File:New England aviators 1914-1918; their portraits and their records (1919) (14576767597).jpg

English: First Lieutenant John Kent Blair, R.A.F., Fifty-Sixth Squadron. Son of George H. and Marion L. Blair; was born in Boston, Mass., May 8, 1894. He attended the Mechanic Arts High School, Boston, from which he graduated in 1912. On July 15, 1917, he enlisted in the Royal Flying Corps at Toronto, Ont., having four cousins with the Canadian Expeditionary Forces. On July 6 he was assigned to the Cadet Wing, R.F.C., and sent to the Toronto University School of Military Aeronautics for training. He attended successively the flying school at Armour Heights (Y Squadron, C.T.S.), from Aug. 20, 1917; Leaside, from Oct. 23 (90th Squadron, C.T.S.), for bombing, photography, artillery, and observation; Camp Hicks, Tex., from Nov. 25, 1917, for aerial gunnery; and Camp Everman, Tex., from Dec. 13, where he was instructor to the 80th Squadron. He was commissioned 2d Lieut, in Dec, 1917, and 1st Lieut, in April, 1918. On April 9 he sailed overseas, and was stationed with the 3d Squadron at Shoreham-by-the-Sea, Eng., on April 29, 1918. He was later transferred to Turnberry, Scotland, for aerial fighting. He was ordered to France in June, and served there with the 56th Squadron, encamped a few miles south of Doullens, until just before the Armistice. During this time Lieut. Blair was flying a single scout machine, SA. 5, and was engaged in patrol work. He was in numerous air fights, "ground-strafing" expeditions and balloon hunts. He was shot down three times while ground-strafing, but managed to get back to the British lines, being twice forced to land among the trenches and shell-holes. He was with the British advance on the Cambrai front from the beginning of his active service. He was still with the Royal Air Force at Todcaster, Yorkshire, Eng., on June 12, 1919.

Identifier: NewEnglandaviatVol2Tick (find matches)
Title: New England aviators 1914-1918; their portraits and their records
Year: 1919 (1910s)
Authors: Ticknor, Caroline, 1866-1937, ed
Subjects: Biography Aeronautics World War, 1914-1918
Publisher: Boston, New York, Houghton Mifflin Company
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Smithsonian Libraries

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Text Appearing Before Image:
erman, Tex., from Dec. 13, where hewas instructor to the 80th Squadron. He was commissioned 2dLieut, in Dec, 1917, and 1st Lieut, in April, 1918. On April 9 he sailed overseas, and was stationed with the 3dSquadron at Shoreham-by-the-Sea, Eng., on April 29, 1918. Hewas later transferred to Turnberry, Scotland, for aerial fighting.He was ordered to France in June, and served there with the 56thSquadron, encamped a few miles south of Doullens, until justbefore the Armistice. During this time Lieut. Blair was flying asingle scout machine, SA. 5, and was engaged in patrol work. Hewas in numerous air fights, ground-strafing expeditions andballoon hunts. He was shot down three times while ground-strafing,but managed to get back to the British lines, being twice forcedto land among the trenches and shell-holes. He was with theBritish advance on the Cambrai front from the beginning of hisactive service. He was still with the Royal Air Force at Todcaster, Yorkshire,Eng., on June 12, 1919. (98)
Text Appearing After Image:
DAVID CLENDON HALE Observer, R.A.F., Two Hundred Fourteenth Squadron Son of Davis Campbell and Elizabeth (Sheen) Hale, of Cambridge,Mass.; was born in Longmont, Col., Aug. 18, 1894. He graduatedfrom Phillips Andover Academy in 1913, and from Amherst Col-lege, S.B., 1917. He belonged to the track team at school andcollege. He enlisted in the U.S.N. Air Service at Boston, Mass., on June 5,1917, and was assigned to the Ground School of Naval Aviationat M.I.T. He transferred to the Royal Flying Corps at TaliaferroField, No. 1, Fort Worth, Tex., and was sent overseas to England,on March 1, 1918. He completed his training in night bombing at the R.A.F.Officers Night Flying School at Stonehenge, Salisbury Plain,where he passed a thirty-two days course on May 7, 1918. Hewas later ordered to London, and attached to the 214th Squadron,R.A.F., one of the R.A.F. Independent Air Squadrons, which wasshortly ordered to St.-Inglevert, France. He qualified as Sub-Lieut., R.A.F., and Observer on June 2

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