Mark M. Hurd was one of the pioneers of aviation. He held the fifth pilots license issued in the United States and was a World War I fighter pilot and a member of the elite LaFayette Escadrille. A large majority of the first 500 to 600 pilots licensed in Minnesota were his students.
Mark Hurd's dedication to aviation and aerial photography was a dominant force in his life.
He started the first air line between Minneapolis and Chicago which later became American Airlines. In 1922, he founded Mark Hurd Aerial Surveys and later founded Mark Hurd Manufacturing Company, which developed the Mark Hurd aerial mapping camera that was a standard of the industry into the 1940's.
Mark Hurd died in 1969 with a distinguished record of achievements. The company he founded continues to carry on the reputation that he established in photogrammetry.
Mr. Mark M. Hurd
Lear Jet 1970's thru 1988