The Sylvester Family of Plainview, Minnesota*

Byrl Sylvester dies in seaplane accident off the coast of Pensacola

June 9, 1918 - June 21, 1918

PAGE 122

Sunday June 9, 1918
Dear Folks,
Received your two letters last week. They were both very good. The NEWS comes every week now. The past week has been a very busy one for me. I put in ten hours of "solo" flying. The last couple of days I have been practicing spirals in the air. This next week I intend to try for my tests, which are as follows: Six thousand foot altitude, a cross wind test, and then we have to go up three thousand, shut off all our power and spiral down to the water landing within two hundred feet of a small boat. I expect to have in nearly twenty-five hours by next Saturday night.
It has been passed out that we are to leave here about June 22. After our elementary flying is finished, we will be sent north to flying stations along the Atlantic Coast. They are hurrying it through as fast as possible owing to the recent work of the enemy submarines on this side. Some of the men will take up their advanced training in bombing and machine guns and then be sent over. Am undecided just what to do at present. Suppose the Government will do just as they please any way. Another report is that if we are sent to do coast patrol work for subs, that we will receive our commissions shortly but am not worrying much about a commission now.
Park no doubt is on the other side by this time. Right now is the most serious time since the war started. He will not be sent in until late in the Fall at the earliest. It was fine that Meta was able to be home to see you Ed get his sheep skin. What ball team does he play with?
Last Saturday morning I got up at five and went up for 45 minutes. It was a beautiful sight. The sun was just coming up. Before I got back a little rain storm came up. I was up about one thousand when I felt the rain cutting me in the face. I at once nosed her over, cut the gun and glided down to the water and then ran for the hangers. It was quite an experience. I expect to get in about three hours flying each day now.
Best of luck and happiness.
Love, Byrl.
June 14, 1918- Mrs. E. L. Sylvester, Mrs. A. O. Knowlton, and Mrs. L. Hostettler of Elgin left for Minneapolis Tuesday morning as delegates from the Ladies Circle to attend the G. A. R. Convention.
June 21, 1918-

Plainview Boy Killed in Sea Plane Accident in Florida Wednesday.
Byrl E. Sylvester, This City’s Young War Here, Meets With Death While in Training
For Service at Air Station in Pensacola, Florida
Message Received First of Week Conveys Sad News to Parents
Popular Young Man, With Lots of War Experience, First Local Boy to Succumb
While on Duty for His Country – Body expected to Arrive Last of Week
The horrors of the world’s great conflict in which the United States and her Allies are fighting, was brought home to Plainview when on Wednesday word was received by Mr. and Mrs. E. L. Sylvester that their son, Byrl E. Sylvester, had been killed in a seaplane accident at the U. S. Naval Air Station at Pensacola, Florida.
The entire community was shrouded in deepest sorrow as the news was conveyed from one to another that Byrl, one of the best known and highly esteemed young men of this part of the state, had met sudden death in a seaplane accident.
The brief message communicated to his parents reached them shortly before noon. The tragic news spread rapidly and brought profound sorrow to all of this city. It made every parent of the boys now in the service shudder with the thought of safety for their own.
No young man of this community was held in higher regard than Byrl by young and old alike. His pleasing and friendly manner while at home and the courage he has shown in his loyalty of purpose in entering the service of his country a second time had made him fairly beloved by all the people of this part of the state.

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* SOURCE: Manzow, Ron (compiler), "The Sylvester Family of Plainview, Minnesota - a collection of information taken from the Plainview News, other newspapers, letters, and diaries beginning in 1884": Plainview Area History Center, 40 4th St. S.W., Plainview, MN 55964. Compiled in 2001.

NOTE: from Ron Manzow, December 2001: "Feel free to reproduce the pages for anyone who wants a copy. It was compiled to be shared... All I ask is that they consider sending a check to the [Plainview Area] History Center to help us out. That should be enough."