Posthumous DFC for 1918 event

Barrett · 19 June 2017, 10:50 AM

I guess there's no statutory limit on the DFC, unlike the MoH although heaven knows The Big One is presented decades/century later. Depending upon who knows whom...

https://www.defense.gov/News/Article...e/GovDelivery/

Miller fell to Ltn Robert Hildebrandt of J.13, first of 5 apparently.

Question: when did the 95th AS receive SPADs? March seems early.

Frank_Olynyk · 19 June 2017, 05:26 PM

Barrett,
The last Nieuport 28 victory I have for the 95th AS was on July 16, 1918. The first SPAD XIII victory was on July 18, 1918. Pretty quick type conversion!

So I guess the DOD release on his DFC is wrong. *sigh*

Enjoy!

Frank.

VtwinVince · 20 June 2017, 10:01 AM

I'm not a big fan of these post-event awards, they water down the significance of the award. Look what's happened with the French Legion of Honor. Everybody and their dog has been given one lately for 'just being there'.

Alien · 21 June 2017, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frank_Olynyk

The last Nieuport 28 victory I have for the 95th AS was on July 16, 1918. The first SPAD XIII victory was on July 18, 1918. Pretty quick type conversion! So I guess the DOD release on his DFC is wrong. *sigh*

If I remember correctly either they had no Nieuports that early, or their Nieuports had no guns. In either case they borrowed three SPAD VII's from a French escadrille on the same aerodrome. At least the DoD got the horsepower right.