Background
Douglas Blakeshaw was born on February 4, 1885 in Birmingham, United Kingdom. Son of Tom and Ann (Wood) Netherwood.
Baer Field, IN
1942 Col. D. B. Netherwood, U.S. Army Air Corps Commanding Officer
Panama Canal Zone
1941 Brig. Gen. D. B. Netherwood, U.S. Army Air Corps Commanding Officer
1929 Certified and elected a member of “The Early Birds Society”
Birmingham, Sub-district of Lady Wood Birmingham, County of Warwick, England
Feb. 4, 1885 Douglas Blakeshaw Netherwood Birth Certificate
College Station, TX
1906 Texas A&M Sophomore Engineers Cadet D. B. Netherwood Third from Left Sitting
Douglas Blakeshaw was born on February 4, 1885 in Birmingham, United Kingdom. Son of Tom and Ann (Wood) Netherwood.
Brought to the United States, 1887, naturalized U.S. citizen, 1910. Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Agricultural & Mechanical College of Texas, 1908. Master of Business Administration, Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration, 1927. Graduated: Army Industrial College, 1925; Air Corps Tactical School, 1932; Army Industrial College, 1934; Army War College, 1936.
Enlisted in U.S. Army, 1908, Fort Sam Houston, TX. Served in 20th Company Coast Artillery Corps (C.A.C.) at Ft. Barrameas, FL as private, corporal, sergeant till 1911. Commissioned 2nd Lt. C.A.C. second in command in 1911. Commanded 160th Company "Battery Russell" seacoast battery 1912-1913. Applied for and joined U.S. Army 1st Aero Squadron and completed Signal Corps Aviation School, North Island, CA, 1913, with first solo flight, San Diego, CA, Feb. 7, 1914. 1914-1939 advanced through Aero Club of America aviator certification ratings of Junior Military Aviator, Expert Aviator, Military Aviator, Airplane Pilot, Airplane Observer, Command Pilot, and Combat Observer. 1914-1940 advanced through military grades to brigadier general (temporary) with commands at: Aviation Repair Depot, Love Field, Dallas; Souths Field, Americus, GA; Nichols Field and Group Commander 4th Composite Group, Manila, Philippine Islands; Air Corps Board, Maxwell Field, Montgomery, AL; Mitchell Field and NY World's Fair Aviation Building, Long Island, NY; 13th Bombardment Wing, Albrook Field, 13 Strategic Missile Division, Panama Canal Zone; Borinquen Field, Puerto Rico; Baer Field, Fort Wayne, IN.
Plane, pilot Corporal Kelly M. Cates, and passenger Col. Douglas B. Netherwood missing and never found after takeoff from Orlando, FL.
Married to Harriet Van Cortlandt Bowne on April 30, 1919. Children: Douglas Blakeshaw, Jr., Francis Bowne, William Draper, Elizabeth Grant.
