Lieutenant Chester Ellis Wright was an American World War I
flying ace
A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ace is varied, but is usually co ...
credited with nine confirmed aerial victories.
He was the top scoring ace for his squadron.
Early life
Chester Ellis Wright was born on 1 September 1897 in
Readville
Readville is part of the Hyde Park neighborhood of Boston. Readville's ZIP Code is 02136. It was called Dedham Low Plains from 1655 until it was renamed after the mill owner James Read in 1847. It was part of Dedham until 1867. It is served by ...
, Massachusetts. His primary education was at Hyde Park School.
[
]
World War I service
Wright finished three years at Harvard before joining the U.S. 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 ...
in March 1917. He continued his education, but at MIT. Later in 1917, he was appointed adjutant
Adjutant is a military appointment given to an officer who assists the commanding officer with unit administration, mostly the management of human resources in an army unit. The term is used in French-speaking armed forces as a non-commission ...
to the 19th Aero Squadron while it was still at Garden City, New York. He transferred overseas in November, sailing on the 23rd as a supply officer for the 15th Foreign Detachment. He completed his pilot's training and was assigned to ferry planes to France. On 29 July 1918, he was posted to the 93d Aero Squadron
The 93d Aero Squadron was an Air Service, United States Army 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 3d Pursuit Group, First United States Army. It ...
. The new squadron began combat operations the following month with Wright serving as a Flight Commander.[ Between 18 September and 23 October 1918, Wright shot down a German observation balloon, an unidentified enemy airplane, a Rumpler, and six ]Fokker D.VII
The Fokker D.VII was a German World War I fighter aircraft designed by Reinhold Platz of the Fokker-Flugzeugwerke. Germany produced around 3,300 D.VII aircraft in the second half of 1918. In service with the ''Luftstreitkräfte'', the D.VII qu ...
s, including one shared with Leslie Rummell
Lieutenant Leslie Jacob Rummell (1895-1919) was an American World War I flying ace credited with seven aerial victories.
Biography
A graduate of Cornell University, Rummell joined the 93d Aero Squadron on 7 August 1918. He shot down his first Fok ...
.[ In the process, he won two Distinguished Service Crosses.][
Wright returned home in March 1919.][ He was discharged the following month.][Above the Trenches: a Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915–1920, p. 82.]
Honors and awards
Distinguished Service Cross (DSC)
For extraordinary heroism in action near Beffu, France, 10 October 1918. Lt. Wright attacked an enemy observation balloon protected by four enemy planes; despite numerical superiority, he forced the planes to withdraw and destroyed the enemy balloon.[
Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) Oak Leaf Cluster
For extraordinary heroism in action near Bantheville, France, 23 October 1918. Lt. Wright, accompanied by one other machine, took on and sent down in flames an enemy plane (Fokker type) that was attacking an Allied plane. He was in turn attacked by three enemy planes. His companion was forced to withdraw on account of motor trouble. Lt. Wright continued the combat and succeeded in bringing down one of the enemy planes and forced the remaining two into their own territory.][
]
See also
* List of World War I flying aces from the United States
References
Bibliography
*
* ''American Aces of World War I.'' Norman Franks, Harry Dempsey. Osprey Publishing, 2001. , .
American World War I flying aces
Aviators from Massachusetts
Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United States)
1933 deaths
1897 births
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