Updates for American Aces

[Frank_Olynyk]

I recently obtained a copy of the book "Decorations United States Army 1862-1926", which lists all recipients, with citations, of the MoH, DSC, and DSM to the date of publication (1927, by the Office of The Adjutant General, War Department). That book, some additional research, and correspondence with Cliff Pressley, has resulted in some more updates to the American ace list elsewhere on this Forum.

Burdick, place of birth given as New York, New York

Cassady, place of birth given as Freedom, Indiana

Erwin, born October 18, 1895 in Ryan, Oklahoma. died (disappeared) August 20, 1927, while searching for other participants in the Dole Air Race to Hawaii (from several contemporary issues of The New York Times)

Hammond, born November 11, 1884, died December 20, 1945, from the California deaths web site.

Healy, died May 8, 1983

Jones (no middle name), born Ross Valley, California

Keating, 6 victories is correct; 5 shown on bio page

MacArthur, middle name Knox, born in Columbia, Pennsylvania

Owens, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Peterson, born July 2, 1894, in Honesdale, Pennsylvania

Ralston, born in Weeping Water, Nebraska. He received a DSC (War Department G.O. 38, 1921)

Rickenbacker, is shown in the Decorations book as receiving a DSC and 7 Oak Leaf Clusters (in lieu of additional awards), citing War Department General Orders dated in 1918 and 1919. The citation for the last OLC is basically the same as his MoH citation (not awarded by the time the book was published), so I suspect that the OLC was upgraded to the MoH.

Robertson, born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Rummell, middle name is Jacob

Schoen, middle name is Joseph, no "Jr" is shown in the DSC citation

Swaab, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Tobin, born September 7, 1896

Vernam, born in Rutherford, New York (5 victories as far as I know)

Wright, died August 9, 1933, in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts.


Information still needed:
Middle name: Erwin, Vernam
Date of birth: MacArthur
Date of death: Furlow (11/59), Ralston (5/70), Robertson (?)
Place of death: Furlow, Healy, Keating, Ralston, Robertson (these are given in their bios here for all but Robertson, but as far as I know these are the residence at the time of death, and not necessarily the place of death).

And that will take care of all the US Air Service Aces.

Frank.

[charles]

I can add to that a little. Edgar Tobin's nickname was Toby. My father knew him when dad was a little boy.