# First American shot down?



## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Jul 19, 2008)

Does anyone know who the first American military airman to be shot down while serving in an actual US air unit?

I know Victor Chapman was the first American but he was serving in the Lafayette Escadrille which was a French unit. I am looking for the first American serving in an American unit.


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## B-17engineer (Jul 19, 2008)

Well I was looking it up. I found Captain Phelps Collins. They didnt clarify if he crashed because of Pilot error or got shot down. I'll look into it more


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Jul 19, 2008)

Yeah its not him. 

That was my guess as well, but my prof. says I that it is not correct.


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## B-17engineer (Jul 19, 2008)

Ok. I am not having much luck finding anything then. I'll keep trying


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## Thorlifter (Jul 19, 2008)

Adler, this is what I found........but I'll keep looking also

_The first American Airman shot down by enemy fire was Victor Chapman, on June 23, 1916 near Luxeuil-les-Bains near Switzerland. The US had not yet entered WWI and Chapman was one of about two dozen American pilots who volunteered to serve in the French Army, despite the fact that France, Germany and England had many more pilots than the US. The American volunteers were called the Lafayette Escadrille, after the Frenchman famous for helping fight the American Revolution. 

The US finally joined the war in October 1917. By March 1918 they had two squadrons of planes, the 94th and 95th. Famous pilots included Major Lufbery, a French-born American from the Lafayette Escadrille, and Eddie Rickenbacher, both famous aces before the war ended. 

On March 12 Captain Phelps Collins of the 103rd Aero Squadron crashed while on a combat patrol near Paris, the first member of the American Aviation Section to die in a war zone. _


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Jul 19, 2008)

Yeah it is none of them. I have found all of the same info. I am beginning to think I am going to have to look outside of the box and start thinking of Balloon airman going all the way back to the Civil War.


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## v2 (Jul 19, 2008)

Clyde Balsey flying with the Lafayette Escadrille N124 was shot down and wounded on June 18 1916. He managed to land in French trench system making him the first.

source: http://www.afa.org/magazine/Dec2003/1203Kitty.pdf 
page nr 4


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Jul 19, 2008)

Again he was serving in the French Airforce. The guy I am looking for was serving for the US, hense after the US entered the war.


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## Njaco (Jul 20, 2008)

How about this....

The first 47 | Airman | Find Articles at BNET

May 19, 1908

Lt. Thomas E. Selfridge became the first American servicemember to solo in an aircraft, the Aerial Experiment Association's "White Wing." Three months later, on Sept. 17, 1908, while flying as a passenger with Orville Wright, he became the first person to die in an aircraft accident.


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Jul 20, 2008)

He died in an accident. I am looking for the first one to be shot down by enemy fire.

This is a reall tricky one!


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## Haztoys (Jul 20, 2008)

Now I could be way off on this ..I was thinking that America was at war with Mexico at the late 1800's early 1900's and aircraft were first used..Was the first America shot down then..??????


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Jul 20, 2008)

If so, I can not find a reference to it.


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## v2 (Jul 20, 2008)

What do you think about this Adler?:

Capt James Ely Miller was the first American assigned to an American squadron under American authority. *The date was 9 March 1918 and the sqn was the 95th. *Miller was lost over enemy territory.

History of the WW1 US95th Aero Squadron


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Jul 20, 2008)

Yeah according to the proff that is not right either.


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## Njaco (Jul 20, 2008)

I got the same as V2 from:

WW1 1918 historical timeline for 1st Fighter Group

10 Mar 1918 - 95th - Captain James E. Miller went to Coincy and obtained the Nieuport left there on the 8th and flew it to Coligny where it was turned in for a Spad. He then joined a patrol with Major Davenport Johnson and Major Harmon over the Rheims sector. They were attacked by two German planes inside the German lines. Major Davenport Johnson last saw Captain Miller in a "Vrille" inside the German lines. This was the first casualty to be suffered at the Organization Center and the first battle casualty of the organizations which were to comprise the First Pursuit Group. Captain Seth Low assumed command of the squadron.

I also checked the Mexican Punitive War but the 1st Aero Sqdrn suffered no casualties. Maybe a balloon unit?


