I was looking for this flyer .... and I found this ... but it doesn't say where the accident happened ! I'd appreciate any help Annie Colorado WW1 Casualties in Europe Buckley John H. 1st Lt. 28th Aero Sqd. M.A. 15 45 B http://history.denverlibrary.org/research/co_wwi_europe.pdf 27 September 1918 - from 13.05 to 14.50 - 8 planes .... Patrol Leader Lt. Merrick ......... Pilots - Lts. Bell, Buchannan, Liles, Stenseth, Meyer, Csaady, Hardy, Buckley. As the patrol was being formed at 3000 meters over the hospital two miles west of the airdrome, Lts. Buckely and Bell collided. From the statements of Lts. Merrick and Meyer the patrol was making left hand circles over the hospital while waiting for Lts. Lisle and Stenseth also to get into good formation before crossing the lines. Lts. Bell and Buckley were seen to be going head on towards each other on the same level, then both machines were seen to dive, one making a turn to avoid the other. The left wing of one struck the left wing of the other and both wings were torn off the planes. Immediately both planes fell into a vrille. Upon striking the ground both planes burned and Lt.s Buckley and Bell were killed instantly. After the accident all planes returned to the airdrome with the exception of Lts. Stenseth and Lisles , who joined the patrol of the 213th Sqn. 27 September 1918 Lieutenants Bell and Buckley, 28th Aero Squadron, 3rd Pursuit Group were killed in a collision about 2 miles west of the Group Airdrome while a patrol was forming in the midst of low clouds. The weather report from the same office was ....... heavy rain in the morning - low clouds all day.
John H. Buckley First Lieutenant, U.S. Army 28th Aero Squadron Entered the Service from: Colorado Died: September 27, 1918 Buried at: Plot B Row 45 Grave 15 Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery Romagne, France http://www.abmc.gov/search/detailw.php
On 27 September 1918 the 28th Aero Squadron USAS was based at Lisle en Barrois aerodrome, where it had moved a week before. The unit was equipped with the SPAD 13 fighter. Gareth
Annie It looks like the USAF gilded the lily a little when naming the base! The history of the 28th Aero Sqn in Cross & Cockade journal (1971) coincides with the story that you posted, and he's not listed as a combat loss in The Sky Their Battlefield, so I'd bet folding money on his being killed in a collision. Gareth
Nothing to be gained from it, but here's his "Soldiers of the Great War" entry (no photo, unfortunately)... BUCKLEY, John Harold, Longmont., Colorado, Lieutenant, DIED OF ACCIDENT
