Meissner completed his aeronautic combat training in Tours and was commissioned a 1st lieutenant on 20 November 1917, after which he reported to the 94th Pursuit Squadron commanded by Major John Huffer on 8 March 1918. Among his colleagues in the unit were Eddie Rickenbacker and former members of the Lafayette Escadrille.[2]
Piloting a French-made Nieuport 28, Meissner scored his first aerial victory over the Forêt De La Rappe on 2 May 1918; he was fortunate to survive, given the fabric was shredding off his top wing even as he scored.[3] At any rate, the feat earned the Distinguished Service Cross and the Croix de Guerre. He shot a second plane down near Jaulny on 30 May, colliding with an Albatros fighter in the process.[3] He then racked up two more victories—one of which he shared with Douglas Campbell—before being made commander of the 147th Pursuit Squadron in July. Now flying a SPAD S.XIII fighter, he scored four more victories, one of which was an observation balloon, and another of which was shared with Ralph O'Neill.[4][2]
Meissner was discharged as a major on 25 March 1919 and returned to Cornell to complete his master's in engineering. After receiving his diploma, Meissner moved to Birmingham, Alabama and began working at Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Company's rail mill. He married Elva Kessler, daughter of a landscape architect from Augusta, Georgia.[2]
In 1919, he and Henry Badham (father of director John Badham) organized the Birmingham Flying Club, nicknamed the "Birmingham Escadrille" and leased a tract of land near Ensley to set up an airfield (Roberts Field). The club was recognized, with the assistance of Alabama's adjutant generalColonel Hartley A. Moon,[2] as the 135th Observation Squadron on 21 January 1922 under Meissner's command. It was Alabama's first Air National Guard unit and the 7th in the United States. Meissner was its first commanding officer.[3][2]
Meissner died from pneumonia in January 1936. Rickenbacker made the trip to Birmingham to serve as pallbearer during his memorial service, which was capped by a flyover by members of his unit. He was interred at Arlington National Cemetery.[6][2]
^Cornell Rewind: A great school faces the Great War By Elaine Engst and Blaine Friedlander for Cornell Chronicle; January 22, 2015; retrieved June 15, 2017
^ abcdefgScales, Matt. (PDF). 117th Air Refueling Wing. Air National Guard. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 September 2012. Retrieved 29 December 2011.
Over the Front: The Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the United States and French Air Services, 1914–1918. Grub Street Publishing, 2008. ISBN978-0-94881-754-0.
December 20, 2023
james, armand, meissner, major, july, 1896, january, 1936, world, flying, credited, with, eight, aerial, victories, awarded, distinguished, service, crosses, meissner, 1919nickname, jimmyborn, 1896, july, 1896londonderry, nova, scotia, canadadiedjanuary, 1936,. Major James Armand Meissner July 20 1896 January 16 1936 was a World War I flying ace credited with eight aerial victories and awarded two Distinguished Service Crosses James Armand MeissnerMeissner in 1919Nickname s JimmyBorn 1896 07 20 July 20 1896Londonderry Nova Scotia CanadaDiedJanuary 16 1936 1936 01 16 aged 39 Birmingham Alabama USBuriedArlington National Cemetery Section 2 Site 4791Allegiance United StatesService wbr branchAir Service United States ArmyAlabama National GuardYears of service1917 1922RankMajorUnit94th Aero SquadronCommands held147th Aero SquadronBattles wars World War IAwardsDistinguished Service Cross French Croix de GuerreOther workCommanding Officer 135th Observation Squadron Alabama Air National Guard Contents 1 Early life and service 2 Combat service 3 List of victories 4 Postwar life 5 See also 6 References 7 BibliographyEarly life and service edit nbsp James A Meissner sketch circa 1919Meissner grew up in Brooklyn New York and graduated from Erasmus Hall High School there in 1914 He enrolled at Cornell University College of Engineering in Ithaca New York to study engineering As a member of the college s corps of cadets he enlisted in the U S Signal Corps as a member of the first class of the School of Military Aeronautics on 17 