History: Godfrey Chevalier
 Boyhood in Medford
Growing up in Medford, Chevalier and his family lived on
Summit Road. As a boy, he attended local schools and
entered Medford High School in the fall of 1902. He
distinguished himself with his scholastic and athletic
abilities, was captain of the crew and track teams and
won many interscholastic military drill competitions. In
his senior year, Chevalier left high school to enter the
United States Naval Academy in 1906.
Naval War Hero
Almost immediately, Chevalier became a hero when he
rescued 25 men from drowning in the Hudson River. A
barge carrying 150 sailors was being towed by a Navy
cutter under the command of Chevalier. A strong wind and
high tide pitched the barge throwing the men into the
cold water of the river. Without hesitation, Chevalier
dove from the cutter into the Hudson River and saved 25
of his comrades from drowning. In that superhuman and
unselfish act, he became a Naval hero.
World War I Service
By 1915, Lieutenant Chevalier had been designated for
duty as a Naval Aviator. Two years later, he was with
the first detachment to land in France on the USS
Neptune. Chevalier became the commanding officer of the
US Naval Air Station at Dunkirk, France in 1917-18 and
was awarded the French Legion of Honor and the
Distinguished Service Cross for his extraordinary
meritorious service during World War I.
Chevalier landing on the deck of the USS Langley in
an historic event.
(Photo courtesy of Naval History Center.) |
History Making Event
Following the war, Chevalier was on duty at the Norfolk
Navy Yard involving test flying in connection with the
USS Langley, the Navy’s first airplane carrier. He was
the senior flight officer and in October 1922, Chevalier
became the first man to land a plane on an aircraft
carrier.
A Hero Passes On
Less than a month after this history-making feat,
Chevalier was badly injured in a plane crash near
Norfolk. He died two days later at the age of
thirty-three, a war hero and pioneer in the annals of
aviation.
Chevalier Memorial Auditorium
On March 7, 1940, the auditorium in the high school on
Forest Street was named in memory of Lieutenant
Commander Godfrey de Courcelles Chevalier (1889-1922).
The memorial tablets designed by Emilius Ciampa,
distinguished Medford sculptor, were unveiled by members
of his family Godfrey Chevalier Jr. and Harold Fine
Chevalier.
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