Aviation Meet postal card
With only the Cicero postmaster's authorization for mail flights during the Cicero Flying Field International Aviation Meet, held September 12-15, 1912, at Cicero, Illinois, arrangements were made for mail to be postmarked in Cicero and flown to Grant Park, near downtown Chicago, where authorities applied a receiving mark and a circular "AERIAL MAIL" cancel.
DeLloyd Thompson flew the mail on September 12, Max Lillie flew it the next day, and Chance M. Vought flew it on September 14. The aviator who flew it on September 15 has never been identified. On September 15, most of the aviators moved their base of operation from Cicero Field to Grant Park for the next meet, and any of the aviators might have flown the mail. At least one card has been reported that officials postmarked at Cicero on September 16 at 5 p.m. and was apparently flown by either J. Romano Montero or Charles L. Wiggin, who moved to Grant Park on September 16 rather than the day before.
About 1,800 pieces of mail were flown, but very few are in the hands of collectors.
Chance M. Vought flew this card, postmarked the evening of September 14 at Cicero and then in Chicago (Grant Park). It bears the "AERIAL MAIL" cancel on the 1-cent McKinley indicia. It is addressed to Arthur T. Browne, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Glossary
