Lieutenant Colonel William Thaw II was a World War I flying ace credited with five confirmed and two unconfirmed aerial victories. He is believed to be the first American to engage in aerial combat in the war. He was the first to fly up the East River under all four bridges.
Early life
He was born on August 12, 1893 to Benjamin Thaw, Sr. He learned to fly in 1913, while he was attending Yale University. His father bought him a Curtiss Hydro flying boat that he took to France for the Schneider Trophy races. When war broke out, Thaw gave his airplane to the French and enlisted in the Foreign Legion.
Military career
He joined Escadrille 6. He then became a corporal in Escadrille 42 in 1915, flying a Caudron. He flew a Nieuport in Escadrille 65, before transferring into a French unitcomposed of American volunteers, known as the Escadrille Americaine, Escadrille 124 under its new designation became nicknamed the Lafayette Escadrille. Thaw scored his first victory using a Nieuport on 24 May 1916. His next kill was on 27 April 1917. He had two unconfirmed claims in late 1917. He was transferred to the United States Army Air Service, where he commanded the 103rd Aero Squadron and the 3rd Pursuit Group. He would score three quick wins in April and May 1918. His final tally was one enemy observation balloon and four airplanes shot down. Thaw has been credited with purchasing the Escadrille's famed pet male lion "Whiskey". Purchased by several pilots for 500 francs, the lion was adopted by the unit as a sort of mascot. Eventually Whiskey and a female lion purchased by the Escadrille "Soda" were taken to a Paris Zoo, but still remembered the pilot. In one visit, the lions rolled over on their backs in their cage in order to allow Thaw to pet them.
Distinguished Service Cross : "The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to William Thaw, Major, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Reims, France, March 26, 1918. Major Thaw was the leader of a patrol of three planes which attacked five enemy monoplanes and three battle planes. He and another member of the patrol brought down one enemy plane and the three drove down, out of control, two others, and dispersed the remainder."
Distinguished Service Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster: "The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to William Thaw, Major, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Montaigne, France, April 20, 1918. In the region of Montaigne Major Thaw attacked and brought down, burning, an enemy balloon. While returning to his own lines the same day he attacked two enemy monoplanes, one of which he shot down in flames."
