The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-07-15
FAMOUS FLYER
LEAVES ARMY
CAPT, JOHN O. DONALDSON,
HERO OF BRITISH AND AMERi-
CAN AIR SERVICE, ENTERS PRl-
VATE BUSINESS. Il

Cant. John o. Donaldson. who has
baen IN command of the Gath (hat-in-
the-ring) SQUADRON at Kelly Field,
Texas, has finally received the as
charge for which he has been waiting
and has left the army for the more
lucrative occupation of digging out
the slippery black gold for which Tex
as is famous.
The early, days of the war found
Captain Donaldson on the waiting list
for appointment to ground school,
which he finally reached in July,
1917. Upon his graduation he was
sent to Canada to train with the Roy
al Flying corps at Toronto. Here, al
ter completing his preliminary train
ing, he was commissioned second
lieutenant, A. S., S. r. G. Following
the Canadian training he was sent to
Fort Worth Texas, for advanced
training and aerial gunnery on Cur
tiss planes. In April, 1918, he was
transferred overseas to England and
again attached to the r. A. F., with
which he served throughout the war.
During his advanced training in Eng
land he established the highest gun
merry record for Americans training
lowing his graduation from the British
pursuit school he was assigned to the
32d aero squadron, r. A. F. Is. e.
$50, with which he went to the
British front. Up to the time of his
capture by the Germans Lieut.. Don
aldson was awarded the distinguished
flying cross by the British upon crash |
ing his seventh Hun. He was pro-
NOTED to a first lieutenant and mill
tary aviator, and three times was rec
commended for the distinguished SER
vice cross, but was taken prisoner bel
fore these honors arrived. In addi- |
ton to this he was cited in army or
ders four times. Twice before he was |
shot down his plane was so damaged |
in action that it was total wreck. |
This should have been a warning to |
him, but needless of past experience, |
on a bright day in September, 1918, !
he went into fight against odds !
with the same reckless daring as be- |
fore, and this time he was not so |
fortunate. In a hot dog fight" in |
which he brought down another Boch |
in flames, his own plane was so dam |
aged that he was forced to descend |
inside the German lines. AS a pris- |
oner he displayed the same daring |
and courage that had characterized |
his work in the air. After only forty
eight hours had elapsed since his |
capture he escaped with another avia-
tor and was at large for eight days. |
during which time he made an attempt |
to steal Hun machine and was |
slightly wounded by German bayo-
net for his pains.
He was finally retaken in a starved |
and weakened condition while trying !
to cross No Mans Land to the allied |
lines. Following his recapture the Ger
mans sentenced him to solitary con-
fnement. After fourteen days he
again escaped, and this time made for
Holland. For twenty eight days he
walked his way toward Holland, and
after many hazardous adventures fl
nally cut the wires at the Holland Dor
der and escaped in safety from the
Huns on October %, 1918. After brief |
Internment in Holland, most of which |
was spent in hospital, he returned to |
England on November 1, 1918. He in
sisted on returning to the front, and
so rejoined his old outfit on November
9TH, just two days before the armistice
was signed.
After. his return to the United States
as first lieutenant, M. A, he took
part in most of the flying circuses
that were sent out to perform for
The Victory Loan drive and in many
propaganda flights. Dur
ing this period he was promoted to
captain in recognition of his enviable
flying and fighting record.
Captain Donaldson has eight victor
es officially to- his credit and four
unofficial victories, this record max
ng him the leading American ace still
N active service at the time of his
discharge. His remarkable flying rec
ord is exemplified by the excellent
performance that made him the handi-
zap winner of the rectn trans CONT |
rental race. He has a record of never
having broken a ship, excepting the
hEee that were shot up by the enemy.
Captain Donaldson came to Kelly
field early in February, 1920, and was
irSt assigned to the 95th (Kicking
Aule) squadron as engineering Off
Ger. Upon the lamentable death of I
Captain kindley Captain Donaldson
ook command of the oath squadron.
The love of the Texas oil fields proved
90 strong for him, however and he
tut in for his discharge while ON
cave
AS a friend and comrade we feel
leenly the, loss of this CHEEKY young .
youngest captain in the
Lir service-and we join in wishing
linn every success in his new voca-
ion |