Born in Illinois, USA. An ace pilot in the US Navy during WW I, he devised the "baby carrier" and did much to vitalize the Navy's air wing between the wars. Paralyzed as a result of an accident, he turned to writing novels, stories, and screenplays, usually concerning war and the men of the armed forces. John Ford's THE WINGS OF EAGLES (1957) is a tribute to "Spig" Wead's courage. The film's script was based on Wead's writings, mainly his biographical history Wings for Men. He was portrayed in the film by John Wayne. Some of Wead's notable screenwriting credits (alone or in collaboration) include his first film DIRIGIBLE (1931), AIRMAIL (1932), WEST POINT OF THE AIR and STORM OVER THE ANDES (both 1935), CEILING ZERO (from his play) and CHINA CLIPPER (both 1936), SEA DEVILS and SUBMARINE D-1 (both 1937), TEST PILOT, THE CITADEL and A YANK AT OXFORD (uncredited) (all 1938), TAIL SPIN (1939), MOON OVER BURMA (1940), I WANTED WINGS and DIVE BOMBER (both 1941), DESTROYER (1943), THEY WERE EXPENDABLE (1945), THE HOODLUM SAINT (1946) and THE BEGINNING OR THE END and BLAZE OF NOON (both 1947).    Nominated for Writing (Screenplay) 1938: THE CITADEL (w. Ian Dalrymple & Elizabeth Hill)    Nominated for Writing (Original Story) 1938: TEST PILOT 2 nominations