Naval Aviation: USS Shenandoah Chrashes

September 3, 1925 - While flying over Ohio, the rigid airship USS Shenandoah (left) breaks apart during a severe storm and crashes. The first of its type built for the US Navy, Shenandoah's design was based on the Zeppelin bombers used by the Germans during World War I. The airship entered service in 1923, and saw service as a fleet scout. The following year, it became the first rigid airship to fly across North America. In 1925, the US Navy planned to flyShenandoah on a tour of the Midwest, making 40 stops and flyovers. Though warned by the airship's commanding officer about severe thunderstorms in Ohio, the Navy ordered the flight to move forward. A day after departing its base at Lakehurst, NJ, Shenandoah encountered extreme winds which overstressed the airship's frame causing it to fail. Fourteen of the airship's crew were killed in the crash, while twenty-nine managed to land safely.

Photograph Courtesy of the US Naval Historical Center