Douglas Campbell (aviator)
He was the first American pilot trained in the U.S. to become a flying ace, proving the mettle of the nation's nascent air power in World War I.
1896–1990 (age 94)·American World War I flying ace·Birthday: June 7·The Lost Generation
Biography
Douglas Campbell's story is one of a new breed of warrior, born in the dawn of aviation. The son of an astronomer, he left Harvard in 1917 to join the U.S. Army Signal Corps, driven by the call to fight in Europe. He became a founding member of the famed 94th Aero Squadron, the 'Hat-in-the-Ring' group, flying the nimble Nieuport 28. His combat career was intense and brief. In a mere two months of action in 1918, Campbell scored five confirmed victories against German aircraft, achieving the coveted status of 'ace.' This was no small feat; he was the first to do so entirely under American training, a symbolic victory for a nation asserting its independent air force. His service was cut short by a severe wound from an explosive bullet, but his early success provided a crucial morale boost and a template for the American pilots who followed. After the war, he pursued a long career in business, but his legacy remains firmly in those spring days over France, where he helped write the first chapter of American aerial combat.
The Lost Generation
1883–1900
Came of age during World War I. Disillusioned by the carnage, they rejected the certainties of the Victorian era and built modernism from the wreckage — in art, literature, and politics.
Douglas was born in 1896, placing them squarely in The Lost Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Douglas Was Born
The biggest hits of 1896
Douglas's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1896Born
First modern Olympic Games held in Athens
President: Grover Cleveland
1901Started school
Queen Victoria dies, ending the Victorian era
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1909Became a teenager
Robert Peary claims to reach the North Pole
President: William Howard Taft
1912Could drive
Titanic sinks on its maiden voyage
President: William Howard Taft
1914Could vote
World War I begins
President: Woodrow Wilson
1917Turned 21
Russian Revolution overthrows the tsar; US enters WWI
President: Woodrow Wilson
1926Turned 30
Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket
President: Calvin Coolidge"Baby Face" — Jan Garber
1936Turned 40
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1946Turned 50
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1956Turned 60
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1966Turned 70
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1976Turned 80
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1990Died at 94
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
Key Achievements
- Became the first American aviator trained in the United States to achieve ace status during World War I.
- Served as a founding pilot in the celebrated 94th Aero Squadron, the 'Hat-in-the-Ring' unit.
- Scored five confirmed aerial victories in a combat career spanning just two months in 1918.
- Was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for extraordinary heroism in action.
Did You Know?
He was the son of astronomer William Wallace Campbell, a former president of the University of California.
He left his studies at Harvard University to enlist in the military after the U.S. entered World War I.
His final aerial victory was shared with his commanding officer and fellow ace, Captain Eddie Rickenbacker.
“I just wanted to get a Hun, and I got two.”
