George P. Scriven facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chief Signal Officer, U.S. Army
George Percival Scriven
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| Born | February 21, 1854 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Died | March 7, 1940 (aged 86) Southern Pines, North Carolina |
| Buried |
United States Military Academy Post Cemetery
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| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/ |
United States Army |
| Years of service | 1874–1917 |
| Rank |  Brigadier General |
| Commands held | U.S. Signal Corps |
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| Chairman of the NACA | |
| In office April 23, 1915 – 1916 |
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| President | Woodrow Wilson |
| Preceded by | - |
| Succeeded by | William F. Durand |
George Percival Scriven (born February 21, 1854 – died March 7, 1940) was an important leader in the United States Army. He was the seventh Chief Signal Officer of the U.S. Army from 1913 to 1917. In this role, he was in charge of the Army's early aviation (airplane) groups. These groups were the Aeronautical Division and later the Aviation Section of the U.S. Signal Corps. These were the first steps toward what is now the United States Air Force.
Scriven also became the first Chairman of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) from 1915 to 1916. NACA was a key organization that later became NASA, which is famous for space exploration.
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Scriven's Military Journey
George Percival Scriven was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on February 21, 1854. He studied at the University of Chicago and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Later, he joined the United States Military Academy and graduated in 1878. He was one of the top students in his class.
After graduating, Scriven became a Second Lieutenant. He taught languages at West Point. In 1885, he was promoted to First Lieutenant. He then worked with the State Department as part of the Army's Signal Corps.
In 1894, Scriven became a Captain. He served as a military attaché (a military expert working at an embassy) in Mexico and later in Rome, Italy. He even represented the U.S. at the coronation of Nicholas II of Russia in 1896. He also observed the Turkish army during their war with Greece in 1897.
Scriven became a Major in 1898. During the Spanish–American War, he was the Chief Signal Officer for the Gulf region. Over the next ten years, he held many important roles. He was Chief Signal Officer in Cuba in 1899 and during the China Relief Expedition in 1900.
In 1902, Scriven helped the Army use wireless telegraphy (early radio) for military exercises. He was also Chief Signal Officer for the Department of the East and the Philippines Division. In 1913, he was promoted to Brigadier General. President William Howard Taft appointed him as the seventh Chief Signal Officer of the Army. People noted his amazing career, serving in many parts of the world and in every major campaign since he graduated.
He remained Chief Signal Officer until 1917. During this time, he also became the first Chairman of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) in 1915.
In February 1917, after 42 years of service, Brigadier General Scriven retired. However, when the United States entered World War I, he was asked to return to duty. In September 1917, he became a military attaché at the U.S. embassy in Rome, Italy. He advised the Italian army during the war.
Scriven received many awards for his service. He was recognized for bravery during battles in China in 1900. He also received medals for his service in the Spanish–American War, the Philippines Invasion, the Cuban Occupation, the China Relief Expedition, and the Mexican Expedition. In 1918, Italy honored him with the Grand Officer Crown of Italy award for his work in World War I.
Scriven's Role in Early U.S. Aviation
The Start of Military Aviation
When the Wright brothers made their first successful airplane flight in 1903, people were very excited about aviation. However, in the United States, early airplane efforts were mostly for fun shows. Serious research fell behind what was happening in Europe. Many European countries understood how important aviation research was for their military.
The U.S. military was slow to see how important airplanes could be. They thought airplanes were only useful for looking around (reconnaissance). The government didn't spend much money on aviation research. The first big step for military aviation in the U.S. was on August 1, 1907. The Army's Signal Corps created an Aeronautical Division. This division was in charge of all things related to military balloons and airplanes.
This division was the first military aviation group in the world to use heavier-than-air aircraft. It was the beginning of the United States Air Force. It started with only three officers and ten enlisted men. The new Aeronautical Division faced problems because it didn't have enough money or people. Congress didn't approve much funding for aviation in the early years.
Another problem was the lack of trained people in the Signal Corps for aviation. Attempts to get more personnel were not successful for a while.
Pushing for Aviation Progress
In 1913, a bill was introduced in Congress to create a separate Aviation Corps in the Army. This bill, called the Hay Bill, didn't pass. But it started important discussions about the future of aviation in the U.S. military. Many people, including Brigadier General Scriven, believed aviation should stay within the Signal Corps.
Scriven argued that the Signal Corps had the technical knowledge and experienced people needed for aviation. He said that scientific progress was more valuable than just flying experience. He strongly believed that the number of personnel should increase and that aviation should stay with the Signal Corps permanently.
