Cutting Edge

Chapter 2
The Detrick Family

In 1931, no one in the Maryland National Guard knew that its action naming the Frederick airport "Detrick Field" would be apropos in 1993 because its name sake was a respected physician and U.S. Army flight surgeon.

By 1996, Fort Detrick had recorded 53 years of pioneering work in the field of biomedical research and development and was aligned with the Army Medical Department through U.S. Army Medical Command.

Frederick Louis Detrick was born April 21, 1889 in New Market, Frederick County, where his ancestors had lived since the American Revolution. His 1923 military service record described him as 5-foot-7, fair complexion, brown hair, blue eyes, and divorced. There is no information regarding this reference to a first marriage.

Major Frederick L. Detrick

Major Frederick L. Detrick

It is a twist of fate that Dr. Detrick left Frederick County at an early age and never actually returned, except for occasional visits to relatives in New Market. Dr. Detrick lived a portion of his childhood in Orange, Virginia, where his grandfather owned Montpelier, the home built by former President James Madison. He graduated from Rockefeller Institute, New York City and completed his internship at Bellevue Hospital, New York City.

He entered the U.S. Army on March 12, 1918, being appointed a lieutenant in the Medical Reserve Corps. He was assigned first to the installation hospital at Camp Wadsworth, South Carolina, on April 21, 1918. After a brief training and indoctrination at Camp Wadsworth, Lieutenant Detrick was assigned to the 28th Aero Squadron, 3rd Pursuit Group in France. He deployed from the Port of Embarkation, Brooklyn, July 13, 1918, and 2 weeks later was in Belgium.

His work included primarily battlefield health care and reached its high point during the major American offensives, the battles of Meuse/Argonne and St. Mihiel. These victories turned the tide in favor of the Allies and provided an excellent reputation for the American soldier and pilot.

One year after he left New York City aboard a U.S. Army transport ship, Lieutenant Detrick returned to Camp Dix, New Jersey, on July 5, 1919. He was discharged at Camp Dix on July 9, 1919.

Lieutenant Detrick returned to Baltimore and opened a private practice on Linden Avenue. He was later named to the staff and faculty of Johns Hopkins University Hospital. He earned a strong reputation as a competent surgeon and teacher.

He joined the Maryland National Guard on May 5, 1923 and was appointed a captain in the Medical Reserve Corps. He was assigned to the Medical Department Detachment, 29th Division Air Service, which included the 104th Aero Squadron.

The unit was home based at Logan Field, Baltimore. The 104th still exists at the site as part of the 29th Division, Maryland Air National Guard. It took part in annual maneuvers and training at Langley Field, Virginia, where the Army Air Corps was attempting to attract attention to the value of aircraft in modern battle.

When the 104th was earmarked to conduct its annual encampment at Frederick Airport, plans were made to bring in the aircraft on August 10, 1931. The unit arrived in Frederick, driving up West 7th Street, which was farmland primarily from Frederick Memorial Hospital north. Ground support troops set up camp near the lane of the Kemp Farm and pilots brought in the aircraft from Baltimore. Dr. Detrick was at home on June 3, 1931 when he suffered three heart attacks and died, according to his widow, Marian Douglas Detrick.

The 104th, in consultation with the Maryland National Guard Adjutant General, Major General Milton Reckord, decided to call the airport Detrick Field in his memory. The name became a permanent moniker for the airport. General Reckord also issued orders promoting Captain Detrick to Major, posthumously.

Squadron members had great affection for "Captain Flat." He earned the nickname because the troops always saw Dr. Detrick while "lying flat on their backs," Mrs. Detrick recalled in an interview when she and the family visited Fort Detrick.

Frederick Louis Detrick was born in Frederick, a descendant of Philip Dietrich, the first known member of the family in the county. Philip Dietrich was born March 30, 1776, parents unknown. He died January 15, 1851 and originally was buried in the church yard behind Evangelical Lutheran Church, across from Winchester Hall, Church St., Frederick. In 1906, his remains along with those of his wife, Catherine (born April 8, 1781; died May 1, 1851), were reburied at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Lot 160-C.

Philip's son, John Henry Detrick (born January 25, 1806 in Frederick) married on October 8, 1825, Elizabeth Cronise (born February 23, 1807, in Frederick), daughter of John Jacob Cronise and Catherine Funderburg of Catoctin Furnace. Jacob and Catherine Cronise are buried in Pleasant Hill German Baptist Cemetery, Monrovia.

John and Elizabeth's son, Louis Frederick Detrick, was born in 1831 in Frederick, the third generation in the county. He married Kate Umstead (born in 1839 in Green Tree, Montgomery County, Maryland; died July 8, 1898, in Baltimore), daughter of John and Ann (Brower) Umstead. John made his fortune manufacturing fertilizer and was based in Baltimore.

John Umstead Detrick, the fourth generation, was born circa 1864, probably in Baltimore, died 1916. He and his wife Eliza Lillie Downey (born in New Market, daughter of William Downey) were married January 19, 1888 and had a son, Frederick Louis Detrick. Frederick was married to Marian Amelia Douglas, born 1897 in Philadelphia, died December 10, 1984 in Baltimore. She was a legal clerk for the judge of the circuit court of Baltimore for many years.

Frederick and Marian had one son, John Umstead Detrick II, who was born in 1928 in Ruxton, Maryland. He died at age 45. He and his wife, Nancy, bore five children:

John Umstead Detrick III and his wife, Bettina, had three children: Nicholas Brinch Detrick, born September 23, 1979; Steffen Brinch Detrick, born June 18, 1981; and Stephanie Brinch Detrick, born June 22, 1983.

Mrs. Marian (Douglas) Detrick, visited Fort Detrick in 1981 taking part in Armed Forces Day ceremonies, which included a reception for local community leaders. Her grandchildren, Nicholas, Steffen, and Stephanie visited Fort Detrick in July 1992.

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