Yantis H. Taylor, Ca. 1940s (Source: SJAFBLDC)

According to "Who's Who in Army Aviation" for 1922 and 1928, Y.H. "Buck" Taylor was born July 28, 1898 at Bartlett, TX. After high school he attended the Peacock Military College. He was in the contracting business before WWI, then trained at Kelly Field, TX, becoming an aviator in 1919. He then took up commercial flying and advertising for a newspaper for the next four years and was commissioned 2nd Lt. in the Texas National Guard Air Service on January 19, 1922. He was then assigned to locate bootleg stills from the air in east Texas. At right is an image of Taylor, ca. 1940s, from the Seymour Johnson Air Force Base Library Digital Collections (SJAFBLDC; public domain image).

He then took an advanced flying course at Kelly Field, graduated in late 1925 with a Pursuit rating, and was commissioned in the Regular Army September 8, 1926. He then was assigned as a flight instructor at Kelly Field.

Bartlett (TX) Tribune & News, October 7, 1927 (Source: Web)

Taylor landed three times at Tucson. His first visit was Monday, October 31, 1927 in the Consolidated PT-1, 26-319. He carried as passenger one Lt. Adams. Based at Kelly Field, San Antonio, TX, they were westbound from San Antonio to Riverside, CA, March Field. At this landing he was a newlywed, as reported in the Bartlett (TX) Tribune and News of October 7, 1927, left.

Taylor's claims to fame during the Golden Age were a couple of long-distance flights. Two years after his first visit at Tucson, The New York Times of June 23, 1929 reported on his successful circumnavigation of the state of Texas. The article stated that Taylor, "... flew the 2,090-mile perimeter of the State of Texas recently in 16 hours and 10 minutes flying time with a standard Curtiss D-12 motored Hawk. He spent 35 minutes on the ground during the trip and returned to Kelley [sic] Field, his starting point, on the evening of the same day as the hop-off. He said he had made no preparation for the flight, which was intended to demonstrate the reliability of the airplane under ordinary conditions."

Taylor's second landing at Tucson was on Sunday, March 23, 1930, just a few months before his second long-distance flight. Based again at San Antonio, he visited solo in the Douglas O-2K, 29-189. He was eastbound from San Diego, CA, Rockwell Field to El Paso, TX, Ft. Bliss. No reason was given in the Register for either of these visits.

His second distance flight was chronicled in several articles contained in his NASM biographical file (cited, left sidebar). On July 2-3, 1930, he flew the 2,100 miles from Laredo, TX to Kelly Field to Muskogee, OK to St. Louis, MO to Dayton, OH to Middletown, PA and to Portland, ME in 15 hours flying time. Departing at 1:10AM CST from Laredo, he landed at Portland at 7:27PM EST. His average speed was 140MPH at an average altitude of 4,000 feet in a Curtiss Hawk. He remained on the ground at his five stops for 1 hour and 15 minutes total. The Army backed and supported his flight as a test of the efficacy of sudden mobilization of the Army Air Corps. Below, Taylor is pictured with the airport manager right after landing at Portland. This photograph is shared with us by site contributor Tim Kalina. The dirty jumpsuit and sweaty armpits are testimony to the arduousness of the flight. He appeared, however, to wear a necktie and slacks, probably an Army uniform, under the jumpsuit. Compare Taylor's gym shoes with the ones on the gentleman third from right in this photograph.

Y.H. Taylor (L), Portland, ME, July 3, 1930 (Source: Kalina)

The Newark (NJ) Ledger of Thursday, July 3, 1929 observed, "Taylor appeared little the worse for the long flight except for bloodshot eyes." Taylor said he would stay in Portland, "... a few days and then return to Texas, making the return flight in easy stages."

Taylor's third and final landing at Tucson was on Tuesday, July 3, 1934 (exactly four years after his landing at Portland, ME). He was solo in Boeing P-26, 33-138. He listed his homebase as Selfridge Field, Detroit, MI. He was eastbound from San Diego, CA Rockwell Field to El Paso, TX. I have no information about his duties during the 1930s. If you can help, please let me KNOW.

During WWII, then Colonel Taylor commanded the 306th Fighter Wing flying P-47s and P-51s based at Fano, Italy from September, 1944 to August, 1945. The Wing operated in the Mediterranean and European theaters until the end of the war when it was moved to the U.S. and dissolved in November, 1945.

The Bartlett (TX) Tribune, June 22, 1945 (Source: Web)

Just before WWII ended, he was promoted to Brigadier General. His hometown newspaper, the Bartlett (TX) Tribune of June 22, 1945 reported his promotion recommended by President Truman, left. He retired from the military in 1949. He died at age 58 on October 22, 1956.

His obituary from The New York Times of October 24, 1956 briefly summarizes his career, below. His daughter, father and his bride of 1927 survived him.

Y.H. Taylor Obituary, The New York Times, October 24, 1956 (Source: NYT)

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Dossier 2.2.169

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