May 1917 1 2 Combat service editMeissner completed his aeronautic combat training in Tours and was commissioned a 1st lieutenant on 20 November 1917 after which he reported to the 94th Pursuit Squadron commanded by Major John Huffer on 8 March 1918 Among his colleagues in the unit were Eddie Rickenbacker and former members of the Lafayette Escadrille 2 Piloting a French made Nieuport 28 Meissner scored his first aerial victory over the Foret De La Rappe on 2 May 1918 he was fortunate to survive given the fabric was shredding off his top wing even as he scored 3 At any rate the feat earned the Distinguished Service Cross and the Croix de Guerre He shot a second plane down near Jaulny on 30 May colliding with an Albatros fighter in the process 3 He then racked up two more victories one of which he shared with Douglas Campbell before being made commander of the 147th Pursuit Squadron in July Now flying a SPAD S XIII fighter he scored four more victories one of which was an observation balloon and another of which was shared with Ralph O Neill 4 2 List of victories editSee also Aerial victory standards of World War I No Date time Foe Location Notes1 2 May 1918 1203 hours Hannover CL reconnaissance plane Regnaville2 30 May 1918 0755 hours Albatros D V fighter East of Thiaucourt Albatros collided with Meissner3 5 June 1918 1030 hours Rumpler reconnaissance plane Louvigny Shared with Lieutenant Donald Campbell4 13 June 1918 0800 hours Hannover CL reconnaissance plane Thiaucourt Shared victory with two other American pilots5 1 August 1918 1830 hours Fokker D VII fighter Fere en Tardenois Shared with another pilot6 10 October 1918 1615 hours Rumpler reconnaissance plane Bantheville Shared with two other pilots7 28 October 1918 1556 hours Observation balloon Bantheville8 29 October 1918 1225 hours Rumpler reconnaissance plane Buzancy 5 Postwar life editMeissner was discharged as a major on 25 March 1919 and returned to Cornell to complete his master s in engineering After receiving his diploma Meissner moved to Birmingham Alabama and began working at Tennessee Coal Iron and Railroad Company s rail mill He married Elva Kessler daughter of a landscape architect from Augusta Georgia 2 In 1919 he and Henry Badham father of director John Badham organized the Birmingham Flying Club nicknamed the Birmingham Escadrille and leased a tract of land near Ensley to set up an airfield Roberts Field The club was recognized with the assistance of Alabama s adjutant general Colonel Hartley A Moon 2 as the 135th Observation Squadron on 21 January 1922 under Meissner s command It was Alabama s first Air National Guard unit and the 7th in the United States Meissner was its first commanding officer 3 2 Meissner died from pneumonia in January 1936 Rickenbacker made the trip to Birmingham to serve as pallbearer during his memorial service which was capped by a flyover by members of his unit He was interred at Arlington National Cemetery 6 2 See also edit nbsp World War I portal nbsp Biography portalList of World War I flying aces from the United StatesReferences edit Cornell Rewind A great school faces the Great War By Elaine Engst and Blaine Friedlander for Cornell Chronicle January 22 2015 retrieved June 15 2017 a b c d e f g Scales Matt James Armand Meissner PDF 117th Air Refueling Wing Air National Guard Archived from the original PDF on 15 September 2012 Retrieved 29 December 2011 a b c Nieuport Aces of World War 1 p 73 James Meissner theaerodrome com Retrieved 30 March 2010 Over the Front The Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the United States and French Air Services 1914 1918 p 61 Burial Detail Meissner James A Section 2 Grave 4791 ES ANC Explorer Arlington National Cemetery Official website Bibliography edit James Meissner at The Aerodrome website accessed March 20 2010 Nieuport Aces of World War 1 Franks Norman Osprey Publishing 2000 ISBN 978 1 85532 961 4 Over the Front The Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the United States and French Air Services 1914 1918 Grub Street Publishing 2008 ISBN 978 0 94881 754 0 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title James Armand Meissner amp oldid 1182525286, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
