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First Flight 1793 and the Finest Part 5 - First and Finest
“First and Finest” ballooning operations honor of George Washington, General Moylan, and Blanchard.
Thanks for coming. I’ll only take five minutes of your time, maybe ten minutes if there are any questions. I’m proposing that we launch and fly a full-size passenger-carrying hot air balloon as a community relations program.
Stephen R. Moylan
Part 5 - First and Finest
Stephen R Moylan (Steve) was born on May 18, 1944. He and his family moved from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Deptford, New Jersey, in 1958. He attended the local public high school. One of the events at Deptford High School was a mock election where students “ran” for public office. As a senior in 1963, during “youth week,” the student body elected Steve “chief of police.” He spent several days with the chief and officers of the part-time police department. Steve learned that Deptford planned to start a full-time police department within two or three years.
In 1964, Steve’s future wife Carol worked at Penn Mutual Insurance Company on Walnut Street in Philadelphia. He often met her there but was unaware of the location’s historical connection to ballooning until 1993. The Penn Mutal building stands at the very spot where Blanchard launched his ballon on January 9, 1793.
Steve landed a job in 1966 as the youngest full-time patrol officer in the Deptford Police Department. He was the first Deptford High School graduate ever to join the force. He climbed from patrol officer to sergeant, then lieutenant. Steve took charge of the community relations program and began to bridge the gap between the Deptford police force and the community. In the beginning, tours of the police headquarters and displays in the Deptford Shopping Mall were most common. Steve was also in charge of what event organizers needed for traffic management and security for more significant events. Steve excelled at directing policing for charities, festivals, and activities.
In 1973, a Gloucester County Times Newspaper reporter snapped a photo of Steve and his son Steven. They were attending the first Deptford Day community event. Twenty-five years later, Steven would co-pilot the “First & Finest” maiden flight from Deptford Day 1998.
On the 4th of July weekend in 1978, Steve was on duty while his family was having a picnic in their neighbor’s yard. Then, an enormous balloon floated up from behind the trees. They got into their automobile and followed the balloons launched in honor of America’s birthday. That day, a dozen hot air balloons launched from the Art Museum in Philadelphia, and several landed in Deptford. The newspapers covered this event with stories and photos. One of the photos shows local children packing up a balloon. Prominent in the picture is 8-year-old Steven, who in twenty years would be the co-pilot of the “First & Finest” balloon.
Steve heard of the unbelievable experience and became involved. He helped crews and provided security for each hot air balloon flight. One morning, he assisted a flight when Harry Collison, balloon pilot, asked Steve, “Why don’t you come flying with me?”
The last thing he would have done was to admit fright in front of everyone. So, he replied, “Eh Hmmm... I can’t, eh, I’m on duty here.” “Hey, Lieutenant,” one of the officers interjected, “we got it covered. Go ahead.” Harry turned to Steve and mumbled, “Look, I know you’re afraid. Just come on, relax. I’m not gonna embarrass you.” With that invitation, Steve flew with Collison from the Rowan College of Gloucester County campus to a nearby field and loved every minute of it. He gazed down and no longer felt bothered. Steve anticipated the speed of departure in a hot air balloon was as sudden as an airplane. But once they left the ground, he realized how smooth and effortless it was.
Steve took this newfound interest and ran with it to create Deptford’s First and Finest hot air balloon program. The inspiration for the name came from the voyage made by Jean-Pierre Blanchard in 1793. The hot air balloon became Deptford’s logo for the town’s vehicles and many of its welcome, street, and landmark signs.
Inspiration to introduce this new hot air balloon program was in full throttle from 1997 to 1998. The first person that Steve talked to was Harry Collison. With the advice of Harry, nickname “Collision,” Steve sought help and support from the police department. He requested a meeting with the Chief of Police and the Council at the Deptford Municipal building. Steve wanted the meeting to unfold in the main room because of the massive hot air balloon mural plastered on the wall. He hoped that would help persuade his listeners.
