Lieutenant William Thomas Ponder was an American

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

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 six aerial victories.The Aerodrome website page on Ponde

Retrieved 8 April 2010.

World War I

William Thomas Ponder joined the French air service in the fall of 1917. He was originally assigned to Escadrille SPA 67, then Escadrille SPA 163. While with this unit, he used a Société Pour L'Aviation et ses Dérivés, Spad to down three German planes between 28 May and 11 August 1918; one of these victories was shared with

Thomas Cassady Captain Thomas Gantz Cassady (1896-1972) was an American fighter pilot who served in two World Wars, and was successful in business during peacetime. World War I Cassady graduated from Chicago University and went to France in the Ambulance Corps d ...

. While serving with the French, Ponder was a

Corporal Corporal is a military rank in use in some form by many militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. The word is derived from the medieval Italian phrase ("head of a body"). The rank is usually the lowest ranking non ...

. When he transferred to an American unit, the

103rd Aero Squadron The 103rd Aero Squadron was an aviation pursuit squadron of the U.S. Air Service that served in combat in France during World War I. Its original complement included pilots from the disbanded Lafayette Escadrille and Lafayette Flying Corps. One ...

, he was commissioned as an officer. He scored three more times in the month of October to become a

; four of these victories were shared, including one with

Frank O'Driscoll Hunter Frank O'Driscoll Hunter (December 8, 1894 – June 25, 1982) was a World War I flying ace, being credited by the United States Army Air Service with downing nine enemy aircraft. Hunter became an advocate of fighter aircraft strategy and tactics. I ...

. In May 1918, while in Paris, Ponder took a French war bride. A year later, on 14 May 1919, he was promoted to

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

before returning to America.

Between the World Wars

Upon his return to Mangum, he became city manager for a couple of years. Mangum's first municipal airfield was named Ponder Field in his honor. After departing this job, Ponder would work at a variety of jobs over the ensuing years. He delivered aircraft for Lockheed, worked in a news agency, and dealt in petroleum contracts. During the

Prohibition Prohibition is the act or practice of forbidding something by law; more particularly the term refers to the banning of the manufacture, storage (whether in barrels or in bottles), transportation, sale, possession, and consumption of alcoholic ...

era, Ponder was caught smuggling alcohol into the United States from Mexico. On 25 May 1932, he was chased about 200 miles as he flew into the U.S. He landed at

San Angelo, Texas San Angelo ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Tom Green County, Texas, United States. Its location is in the Concho Valley, a region of West Texas between the Permian Basin to the northwest, Chihuahuan Desert to the southwest, Osage Plai ...

; his pursuer promptly landed in front of him, blocking him on the runway. Caught with either 627 or 1,500 bottles of illicit Mexican beer—accounts differ—he was held on $1,500 bond. The newspapers were also at odds over Ponder's wartime victories—one crediting him with 17 victories, the other with only 11.The (Zanesville, Ohio) Times-Recorder, 27 May 1932 via The Aerodrome websit

Retrieved 29 January 2018.The San Antonio Light, 27 May 1932 via The Aerodrome websit

Retrieved 29 January 2018. On 18 November 1932, he was caught near

Poteet Poteet is a city in Atascosa County, Texas, United States. The population was 3,260 as of the 2010 census. It is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area. It was named for its first postmaster, Francis Marion Poteet. It is best know ...

for smuggling 80 gallons of alcohol via airplane. On 8 April 1933, he was convicted and sentenced to six months in federal detention.The (Baton Rouge) Morning Advocate, 9 April 1933 via The Aerodrome websit

Retrieved 29 January 2018.

World War II and beyond

During the war, Ponder worked for

Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation Convair, previously Consolidated Vultee, was an American aircraft manufacturing company that later expanded into rockets and spacecraft. The company was formed in 1943 by the merger of Consolidated Aircraft and Vultee Aircraft. In 1953, it ...

in Fort Worth. He also delivered

Globe Swift The Globe GC-1 Swift, also known as the Globe/Temco Swift, is a light, two-seat sport monoplane from the post-World War II period. Design and development The Swift was designed by R.S. "Pop" Johnson in 1940, despite the fanciful story whic ...

aircraft from San Angelo. He also founded the Ponder Aircraft Sales Company. He was on a sales trip for his company when he died of a heart attack in a hotel room in

Amarillo Amarillo ( ; Spanish language, Spanish for "yellow") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat, seat of Potter County, Texas, Potter County. It is the List of cities in Texas by population, 14th-most populous city in Texas and th ...

on 27 February 1947.

Decorations and awards

* Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to William Thomas Ponder, First Lieutenant (Air Service), U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Fontaines, France, October 23, 1918. Having been separated from, his patrol, Lieutenant Ponder observed and went to the assistance of an allied plane which was being attacked by 30 of the enemy. Lieutenant Ponder destroyed one enemy plane and so demoralized the remaining that both he and his comrade were able to return to their lines. General Orders No. 46, W.D., 1919. * He was also bequeathed the French ''

Croix de Guerre The ''Croix de Guerre'' (, ''Cross of War'') is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was first awa ...

'' with four palms.

References

Bibliography

* *

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ponder, William 1891 births 1947 deaths People from Llano, Texas Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United States) American World War I flying aces Recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1914–1918 (France)