Wright-Patterson Air Force Base celebrates 119th anniversary of first human flight

DAYTON — Saturday is Wright Brothers Day, commemorating the first successful in a mechanically propelled airplane that was heavier than air.

Dayton natives Orville and Wilbur Wright flew their Wright Flyer for the first time on December 17, 1903 near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

>>RELATED: Wright-Patterson Air Force Base to celebrate first human flight 119 years ago

Wright-Patterson Air Force Base held a ceremony to honor the 119th anniversary of the historic flight and members of the Wright family laid a wreath on the Wright Brothers Memorial.

The White House issued a proclamation Friday of Wright Brothers Day.

“From their home in Dayton, Ohio, the Wright Brothers were captivated, ‘afflicted,’ in Wilbur’s words, ‘by the belief that humans could fly,’” said President Joe Biden in statement Friday. “They researched and experimented, redesigned and repaired, and braved dangerous early trials. When their Wright Flyer finally took to the skies over Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, on December 17, 1903, they launched the future of aviation and helped define the American spirit: bold, daring, innovative, and always asking what is next.”

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