In 1913, Scriven spoke out publicly about the need for more support for military aviation. The New York Times published his statement. He said that the U.S. military's flying situation was "critical." He emphasized that aviation was becoming a "vital necessity" for the army, not just a sport. Scriven called for more funding to train people for airplane and reconnaissance work. He wanted Congress to give "every reasonable aid and encouragement" to the Signal Corps' aviation efforts.
Scriven's strong opinions helped shape the Signal Corps' aviation policy before World War I. Because of these discussions, a new bill was created. This bill, H.R. 5304, established an Aviation Division within the Signal Corps. It gave the division 60 officers and 260 enlisted men. It also recommended $300,000 for the Aviation Section.
On July 18, 1914, the bill passed. This created the Aviation Section of the Signal Corps. It increased the budget and the number of people. It also provided training for aviation students and benefits for families of servicemen killed in duty. As Chief Signal Officer, Scriven worked hard to support this new division. A newspaper article in 1914 said he was "making every effort to improve and extend the aviation work."
Another article noted that Scriven, along with Representative Hay, "deserve the lion's share of the credit" for making the aviation squadron a "real and efficient engine of war." Even with these improvements, the U.S. still needed a central research lab for aviation. This was something Europe already had.
Creating NACA, the Forerunner to NASA
Charles Walcott of the Smithsonian Institution helped organize a trip to Europe to study aviation. The report from this trip, published in 1914, showed how far behind the U.S. was compared to Europe. When war broke out in Europe that same year, it became even clearer that the U.S. needed to improve its aviation program. In 1915, Brigadier General Scriven wrote a report on the new role of aviation in Europe. He noted that airplanes were now used for attacks, not just for gathering information.
Walcott, Scriven, and others pushed for a new committee to focus on aviation research. On March 3, 1915, Congress approved a plan to create the National Advisory Committee of Aeronautics (NACA). This committee was given a $5,000 yearly budget. The U.S. President would appoint twelve members, including experts from the military and science fields. Their goal was "to supervise and direct the scientific study of the problems of flight."
On April 23, 1915, the NACA committee met for the first time. They chose Brigadier General Scriven as their first Chairman. Historians say this was a great choice because Scriven had a lot of experience and knowledge. He used his skills to help both the Army and NACA.
Scriven made a deal with the NACA committee. He promised that if they supported the Aviation Division's requests for money for training and research, he would support a bigger budget for NACA. He believed that nothing would help aviation in the U.S. more than this committee recommending funds for the Army.
One of NACA's most important goals under Scriven was to create an aeronautical research laboratory. This had been a dream for aviation experts for years. Scriven's idea for a research lab was approved by NACA in October 1915.
In 1916, he asked for $85,000 for a flying field and a "well-equipped laboratory." On August 29, 1916, Congress approved $87,000, with $53,580 set aside for the lab. Scriven cleverly linked NACA's need for land with the Army's need for its own research center. He appointed a group of officers to find a location. They chose a large piece of land in Elizabeth City County, Virginia. The Army and NACA agreed to share this land for a future laboratory.
Even though General Scriven was Chairman of NACA for a short time (1915-1916), his period was very important. On June 11, 1920, the Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory officially opened for research. This lab played a huge role in the history of flight.
Scriven's Family Life
George P. Scriven married Bertha Bragg on February 7, 1891. Bertha was the daughter of Edward Stuyvesant Bragg, a famous Union Brigadier General during the Civil War. George and Bertha had two daughters, Cornelia and Katherine. Bertha Scriven passed away in 1914 at age 50 and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
The next year, on October 6, 1915, Scriven married Elizabeth McQuade. His daughter Betty was the maid of honor. While Scriven traveled a lot for his military work, he always kept a home in Washington, D.C., for his family. He owned a house at 1300 New Hampshire Avenue, N.W., for many years. Later, he and Elizabeth moved to a different home in Washington, D.C., where he spent his retirement.
Brigadier General Scriven died on March 7, 1940, at the age of 86. He was buried at West Point.
The George P. Scriven House
The house where Scriven lived was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2013. This means it's an important historical building. The Brigadier General George P. Scriven House is located at 1300 New Hampshire Avenue, N.W., in Washington, D.C. It's a single-family home built in 1884.
The house has three stories and is made of brick. It features a unique design with a bow window and a tower. In 1901, an addition was built that matched the original style. The inside of the house has fancy decorations, especially in the newer part.
In 1928, Scriven sold the house to the Club of Colonial Dames. In 1957, the National Society Colonial Dames XVII Century bought the building, and they still own it today.
