Kenneth Lee Porter

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Kenneth Lee Porter
Lieutenant Kenneth Porter.jpg
Lieutenant Kenneth Lee Porter
Born6 December 1896
Dowagiac, Michigan, USA
Died3 February 1988
Queens, New York City, USA
Section 67, Site 441, Arlington National Cemetery
AllegianceFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States
Service/branch Air Service, United States Army
Years of service19171919
RankLieutenant
Unit 147th Aero Squadron
Battles/wars World War I Victory Medal ribbon.svg   World War I
Awards Distinguished Service Cross
Croix de Guerre avec Palme
Alma mater University of Michigan

Lieutenant Kenneth Lee Porter was a World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories. [1]

Contents

World War I service

Porter was an engineering graduate from the University of Michigan who joined the U.S. Army Air Service in August 1917. He reported to the 147th Aero Squadron in February 1918. [2] While on patrol with Ralph O'Neill and four other American pilots, they shot down a Pfalz D.III over Château Thierry on 2 July. After switching his Nieuport 28 for a Spad XIII, Porter would score four more times, from 28 September through 12 October 1918, sharing his scores with Wilbert White, Francis Simonds, and three other pilots. He also became a Flight Commander. [1] He received the Distinguished Service Cross and the French Croix de Guerre. [3]

Postwar

He worked for Burroughs Corporation and the Pesco Pump Co. in New York until World War II. During the war, he worked with Boeing. Afterwards, he returned to civilian engineering. [2]

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 "Kenneth Porter". Theaerodrome.com. Retrieved 2010-10-13.
  2. 1 2 American Aces of World War I. p. 7475.
  3. "Event in Brief". The Michigan Alumnus. University of Michigan. May 1919. Retrieved April 18, 2020.

Bibliography