William Portwood Erwin

William Portwood Erwin
Nickname Bill
Born 18 October 1895
Ryan, Oklahoma, USA
Died 19 August 1927
Pacific Ocean
Allegiance  United States
Service/branch Aviation
Rank Lieutenant
Unit 1st Observation Squadron
Awards Distinguished Service Cross, French Croix de Guerre

Lieutenant William Portwood Erwin was a World War I flying ace credited with eight aerial victories.[1]

Contents

Early life

William Portwood Erwin was the son of W. A. Erwin of Chicago.[2] The younger Erwin, born elsewhere, was a Chicago native also.[3]

World War I

Erwin was assigned to 1st Observation Squadron on 19 July 1918. As a Salmson 2A2 pilot, he scored his victories between 15 September and 22 October 1918; half of them were with gunner Arthur Easterbrook.[4]

Postwar

Erwin died during the Dole Air Race between Oakland, California and Hawaii. He flew the Dallas Spirit, a custom aircraft built by the Swallow Airplane Company on credit for the attempt. Erwin failed to return from a search for two other missing competitors, the Miss Doran and The Golden Eagle, and is presumed drowned 19 August 1927.[5]

Sources of information

  1. ^ American Aces of World War 1. p. 84. 
  2. ^ http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/usa/erwin.php Retrieved on 11 April 2010.
  3. ^ American Aces of World War 1. p. 84. 
  4. ^ http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/usa/erwin.php Retrieved on 11 April 2010.
  5. ^ http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/usa/erwin.php Retrieved on 11 April 2010.

Reference

American Aces of World War 1 Harry Dempsey. Osprey Publishing, 2001. ISBN 1-84176-375-6, 9781841763750.