Captain Harold Robert Buckley was a World War I

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

 flying ace

Flying ace

A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...

 credited with five aerial victories.

World War I service

Buckley was one of the American pilots who came to aviation via an ambulance service. Once in France, he joined the U.S. Army Air Service in Paris. He found himself assigned to the 95th Aero Squadron in March 1918. Between 30 May and 27 September 1918, he downed four enemy airplanes and an observation balloon.

Post World War I

When the war ended, Buckley stayed in Paris. He wrote an unofficial history of the 95th Aero called Squadron 95 in 1933; fellow squadron member Lansing Holden

Lansing Holden

Lieutenant Lansing Colton Holden, Jr. was a World War I flying ace credited with seven aerial victories.-World War I service:Holden dropped out of Princeton and went to France to join the fight. He was originally attached to French aviation's Escadrille 461 in April 1918 to defend Paris against...

 illustrated it. The book has been in publication as recently as 1972.

Honors and awards

Distinguished Service Cross

Distinguished Service Cross (United States)

The Distinguished Service Cross is the second highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Army, for extreme gallantry and risk of life in actual combat with an armed enemy force. Actions that merit the Distinguished Service Cross must be of such a high degree...

 (DSC)

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Harold Robert Buckley, First Lieutenant (Air Service), U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Perle, France, August 10, 1918. Lieutenant Buckley was on a patrol protecting a French biplane observation machine, when they were suddenly set upon by six enemy planes. Lieutenant Buckley attacked and destroyed the nearest, and the remainder fled into their own territory. He then carried on with his mission until he had escorted the allied plane safely to its own aerodrome.

Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) Oak Leaf Cluster

Oak leaf cluster

An oak leaf cluster is a common device which is placed on U.S. Army and Air Force awards and decorations to denote those who have received more than one bestowal of a particular decoration. The number of oak leaf clusters typically indicates the number of subsequent awards of the decoration...

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Harold Robert Buckley, First Lieutenant (Air Service), U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Neville, France, and Boureuilles, France, September 16–27, 1918. Lieutenant Buckley dived through a violent and heavy antiaircraft and machine-gun fire and set on fire an enemy balloon that was being lowered to its nest. On the next day, while leading a patrol, he met and sent down in flames an enemy plane while it was engaged in reglage work.

Works

• Squadron 95. Obelisk Press
  Obelisk Press
  Obelisk Press was an English language press based in Paris, France, which was founded by Jack Kahane in 1929.Kahane, a novelist, began the Obelisk Press after his publisher, Grant Richards, went bankrupt. Going into partnership with a printer, Kahane, as Cecil Barr, published his next novel...
  
  , Paris 1933. Repr.: Arno Press, 1972. ISBN. 0405037546, 9780405037542.

Literature

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