Steponas Darius
Encyclopedia
Steponas Darius was a Lithuanian-American
pilot
.
Born in Rubiškė, in the Kovno Governorate
of the Russian Empire
, Darašius emigrated to the USA with his family in 1907. In 1917 he joined the United States Army, after the United States entered World War I
, and changed his name to Darius. He served as a telephone operator in the 149th field artillery regiment, fought in France, was wounded and received the Purple Heart
medal. In 1920 he returned to Lithuania and joined the Lithuanian army, graduating from military school in 1921. He helped to organize the Klaipėda Revolt
of 1923. While living in Lithuania he completed pilot training. In 1927 he returned to the USA and started working in civil aviation. He initially formed South Bend Airways in partnership with Carl G. Jordan of South Bend, Indiana. Their fleet consisted of a Pheasant H-10 and a Longwing Eaglerock, both powered by OX-5 engines of WW1 vintage. He lived for a while in the Jordan household prior to moving to Chicago.
While living in Lithuania he actively promoted various sports. He initiated building of first stadium in Kaunas
; it was later was named after him - the S. Darius and S. Girėnas Stadium. He played basketball
, baseball
, ice hockey
, and practiced boxing
and athletics
. Since he was the first to publish booklets about basketball and baseball, he is considered to have brought those sports to Lithuania. He was also the first chairman of Lithuanian Physical Education Union, and a founder of Sporto Žurnalas (Sports magazine).
On July 15, 1933, along with Stasys Girėnas
, he attempted a nonstop flight from New York City
, USA to Kaunas
, Lithuania - a total of 7,186 km, in a Bellanca CH-300
Pacemaker airplane named "Lituanica". After successfully crossing the Atlantic Ocean
in 37 hours and 11 minutes, they crashed on July 17, at 0:36 AM (Berlin Time), by the village of Kuhdamm, near Soldin, Germany (now Pszczelnik, near the Mysliborz
area, Poland
), most probably because of difficult weather conditions combined with engine problems. Both aviators were killed in the crash. They had covered a distance of 3,984 miles (6,411 kilometers) without landing, and were only 650 km short of their final destination.
A monument to Darius and Girenas is located in the northeast corner of Marquette Park in Chicago.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
pilot
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
.
Born in Rubiškė, in the Kovno Governorate
Kovno Governorate
The Kovno Governorate or Government of Kovno was a governorate of the Russian Empire. Its capital was Kovno . It was formed on 18 December 1842 by tsar Nicholas I from the western part of the Vilna Governorate, and the order was carried out on 1 July 1843. It used to be a part of Northwestern Krai...
of the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
, Darašius emigrated to the USA with his family in 1907. In 1917 he joined the United States Army, after the United States entered World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, and changed his name to Darius. He served as a telephone operator in the 149th field artillery regiment, fought in France, was wounded and received the Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
medal. In 1920 he returned to Lithuania and joined the Lithuanian army, graduating from military school in 1921. He helped to organize the Klaipėda Revolt
Klaipeda Revolt
The Klaipėda Revolt took place in January 1923 in the Klaipėda Region . The region, located north of the Neman River, was detached from the East Prussia of the German Empire by the Treaty of Versailles and became a mandate of the League of Nations. It was placed under provisional French...
of 1923. While living in Lithuania he completed pilot training. In 1927 he returned to the USA and started working in civil aviation. He initially formed South Bend Airways in partnership with Carl G. Jordan of South Bend, Indiana. Their fleet consisted of a Pheasant H-10 and a Longwing Eaglerock, both powered by OX-5 engines of WW1 vintage. He lived for a while in the Jordan household prior to moving to Chicago.
While living in Lithuania he actively promoted various sports. He initiated building of first stadium in Kaunas
Kaunas
Kaunas is the second-largest city in Lithuania and has historically been a leading centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the biggest city and the center of a powiat in Trakai Voivodeship of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since 1413. During Russian Empire occupation...
; it was later was named after him - the S. Darius and S. Girėnas Stadium. He played basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
, and practiced boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
and athletics
Athletics (track and field)
Athletics is an exclusive collection of sporting events that involve competitive running, jumping, throwing, and walking. The most common types of athletics competitions are track and field, road running, cross country running, and race walking...
. Since he was the first to publish booklets about basketball and baseball, he is considered to have brought those sports to Lithuania. He was also the first chairman of Lithuanian Physical Education Union, and a founder of Sporto Žurnalas (Sports magazine).
On July 15, 1933, along with Stasys Girėnas
Stasys Girenas
Stasys Girėnas was a Lithuanian-American pilot....
, he attempted a nonstop flight from New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, USA to Kaunas
Kaunas
Kaunas is the second-largest city in Lithuania and has historically been a leading centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the biggest city and the center of a powiat in Trakai Voivodeship of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since 1413. During Russian Empire occupation...
, Lithuania - a total of 7,186 km, in a Bellanca CH-300
Bellanca CH-300
-References:NotesCitationsBibliography* Szurovy, Geza. Bushplanes. St. Paul, Minnesota: Zenith Press, 2004. ISBN 0-7603-1478-0.* Taylor, Michael J.H. Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions, 1989, p. 149.-External links:* *...
Pacemaker airplane named "Lituanica". After successfully crossing the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
in 37 hours and 11 minutes, they crashed on July 17, at 0:36 AM (Berlin Time), by the village of Kuhdamm, near Soldin, Germany (now Pszczelnik, near the Mysliborz
Myslibórz
Myślibórz is a city in north-west Poland, in West Pomeranian Voivodeship. It is the capital of the Powiat of Myślibórz...
area, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
), most probably because of difficult weather conditions combined with engine problems. Both aviators were killed in the crash. They had covered a distance of 3,984 miles (6,411 kilometers) without landing, and were only 650 km short of their final destination.
A monument to Darius and Girenas is located in the northeast corner of Marquette Park in Chicago.