Bergdoll, Grover Cleveland, 1893-1966

Variant names

Dates:

Birth 1893-10-18

Death 1966-01-27

Birth 1893-10-18

Death 1966-01-27

Gender:

Male

Nationality: Americans,

Language: English,

Biographical notes:

Grover Cleveland Bergdoll (October 18, 1893 – January 27, 1966) was an early aviator, racing driver and World War I draft dodger, who went to Germany to avoid prison.

Bergdoll was born in Philadelphia to a wealthy brewing family. He was one of 119 people to train at the Wright Flying School, and in 1912 he purchased a Wright Model B biplane for $5,000. Bergdoll made several public flights from an airfield on family-owned land outside Philadelphia, and was the first person to fly an airplane between Philadelphia and Atlantic City, New Jersey. After 748 flights the plane was placed in storage; it was later rediscovered and restored, and in 1936 it was donated to the Franklin Institute.

He attempted to qualify for the 1915 Indianapolis 500 and also raced between 1911 and 1916, almost exclusively in his brother Erwin Bergdoll's cars.

During World War I, Bergdoll earned a nation-wide reputation when he dodged the draft. He fled to Germany and dodged the draft there when German authorities demanded that he join their military. After years in exile, Grover returned to America in 1939, was tried, and sent to prison. He was released in 1946.

Grover spent most of his later years under psychiatric supervision. Grover's son, Alfred, and lawyer, David Meade White, became his guardians after his incapacitation. Grover Cleveland Bergdoll died on 27 January 1966.