Edgar Gardner Tobin

Edgar Gardner Tobin
Edgar Gardner Tobin, 1918
Born	7 September 1896 San Antonio, Texas, USA
Died	January 10, 1954(1954-01-10) (aged 57) Wallace Lake, Louisiana, USA
Allegiance	United States
Service / branch	Air Service, United States Army
Years of service	1917 - 1918
Rank	Lieutenant
Unit	94th Aero Squadron 103rd Aero Squadron
Battles / wars	World War I
Awards	Distinguished Service Cross, Croix de Guerre
Other work	Became president of world's largest aerial mapping firm

Edgar Gardner Tobin (July 12, 1896 – November 6, 1954) was an American World War I flying ace, businessman, and pioneer in aerial photography. Tobin was born to a prominent San Antonio family and was educated at Texas Military Institute.

World War I service

During World War I, Tobin served as a pilot in the United States Army Air Service. While he served in the 94th and 103rd Aero Squadrons, he scored all his victories while flying for the 103rd. From 11 July to 28 September 1918, he scored credited with six aerial victories. and an unverified one; one of his wins was shared with fellow ace George W. Furlow. Tobin ended the war with the Distinguished Service Cross and the Croix de Guerre for his actions in combat.

Business career

After the war, Tobin returned to San Antonio and started a successful business selling Pierce-Arrow automobiles. In the late 1920s, he became interested in the emerging aviation technology and began selling Alexander Eaglerock aircraft.

In 1928, he took over an aerial mapping firm, which became instrumental in surveying the State of Texas and thus enabled the development Texas oil industry. During the Second World War, Tobin served as a civilian aide to General Henry "Hap" Arnold of the United States Army Air Corps. He died in the crash of a Grumman Mallard on 10 January 1954 on Lake Wallace, Louisiana along with one of the co-founders of Braniff International Airways, Thomas Elmer Braniff.

See also

• List of World War I flying aces from the United States

Bibliography

• American Aces of World War I. Norman Franks, Harry Dempsey. Osprey Publishing, 2001. ISBN 1-84176-375-6, ISBN 978-1-84176-375-0.
• Grieve, W. I. "Photogrammetric Pioneers: The Texas Story 1925 and Beyond." Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing 50, no. 9 (September 1984): 1297-1300. https://www.asprs.org/wp-content/uploads/pers/1984journal/sep/1984_sep_1297-1300.pdf. Accessed 15 May 2024.