Iowa History Daily: On August 12, 1924, Delhi’s Lieutenant Frank Albrook sustained fatal injuries when a plane he piloted crashed. A former Iowa State wrestler, Albrook displayed great courage as a pioneering member of the United States Air Service prior to his death.
After growing up in the eastern Iowa town of Delhi, Albrook left Delaware County to enroll at Iowa State. A standout wrestler during his time with the Cyclones, he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in 1917. Albrook’s post-college years found him entering the United States Army Air Service where he completed training as a pilot.
Sent to the Panama Canal Zone with the 7th Observation Squadron in March of 1921, Albrook stood out and earned promotion to commander of the 8th Air Park located at the Balboa Fill Landing Field near the Pacific Terminus of the Panama Canal. After two successful years of service, the USAS sent Lieutenant Albrook back stateside.
Working out of Chanute Field in Illinois, Albrook helped test aircraft as the technology rapidly advanced during the 1920s. However, an aircraft failure on a DeHavilland 4-B injured Albrook on this date in 1924. Sent to Walter Reed Hospital in Washington D.C., he died of wounds sustained in the crash the following month.
Today, VFW Post 3822, as well as Albrook Air Force Base in Panama help preserve the memory of Lieutenant Albrook. #IowaHistoryDaily #IowaHistoryCalendar #IowaOTD
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