First Takeoff from a Ship

Date: November 14, 1910 • Location: Hampton, United States

Aviator Eugene Burton Ely performed the first takeoff from a ship (pictured), flying from a makeshift deck on USS Birmingham in Hampton Roads, Virginia.

Eugene Burton Ely was an American aviation pioneer, credited with the first shipboard aircraft takeoff and landing.

This milestone marked a defining occurrence in United States's and world history, leaving an indelible imprint on societal development, international relations, and cultural memory. Its enduring ramifications continue to be examined and commemorated by historians and scholars across the globe.