William C. Maxwell

William Calvin Maxwell (November 9, 1892 – August 12, 1920) was an American pilot in the United States Army Air Service and namesake of Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama.^[1]

William Calvin Maxwell
Born	(1892-11-09)November 9, 1892 Natchez, Alabama
Died	August 12, 1920(1920-08-12) (aged 27) Manila, Philippines
Buried	Robinsonville Baptist Church Cemetery Atmore, Alabama[1]
Allegiance	United States
Branch	U.S. Army Air Service
Years of service	1918–1920
Rank	Second Lieutenant[1]
Unit	3rd Aero Squadron
Alma mater	University of Alabama 1917

Born in Natchez, Alabama, Maxwell was one of seven children of John R. and Jennie Maxwell, and was raised in Atmore. He enrolled as an Army ROTC student at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, and left college in 1917 to enlist in the Army during World War I.^[1]

Maxwell received his commission in April 1918, after completing flight training at Kelly Field at San Antonio, Texas. In 1919, he was assigned to 3rd Aero Squadron, Philippines.^[1] On August 12, 1920, engine trouble forced Lt. Maxwell to attempt to land his DH-4 in a sugarcane field. Maneuvering to avoid a group of children playing below, he struck a flagpole stanchion hidden by the tall sugarcane and was killed instantly.^[1] He was buried back in Atmore at the Robinsonville Baptist Church Cemetery.

Honors

On the recommendation of his former commanding officer, Major Roy C. Brown, Montgomery Air Intermediate Depot was renamed Maxwell Field on November 8, 1922.^[2]