First Air Combat Casualty

Was America's first combat casualty James Ely Miller?

[jado]

Bert:

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.

VBR
Joe

[frontflieger]

But US-Americans fought before in at least British and French Service.

[jado]

Bert:

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.

[jado]

Bert:

As a follow-up to your questions: On 23 June 1916 Sgt. Victor Emmanual Chapman of N124 (Layfayette Escadrille) was flying some oranges to Clyde Balsley who was hospitilized (above reply) when he was shot down in the Balmont area by Lt Kurt Wintgens of FA6. This is credited as Wintgens 7th victory and is the first American airman killed.

[jado]

Bert:

As a follow-up to your questions: On 23 June 1916 Sgt. Victor Emmanual Chapman of N124 (Layfayette Escadrille) was flying some oranges to Clyde Balsley who was hospitilized (above reply) when he was shot down in the Balmont area by Lt Kurt Wintgens of FA6. This is credited as Wintgens 7th victory and is the first American airman killed.

[jado]

Bert:

As a follow-up to your questions: On 23 June 1916 Sgt. Victor Emmanual Chapman of N124 (Layfayette Escadrille) was flying some oranges to Clyde Balsley who was hospitilized (above reply) when he was shot down in the Balmont area by Lt Kurt Wintgens of FA6. This is credited as Wintgens 7th victory and is the first American airman killed.

[jado]

Bert:

As a follow-up to your questions: On 23 June 1916 Sgt. Victor Emmanual Chapman of N124 (Layfayette Escadrille) was flying some oranges to Clyde Balsley who was hospitilized (above reply) when he was shot down in the Balmont area by Lt Kurt Wintgens of FA6. This is credited as Wintgens 7th victory and is the first American airman killed.

[jado]

Technology gone MAD

VBR
Joe

Thanks Joe
I should have been more specific with my question. I was referring to the first combat casualty in the AEF's Air Service. I suspected it was Miller on 9 March, and am sure that he was the first AEF pursuit casualty.

I was wondering if there were any KIA or WIA in observation aviation, which had starting flying a couple of months earlier. I don't know of any, but I'm not an expert in AEF observation aviation.

I think Miller's death is pretty significant because, Miller's courage not withstanding, it tells us something about the decision-making process that placed him in command of the 95th Aero Squadron. He was not qualified for the job. Raoul Lufbery could have been in charge of the squadron, same as Lafayette flyer Jean Huffer, who took over the 94th about that time.