Steponas Darius
Full name Steponas Darašius
Lived January 9, 1897-July 17, 1933
Birth Rubiškė, Lithuania (then Kovno Governorate, Russian Empire]])
Death (Pszczelnik, Poland)) (then Kuhdamm, Nazi Germany)
Cause of death Aviation crash
Nationality
Lithuania
Spouse Jaunutė Škėmaitė-Darienė
Aviation
Known for Second by the distance of non stop flight an fourth by the the time spent in air at the time, also being first official airmail shipment form USA to Europe.
Famous flights Lithuanica flight
Flight license 1927
Air Force Lithuanian Air Force
Rank Captain
Steponas Darius (known as Stephen Darius in the USA; born Steponas Darašius; January 8, 1896 in Rubiškė, now Klaipėda district of Lithuania – July 17, 1933 near Soldin, Germany) was a Lithuanian-American pilot.
Born in Rubiškė, in the Kovno Governorate of the Russian Empire, Darašius emigrated to the USA with his family in 1907. In 1917 he joined the United States Army, after the United States entered World War I, and changed his name to Darius. He served as a telephone operator in the 149th field artillery regiment, fighting in France, was wounded and was awarded the Purple Heart medal. In 1920 he returned to Lithuania, and joined the Lithuanian army, graduating from military school in 1921. He helped to organize the Klaipėda Revolt of 1923. While living in Lithuania he completed aviation training. In 1927 he returned to the USA and started working in civil aviation.
Living in Lithuania he was actively promoting various sports. He initiated building of first stadium in Kaunas, that later was named after him - the S. Darius and S. Girėnas Stadium. He used to play basketball, baseball, ice hockey, was practicing also boxing and athletics. Since he was first to publish booklets about basketball and baseball, he's considered the one that brought those sports to Lithuania. He was also first chairman of Lithuanian Physical Education Union, and a founder of Sporto Žurnalas (Sports magazine).
On July 15, 1933, along with Stasys Girėnas he attempted a nonstop flight from New York City, USA to Kaunas, Lithuania - a total of 7,186 km, in Bellanca CH-300 Pacemaker airplane named "Lituanica". After successfully crossing the Atlantic Ocean in 37 hours and 11 minutes of nonstop flight, they crashed on July 17, 0:36 AM (Berlin Time) by the village of Kuhdamm, near Soldin, Germany (now Pszczelnik, near Mysliborz area, Poland), most probably due to difficult weather conditions combined with engine defects. Both aviators were killed in the crash. They covered a distance of 3,984 miles (6,411 kilometers) without landing, only 650 km short of their final destination.
See also
- Lituanica for complete information