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## Thorlifter (Jul 21, 2008)

Adler, I think I found it.

Sgt Ivy Baldwin was in a balloon and shot down in the Spanish American War.
http://afehri.maxwell.af.mil/Documents/pdf/Enlisted FIRSTs IN UNITED STATES AIR FORCE.pdf

From what I can find, he didn't die and lived until 1953.

What do you think? Is this it?


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## FLYBOYJ (Jul 21, 2008)

I did some looking around and I keep coming up with Capt. Miller. I always knew about this guy becuase there was an old air field named after him in the town I grew up in.

Miller Field (Staten Island - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

_"Miller Field was a United States Air Force facility on Staten Island, New York, near Fort Wadsworth. It was founded in November 1919 and completed in 1921. It was named after James Ely Miller, a captain of the 95th Fighter Squadron in the Air Force, who died in combat on March 10, 1918 over Rheims in World War I and was the first United States aviator killed in the war."_


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Jul 21, 2008)

Thorlifter, I think thats it! Thanks alot. My prof said I was on the right track with a lighter than air airman...


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## FLYBOYJ (Jul 21, 2008)

William Ivy Baldwin


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Jul 21, 2008)

I think thats it. I think he was the first American to be shot down by enemy fire.


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## FLYBOYJ (Jul 21, 2008)

I think Miller would be the first to be shot down in an airplane under US command.


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Jul 21, 2008)

FLYBOYJ said:


> I think Miller would be the first to be shot down in an airplane under US command.



I think so too. I think that is what has been confusing all of us in the class.


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## R Leonard (Jul 21, 2008)

First US aviator, assigned to a US unit at the time he was shot down, whom I can find was Ensign Albert Dillon Sturtevant, USNR, shot down and killed on 15 February 1918 over the North Sea. Which makes him also the first US naval aviator killed in action. Sturtevant was assigned to the USN patrol detachment located at Felixstowe. Posthumous Navy Cross.

Rich


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## FLYBOYJ (Jul 21, 2008)

R Leonard said:


> First US aviator, assigned to a US unit at the time he was shot down, whom I can find was Ensign Albert Dillon Sturtevant, USNR, shot down and killed on 15 February 1918 over the North Sea. Which makes him also the first US naval aviator killed in action. Sturtevant was assigned to the USN patrol detachment located at Felixstowe. Posthumous Navy Cross.
> 
> Rich



Great info rich but I think Sturtevant was actually attached to RFC unit at Felixstowe.


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Jul 21, 2008)

He must not have been serving the US at that time because the first to be shot down in the service of the US was on March 9, 1918.

But I am sure it was Baldwin. He was the first US airman shot down by enemy fire. Just waiting on my prof to confirm it.


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## FLYBOYJ (Jul 21, 2008)

DerAdlerIstGelandet said:


> He must not have been serving the US at that time because the first to be shot down in the service of the US was on March 9, 1918.
> 
> But I am sure it was Baldwin. He was the first US airman shot down by enemy fire. Just waiting on my prof to confirm it.



If you're talking about Miller, he was serving with the US and was flying an aircraft under US control. I think you are correct on Baldwin, Miller the first shot down in an aircraft assigned to a US unit under US control.


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Jul 21, 2008)

FLYBOYJ said:


> If you're talking about Miller, he was serving with the US and was flying an aircraft under US control. I think you are correct on Baldwin, Miller the first shot down in an aircraft assigned to a US unit under US control.



No I was talking about Sturtevant, I know about Miller. Miller was my guess at first until I figured out it was not a heavier than air ship that was shot down.


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## FLYBOYJ (Jul 21, 2008)

DerAdlerIstGelandet said:


> No I was talking about Sturtevant, I know about Miller. Miller was my guess at first until I figured out it was not a heavier than air ship that was shot down.


From what I seen so far there were no US units at Felixstowe until the late spring of 1918.


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## R Leonard (Jul 21, 2008)

I suppose it is a matter of semantics. A serving USN aviator in an, albeit very small, USN detachment assigned to an RFC base. Okay, either way for me.

Rich


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