Steve announced, “Thanks for coming. I’ll only take five minutes of your time, maybe ten minutes if there are any questions. I’m proposing that we launch and fly a full-size passenger-carrying hot air balloon as a community relations program.” No one knew what the meeting was about before this opening line, so he paused for a minute to let it sink in. The crowd thought he had lost his marbles and stared in complete and utter silence.
“I know it’s an unusual idea, but why not be first again?” he advised. Sounds of skepticism crept through the council as he passed out sketches of the balloon and banner designs. The drawings showed a black and gold balloon that Harry owned. That meant the balloon was already available for lease by Harry to a nonprofit organization. The removable banner was another obstacle since the price was about a thousand dollars. Once he mentioned that, they began to lose interest.
In response, Steve mentioned that Deptford’s Fraternal Order of Police Organization agreed to buy the banner and cover the cost. The last piece to the puzzle was the crew, whether officers or civilians, as he needed volunteers. He already had a few officers trained in the procedures and policies, but he required more hands. With this, he added, “If you give me an ‘okay,’ I’ll launch it on Deptford Day.”
Their reaction concerned Deptford Day as it was only a few months away. “Yeah. What you don’t know is the balloon already exists, the design is at the banner company, the cops are already learning how to fly, and I got civilian members who already know what they are doing to train them. So, if you tell me it’s okay, we’ll launch it on Deptford Day,” he explained.
Silence came over the room again as they asked Steve for some privacy. When he returned, they immediately blurt out, “Let’s do it.” The Chief of Police, Council, and the Mayor approved the plan.
The Federal Aviation Administration certified Steve’s son Steven in 1998 as a hot air balloon pilot. The weather was beautiful for Deptford Day. The program’s crew surprised people with a great hot air balloon that flew from Fasola Park to the Deptford Shopping Mall. That was the first flight of Deptford’s First and Finest hot air balloon. Manned by Harry (pilot) and Steven (co-pilot), the program continues to attract the eyes of children and adults. That became the first of hundreds of flights over the years.
In 2000, Steve retired from Deptford Township Police and read the book “First Air Voyage in America” published by Penn Mutual Insurance Company (Steve’s wife Carol worked at Penn Mutual in the 1960s). Steve then joined the staff of McGuiness Funeral Home in Woodbury, NJ. In an incredible coincidence, he later learned that a relative of the McGuinness family was Yvonne Blanchard Schultes. Yvonne is a decedent of Jean Pierre Blanchard. McGuinness introduced Steve to Yvonne and her children. After meeting members of the Blanchard family in 2001, Moylan became friends. First and Finest took the Blanchard’s on ballooning adventures and donated flights to charities in which the Blanchard’s were involved.
By 2004, the original First & Finest balloon on lease since 1998 from Harry Colison was nearing the end of its service life. The Federal Aviation Administration indicated that it might no longer be airworthy, and Steve started a fund drive. State, County, and Local Law Enforcement fraternal organizations, businesses, and individuals donated. The proceeds of $35,000.00 paid for the “First & Finest.” Harry Collison and his wife Diane bought a balloon and started a new business, “Two Angels Balloons.”
In 2005, the maiden voyage of the new First & Finest was at the “Flight for Sight” charity event at Gloucester County College in Deptford, NJ. In 2010, Harry Collison, the original senior pilot of the “First & Finest,” passed from cancer at 50.
Stephen R. Moyan, Executive Officer of First and Finest (Aviation Unit of Deptford Police, New Jersey), continues the legacy. First and Finest operate balloon flights in honor of America’s first manned flight and the law enforcement profession. It is a Deptford Township police and community project that aims to promote police and community cooperation. First and Finest is an all-volunteer crew of police officers, retired police officers, firefighters, EMTs, civilian friends, and families. Tax funds do not support it.
First and Finest launches flights across New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York for festivals and other events. It is the first police department-sponsored balloon unit in North America. Many programs featured First and Finest. They include the Policemen’s Benevolent Association of New Jersey, Fraternal Order of Police, ABC News, CNN, and many more.
Part 6 - “Appendix,” includes a review of additional projects associated with the 1793 flight and a list of the sources that made this essay possible.
Author and publisher, Frederick R. Smith