National Air and Space Museum Archives

Charles Ingram Stanton, Sr., Papers

Summary

Collection ID:
NASM.1987.0076
Creators:
Stanton, Charles Ingram, 1893-1986
Dates:
1917-1977
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
4.22 Cubic feet
1 slim legal document box; 4 legal document boxes; 3 flatboxes
Repository:
This collection consists of Stanton's personal papers. The material includes correspondence, photographs, news clippings and articles, reunion memorabilia and records, and personal and professional writings over the course of his aeronautical career.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
This collection of the papers of Charles Ingram Stanton contains work-related photographs, personal writings on his career, periodicals, programs, financial records, published materials, maps, charts, plans, scrapbooks and audiotapes. At the time of processing, no attempt was made to transcribe the audiotapes. Please contact the Archives for information about duplication.
Note: The digital images in this finding aid were repurposed from scans made by an outside contractor for a commercial product and may show irregular cropping and orientation in addition to color variations resulting from damage to and deterioration of the original objects.

Arrangement

Arrangement
The collection is arranged as follows:
Series I, Professional Life Subseries I: Military Career Subseries II: Civilian Career
Series II, Personal Life
Series III, Miscellaneous Oversize Material

Biographical/Historical note

Biographical/Historical note
Charles Ingram Stanton was born on July 28, 1893, in Medford, Massachusetts. He graduated from high school in Revere, Massachusetts in 1911; and earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Tufts College in 1917. After graduation, he joined the United States Army and was assigned to the Signal Corps. Upon graduation from the Corps flight school, Stanton was promoted to the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. Although he served in the Air Service during World War I, he was never assigned overseas, but remained in the United States conducting research regarding radios and their effects in aircraft. In December of 1918, Stanton was formally discharged from the Army.
Prior to his military discharge, Stanton accepted a position with the United States Post Office Department of Aerial Mail, and began work as a test pilot. On September 15, 1920, Stanton was promoted to Superintendent of Operations, United States Air Mail Service. He later resigned from the Post Office and went to work for the National Aeronautic Association (NAA). His tenure there was terminated for unknown reasons in 1923; he then went to work for the U.S. Engineer Corp as a surveyman. From 1925 through 1926, he was employed as a civil engineer in Miami, Florida. On January 17, 1927 Stanton returned to government service as an airplane and engine inspector for the United States Department of Commerce. He was named the Chief of Airways Engineering Division, Civil Aeronautics Authority (CAA) on May 4, 1937. While working there, he obtained patent number 2,147,679 for an illuminating system for runways. On June 29, 1940 Stanton was named Assistant Administrator and Director of the Bureau of Federal Airways. Stanton served as Administrator for the CAA from 1942 to 1944 before returning to his previous position as Deputy Administrator. During his tenure with the CAA, Stanton attended several conferences and important meetings for the establishment of international airways. Stanton was instrumental in establishing the Provisional International Civil Aviation Organization. In 1944 he received an honorary doctorate from Tufts College for his contribution to the field of civil aeronautics.
On March 8, 1948 Stanton retired from the United States Government and took a teaching position at the Technological Institute of Aeronautics of Brazil as Professor of Air Navigation, and Chief of Airway Division. Upon returning to the United States in 1952, Stanton went to work for Bell Telephone Laboratories. He returned to work for the CAA in 1957, where he remained until his retirement in 1962.
Charles Ingram Stanton's love of flying did not end with his work. He remained an active member in the OX-5 Club, the Society of Air Mail Pioneers, Society of Airway Pioneers, and the Washington Air Derby Association. In addition to flying clubs, Stanton was a member of the Delta Upsilon Fraternity. Charles Ingram Stanton passed away in 1986.

Administration

Author
Michael Sean Margolius and David Schwartz
Processing Information
Arranged and described by Michael Sean Margolius and David Schwartz, 2001. Revised and digital assets attached by Elizabeth C. Borja, 2020.
Immediate Source of Acquisition note
Charles I. Stanton, Jr., gift, 1987, NASM.1987.0076

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Use
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
Conditions Governing Access note
No restrictions on access
Preferred Citation
Charles Ingram Stanton, Sr., Papers, Acc. NASM.1987.0076, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

More Information

Timeline

Timeline
1893 July 28
Born in Medford Massachusetts
1911
Graduated from Revere High School
1917
Graduated from Tufts College
1917 December 8
Joined United States Army
1918 December 12
Joined United States Post Office Department of Aerial Mail
1918 December 18
Discharged from the United States Army
1920 September 15
Appointed Superintendent of Operations, Air Mail Service
1923 November 13
Terminated from National Aeronautic Association
1924
Worked for United States Engineer Corp as Surveyman
1925
Worked as a Civil Engineer in Miami
1927 January 17
Worked for U.S. Department of Commerce as an Airplane Inspector
1937 May 4
Selected as Chief of Airways Engineering Division, Civil Aeronautics Authority
1939 June 1
Granted U.S. Department of Justice Patent Number 2,147,679
1940 June 29
Appointed Assistant Administrator and Director of Bureau of Federal Airways, Civil Aeronautics Authority
1942 July 20
Appointed Administrator of Civil Aeronautics, Civil Aeronautics Administration
1944 June 18
Received Honorary Degree from Tufts College
1944 September 23
Resigned as Administrator to return to former position as Deputy Administrator, Civil Aeronautics Administration.
1948 March 8
Took leave of absence to serve as head of Department of Airways Engineering, Aeronautical Technical Institute of Brazil.
1952
Returned to America to work for Bell Laboratories
1956 November 16
Left Bell Laboratories
1957 January 23
Worked for the Air Navigation Development Board, Civil Aeronautics Administration
1957 November 6
Worked as Electrical Engineer (Gen.) of Airways Modernization Board Civil Aeronautics Administration
1957
Worked as Chief of Airports Division, Civil Aeronautics Administration
1962
Retired from the Federal Aviation Agency
1986 January 1
Passed away


Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Aeronautics Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Photographs Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Publications Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Manuscripts Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Articles Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Correspondence Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Aeronautics -- Law and legislation Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Aeronautics, Commercial -- United States Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Aeronautical engineers Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Audiotapes Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Aeronautics -- Safety measures Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Clippings Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Aeronautics, Commercial Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
World War, 1914-1918 Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Air pilots Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Aeronautics, Military Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Air mail service Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
National Aeronautic Association (U.S.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Federal Aviation Administration Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Civil Aeronautics Administration Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
United States. Army. Air Service Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
United States. Air Navigation Development Board Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Bell Telephone Laboratories Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Stanton, Charles Ingram, 1893-1986 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
United States. Post Office Department. Air Mail Service Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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