"Max Miller"
From a 24"x30" Acrylic on canvas (private commission)
 
This painting was a private commission by Jim Miller of Minnesota. Mr. Miller is the nephew of Max and has made quite a hobby of researching his life. Max immigrated to the United States from Norway as a boy, became a citizen and joined the US Army in the early 1900's. He served briefly in the Philippines and also in the Mexican Border Patrol in 1916 in search of Poncho Villa. Max learned to fly in Curtis Jenny biplanes while in the service. After his hitch was up, he was chosen as the very first pilot hired by the fledgling Aerial Mail Service. On September 20, 1918, Max, flying a white Standard JR-1B mail plane with a mailbag painted on the side landed at Bellefonte, PA and declared it to be the best choice for an airmail field. He was greeted by practically the whole town.
Early on the morning of September 1, 1920. Max Miller and his mechanic Gustav Reierson were flying their Junkers JL-6 mail plane enroute to Cleveland when the engine caught fire apparently due to a leaky fuel line. The problem of the JL-6 was reported by pilots on several occasions. The crash occurred near a farm in Morristown, NJ. The New York Times headline read: "Premier Mail Pilot Dies in Flaming Fall. Duty Their Final Thought. Aviators Dropped Letter Bags to Safety as Plane Became a Blazing Meteor"

(Sorry, No Prints Are Available)

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