William Portwood Erwin
| William Portwood Erwin | |
|---|---|
|
William Portwood Erwin, 1918 | |
| Nickname(s) | Bill |
| Born |
October 18, 1895 Ryan, Oklahoma, USA |
| Died |
c. August 1927 (disappeared) Pacific Ocean |
| Allegiance |
 United States |
| Service/branch | Air Service, United States Army |
| Rank | Lieutenant |
| Unit | |
| Battles/wars |
 World War I |
| 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]
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]
See also
References
- ↑ American Aces of World War 1. p. 84.
- ↑ http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/usa/erwin.php Retrieved on 11 April 2010.
- ↑ American Aces of World War 1. p. 84.
- ↑ http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/usa/erwin.php Retrieved on 11 April 2010.
- ↑ http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/usa/erwin.php Retrieved on 11 April 2010.
Bibliography
American Aces of World War 1 Harry Dempsey. Osprey Publishing, 2001. ISBN 1-84176-375-6, ISBN 978-1-84176-375-0.