
• 1946 - 1948 : Duty as senior captain, Board of Review for Decorations and Medals, Washington, D.C.
• 1948: Promoted to rear admiral Retired from United States Navy
• 1958, Oct. 9: Died, Kingston, N.Y.

From the guide to the John Lansing Callan Papers, 1907-1956, (Manuscript Division Library of Congress)