Lieutenant (later Colonel) Robert Opie Lindsay (25 December 1894 - 1 August 1952) was an American

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

flying ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviation, military aviator credited with shooting down a certain minimum number of enemy aircraft during aerial combat; the exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ...

credited with six aerial victories in the closing days of the war. He returned to duty during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

; at one point he commanded

Fort Sill Fort Sill is a United States Army post north of Lawton, Oklahoma, about 85 miles (137 km) southwest of Oklahoma City. It covers almost . The fort was first built during the Indian Wars. It is designated as a National Historic Landmark a ...

Oklahoma Oklahoma ( ; Choctaw language, Choctaw: , ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Texas to the south and west, Kansas to the north, Missouri to the northea ...

as well as starting the National Air Guard of Oklahoma .The Aerodrome websit
www.theaerodrome.com Retrieved 11 January 2018.
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Biography

Early life

He was born on December 25, 1894. He attended

North Carolina State University North Carolina State University (NC State, North Carolina State, NC State University, or NCSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1887 and p ...

and majored in textiles while also being a member of the basketball team. He also served as business manager of the school paper and editor of the Agromeck. He became the only North Carolina-born pilot to earn the distinction of flying ace, with six confirmed kills in air battles, while twice being shot down from 20,000 feet. His brother was

William "Bill" Lindsay William Gibbon Lindsay (February 24, 1881 in Madison, North Carolina – July 14, 1963 in Greensboro, North Carolina) was a Major and Minor League baseball player. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed. Lindsay played several positions o ...

who played major league baseball for the Cleveland Naps.

Service in World War I

Lindsay joined the U.S. Signal Corps in 1917. After training in the U.S. and France, he was shipped off to the

139th Aero Squadron The 139th Aero Squadron was a United States Army Air Service unit that fought on the Western Front during World War I. The squadron was assigned as a day pursuit (fighter) squadron as part of the 2d Pursuit Group, First United States Army. ...

. He was slightly wounded on the first day of the

Battle of Saint-Mihiel The Battle of Saint-Mihiel was a major World War I battle fought from 12 to 15 September 1918, involving the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) and 110,000 French troops under the command of General John J. Pershing of the United States again ...

, but recovered to help shoot down two Pfalz D.IIIs on 18 September 1918. He would score four more victories in the remaining weeks of the war, and be awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. His citation tells the tale: "The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Robert Opie Lindsay, First Lieutenant (Air Service), U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Bantheville, France, October 27, 1918. In company with two other planes, Lieutenant Lindsay attacked three enemy planes (Fokker type) at an altitude of 3,000 meters, and after a sharp fight brought down one of them. While engaged with the two remaining machines, eight more planes (Fokker type) came at him from straight ahead. He flew straight through their formation, gained an advantageous position, and brought down another plane before he withdrew from the combat. General Orders No. 46, W.D., 1919"

Service during World War II

Lindsay returned to his nation's service during World War II. After joining the

U.S. Army Air Corps The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) was the aerial warfare service component of the United States Army between 1926 and 1941. After World War I, as early aviation became an increasingly important part of modern warfare, a philosophical ri ...

, he rose to the rank of

Colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

and commanded

, Oklahoma. He retired in 1945.

After World War II

He then became a founding member of the

Civil Aeronautics Administration (United States) The Air Commerce Act of 1926 created an Aeronautic Branch of the United States Department of Commerce. Its functions included testing and licensing of pilots, certification of aircraft and investigation of accidents. In 1934, the Aeronautics Branc ...

, and helped foster Berry Field, which became

Nashville International Airport Nashville International Airport is a public/military airport in the southeastern section of Nashville, Tennessee, Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Established in 1937, its original name was Berry Field, from which its ICAO and IATA identi ...

. Robert Opie Lindsay died on 1 August 1952 in a

Fort Worth, Texas Fort Worth is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat of Tarrant County, Texas, Tarrant County, covering nearly into Denton County, Texas, Denton, Johnson County, Texas, Johnson, Parker County, Texas, Parker, and Wise County, Te ...

hospital after undergoing surgery on 24 July. He was survived by his wife, two daughters, two brothers, and a sister.The Adna (Oklahoma) Weekly News, 7 August 1952, via The Aerodrome websit

Retrieved 11 January 2018.

References

Bibliography

* ''Over The Front: The Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the United States and French Air Services, 1914-1918 ''. Norman Franks, Frank Bailey. Grub Street Publishing, 2008. {{DEFAULTSORT:Lindsay, Robert Opie 1894 births 1952 deaths Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United States) American World War I flying aces People from Madison, North Carolina