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1928 Charles Lindbergh with Army Aviators – National Air Races – PSA Type I
This original PSA/DNA Type I press photograph captures Charles A. Lindbergh in full flight gear alongside Lt. W.L. Cornelius (left) and Lt. Irving A. Woodring (right), standing before a Curtiss Falcon biplane marked with a Native American headdress insignia. Taken by Underwood & Underwood, the photo is authenticated and encapsulated (Cert. #85384108) and dates to a pivotal public appearance during the 1928 National Air Races in Cleveland, Ohio.
The image commemorates a moment of tribute. Lt. J.J. Williams, a fellow Army aviator and part of the demonstration trio known as the “Three Musketeers,” had recently died. Lindbergh stepped in to appear with the two surviving members, Cornelius and Woodring, at the event on September 15, 1928.
A photograph from the same occasion, showing the same three men in similar poses, appears in the Getty Images archive with the caption:
“Charles Lindbergh with Army Pilots at National Air Show. When J.J. Williams… died, Colonel Lindbergh stepped in and took his place… Lindy is shown with the two other musketeers, Lt. W.L. Cornelius (L) and Lt. Irving A. Woodring (R).”
The photoreverse features two Underwood & Underwood stamps, along with editorial pencil markings—evidence of its use in a contemporary press archive.
On the Figures:
Charles A. Lindbergh (1902–1974) was one of the most celebrated and complex figures in American history. He became a global sensation in 1927 after completing the first solo nonstop transatlantic flight from New York to Paris aboard the Spirit of St. Louis. Awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, Lindbergh went on to promote aviation worldwide and later worked with both the military and commercial flight sectors. His later years included political controversy over his isolationist views, personal tragedy with the 1932 kidnapping of his son, and eventual redemption as an environmental advocate and U.S. Air Force Reserve brigadier general.
Lt. William L. Cornelius was a career Army Air Corps officer and a key member of the “Three Musketeers,” a flight demonstration team known for precision flying and representing the spirit of Army aviation in the 1920s. He regularly performed at public air shows and played a pivotal role in the Air Corps’ outreach and recruitment during the interwar period.
Lt. Irving A. Woodring was another distinguished officer in the U.S. Army Air Corps and fellow member of the “Three Musketeers.” A skilled pilot and flight demonstrator, Woodring was often tasked with ceremonial and exhibition flights, helping promote aviation's role in national defense and technological advancement during a transformative era for military aviation.
Authentication & Condition:
Certified PSA/DNA Type I (#85384108)
Encapsulated in a tamper-proof slab
Measures approximately 7¾ x 9⅝ inches, typical of 1920s press photographs
Displays light corner wear and even toning, consistent with original news agency archive use
Two distinct Underwood & Underwood stamps on reverse
Moderate archival adhesive/tape remnants and editorial markings on reverse
