Lieutenant Remington D. B. Vernam (March 24, 1896 - December 1, 1918) was an American pilot who had enlisted in the French air service during
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
, and was transferred to the
United States Army Air Service
The United States Army Air Service (USAAS)Craven and Cate Vol. 1, p. 9 (also known as the ''"Air Service"'', ''"U.S. Air Service"'' and before its legislative establishment in 1920, the ''"Air Service, United States Army"'') was the aerial warf ...
after American entry into the war.
He attained
ace status when he shot down three enemy observation balloons and three enemy planes. He shared his first victory, a balloon on 12 August 1918, with
Charles Lefevre
Charles Eugene Joseph Marie Lefevre (1893-1948) was a French flying ace credited with six aerial victories during the First World War. He led two different fighter squadrons into combat to do so, and won the ''Legion d'honneur'' for his exploits.T ...
while with Escadrille 96. His remaining five victories were scored between 10 and 30 October 1918 while flying with the
22nd Aero Squadron. Vernam was shot down behind
German lines on October 30, 1918, aged 22, later dying from his wounds. He is buried in the
St. Mihiel American Cemetery in
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan ar ...
.
Citation
The
Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Remington D. B. Vernam,
First Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment.
The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a ...
(Air Service), U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Buzancy, France, October 10, 1918. Successively attacking two enemy balloons, which were moored to their nests, Lieutenant Vernam displayed the highest degree of daring. He executed his task despite the fact that several enemy planes were above him, descending to an altitude of less than ten meters when five miles within the enemy lines. His well-directed fire caused both balloons to burst into flames."
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See also
* List of World War I flying aces from the United States
References
Bibliography
''American Aces of World War 1'' Harry Dempsey. Osprey Publishing, 2001. , .
External links
* http://www.footnote.com/image/#19301016 (membership required)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vernam, Remington
1896 births
1918 deaths
American military personnel killed in World War I
American World War I flying aces
Aviators from New Jersey
Aviators killed by being shot down
Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United States)
French military personnel killed in World War I
French World War I flying aces
American expatriates in France