The son of Colonel Daniel Healy, one of Theodore Roosevelt's Rough Riders who was killed at San Juan Hill in the Spanish-American war, and Mrs. Mary A. Healy of Jersey City, New Jersey, James Andrew Healy joined the United States Army Signal Corps in July 1917 and was trained in Canada by the Royal Flying Corps. After flight training, he was assigned to the 147th Aero Squadron in 1918. Flying the SPAD XIII he scored five confirmed victories and became the fourth highest scoring ace in his squadron. Post-war Healy remained in the air corps and was technical advisor on William Wellman's movie, Wings. Healy retired on a disability with the rank of Major in 1936. He returned to service in World War II and was promoted to Colonel.
The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to James Andrew Healy, First Lieutenant (Air Service), U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Grand Pre, France, October 30, 1918. Becoming separated from his patrol, lieutenant Healy, flying at an altitude of 600 meters, discovered an enemy plane (type Halberstadt) hiding in the sun 200 meters above him, which he attacked and sent to the ground in a spiral dive. He then engaged two other machines (type Fokker) which had been attempting to attack him. He succeeded in outmaneuvering them, and finally shot down one of the Fokkers. He returned without a drop of gasoline in his tank.
General Orders No. 37, W.D., 1919
French Croix de Guerre
A very brave and remarkably clever pilot. On 24 July 1918, with four planes, he attacked eight enemy planes and after a hard fight, brought down one of his adversaries.
Croix de Guerre citation
Victories
Date
Time
Unit
Aircraft
Opponent
Location
1
24 Jul 1918
1735
147th
Fokker D.VII 1
Bois de Fère
2
24 Jul 1918
1735
147th
Fokker D.VII 1
Bois de Fère
3
25 Jul 1918
147th
Fokker D.VII 2
Bois de Fère
4
30 Oct 1918
1100
147th
Halberstadt C
Grand Pre
5
30 Oct 1918
1115
147th
Fokker D.VII
Grand Pre
1
Shared with Lt T J Abernathy, Lt A H Jones, Lt Ralph O'Neill, Lt C P Porter
![Croix de Guerre [France]](/images/medals/france/cdg.gif){kind=small}