The display dealt with an aviator by the name of Eugene Ely. It told how he was the first pilot to fly an airplane form land and land on a ship and then take off from the ship. This all happened on January 18, 1911. Earlier, on November 14, 1910 Ely had picked up the $5,000 prize money offered for the first person to take off from a ship and land on land.
His career ended when he died in a crach where he was doing a dead stick landing at a fair in Georgia.
More info at:
http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/even ... y-birm.htm
Had they taught me this kind of stuff in history class I would have pad much better attention.
