You don't see such personilized awards every day.
Presented to Mr. Arthur Smith by Kyoto City
May 11th., 1916
Presented to Mr. Arthur Smith by Kyoto City
May 11th., 1916
Aerial daredevil Art Smith and his Japanese Badges
Art Smith (pilot) - Wikipedia
Art Smith toured in Japan on invitation in 1916. He was offered the princely sum of $10 000 to do a series of exhibition flights there. Japanese newspapers had nig reports on him and even the Crown Prince was coming to see the spectable of Art Smith flying. The tour was to last four months but Smith crashed in Sapporo breaking his plane and his leg. Undaunted he came back next year with a repaired / reconstructed Curtiss and a healed leg again to fulfill the other flights in the japanese contract.
“No longer is Art Smith an insignificant Hoosier boy, a simple citizen of the United States, for he has so to speak become an international figure.
“Ever since he landed at Yokohama he was busy exhibiting his wonderful skill in the mastery of air and machine. Immense crowds thronged to see his matchless art wherever he went; men, women, and children tried to outrival each other in the encomiums of the aviator. Yes, the lords, ladies, and even their majesties, the Emperor and the Empress, themselves graciously condescended to look into the matter. Numberless banquets were held in his honor; priceless medals were given him; and the papers vied with each other to report his movements.
“In Tokio, when a furious wind was raging at a rate of thirty-two meters a second, he was successfully looping the loop. It was a marvelous dash and surely a record breaking feat. He conquered the winds in Japan!”
– Art Smith in Japan, by Eijiro Takasugi, Ph.D., Tohoku Imperial University, published in Northwestern Christian Advocate, Volume 64, September 13, 1916
Among his others japanese badges we see Imperial Aviation (most likely Special) Member Badge.
Aviation ace dazzles with flight over palace
“Aviator Art Smith carried out another flight yesterday afternoon. He flew from Aoyama at about 3 o’clock and steered his machine in the direction of the Imperial Palace flying at an altitude of 1,000 meters.
“When Mr. Smith came over the Sakurada Gate he rose to the height of about 1,300 meters and after encircling the Imperial Palace grounds looped the loop eight times in succession over Fukiage garden in the palace compound. Following a dead dive he descended about 200 meters in a spiral flight and then, crossing over the palace in the direction of the Hanzo Gate, he changed his course and returned to Aoyama after about 10 minutes.
“The day’s flight was carried out to enable Mr. Smith to pay his respects to the Imperial Palace, and was an unqualified success. From the palace grounds H.I.M. the Emperor was pleased to witness Mr. Smith’s flight. His Majesty was attended by chamberlains, Viscount Kaneko and Lt. Gen. Nagaoka, who explained the art of flying to His Majesty.
“His Majesty, it is understood, admires the dexterous flight and aeronautical feats of the visiting American aviator, remaining in the garden watching the course of the aircraft with keen interest.”
– The Japan Times, June 7, 1916
Interesting series of photos from collection of San Diego Air and Space Museum Archive.
Most likely this is our badge from Kyoto.
