David M. Peterson

David M. Peterson
Born	July 2, 1894 Honesdale, PA
Died	March 16, 1919 Daytona Beach, Florida
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Army Air Service
Rank	Captain
Unit	Lafayette Escadrille, 94th Aero Squadron, 95th Aero Squadron
Awards	Distinguished Service Crosses

Major David McKelvey Peterson was a 1915 Lehigh University graduate who was a World War I flying ace with 6 victories earned in the Lafayette Escadrille and the United States Army Air Service. Born in Honesdale, PA on July 2, 1895, he was killed in an aviation accident following the war in Daytona Beach, Florida on March 16, 1919.^[1]

Peterson joined the French air service in 1916. He gained his first victory while in the Lafayette Escadrille,^[2] on 19 September 1917. He had to switch to flying a Nieuport 28 for the 94th Aero Squadron to score again, which he did once on 3 May 1918 and twice on 15 May. Two days later, he was a Flight Commander in the 95th Aero Squadron, scoring his fifth win. Three days later, he tallied his final victory.^[3][4]

He was awarded two Distinguished Service Crosses. The citation for the first was:

"For extraordinary heroism in action near Luneville, France, on 3 May 1918. Leading a patrol of three, Captain Peterson encountered five enemy planes at an altitude of 3,500 meters and immediately gave battle. Notwithstanding the fact that he was attacked from all sides, this officer, by skilful maneuvering, succeeded in shooting down one of the enemy planes and dispersing the remaining four."

and for the second was:

"For extraordinary heroism in action near Thiaucourt, France, on 15 May 1918. While on patrol alone, Captain Peterson encountered two enemy planes at an altitude of 5,200 meters. He promptly attacked despite the odds and shot down one of the enemy planes in flames. While thus engaged he was attacked from above by the second enemy plane, but by skilful manoeuvering he succeeded in shooting it down also."

His credited aerial victories included:

Date Time Unit Opponent Location

• 1 19 Sep 1917, 1540, N124 Albatros D.V Montfaucon
• 2 3 May 1918, 1040, 94 Scout Amenencourt
• 3 15 May 1918, 1205, 94 Rumpler C Thiaucourt
• 4 15 May 1918, 1210, 94 Rumpler C Thiaucourt
• 5 17 May 1918, 2100, 95 LVG C.VI St. Mihiel
• 6 20 May 1918, ,95 Two-seater Pont-a-Mousson

An American Legion Post in Honesdale is named after him.

See also

• Lafayette Flying Corps
• 103d Aero Squadron

	Biography portal
	United States Army portal
	World War I portal
	United States Air Force portal

References of information

1. ^ http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/usa/peterson.php Retrieved on 30 March 2010.
2. ^ Nieuport Aces of World War 1. p. 72. 
3. ^ http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/usa/peterson.php Retrieved on 30 March 2010.
4. ^ American Aces of World War 1. p. 21 22. 

References

• Looking Backward, A Lehigh University Scrapbook, Lehigh University, 1991
• Nieuport Aces of World War 1. Norman Franks. Osprey Publishing, 2000. ISBN 1855329611, 9781855329614.
• American Aces of World War 1 Harry Dempsey. Osprey Publishing, 2001. ISBN 1841763756, 9781841763750.

Persondata
Name	Peterson, David M.
Alternative names
Short description	United States Army officer
Date of birth	2 July 1894
Place of birth	Honesdale, PA
Date of death	16 March 1919
Place of death	Daytona Beach, Florida