William H . Stovall Lieutenant ( later Colonel ) William Howard Stovall ( 18 February 1895 - 11 May 1970 ) began his military career as a World War I flying ace credited with six aerial victories . He went on to become a successful businessman , as well as serving his country a second time in World War II . On the latter occasion , he served once again with fellow aerial combat veterans from World War I , Frank O ' Driscoll Hunter and Carl Spaatz . He also suffered the loss of his namesake son by friendly fire in aerial battle , and forgave the American pilot responsible . Upon return from the war , Stovall won awards for his agricultural expertise . He died in his sleep at home , aged 75 . Biography . William Howard Stovall was born on his family ' s cotton plantation in Stovall , Mississippi on 18 February 1895 . He was the son of Civil War colonel William Howard Stovall . He graduated from Lawrenceville School in 1913 , then attended Yale in 1916 . He reported to the 13th Aero Squadron in July 1918 . On 1 August , in company with Charles Biddle and two other American pilots , he shot down two German Albatros D . V fighters over Viéville - en - Haye . Then , from 15 September to 23 October 1918 , he downed four of the new Fokker D . VII fighters . He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross . He returned to the plantation after the war . During World War II , he served once again , joining the U . S . Army Air Corps as a major on 12 December 1941 . He became the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel for the Eighth Air Force in Britain under a World War I comrade , Brigadier General Frank O ' Driscoll Hunter ; the two of them worked for another World War I companion , General Carl Spaatz . Stovall ' s son , William Howard Stovall , also served in the Air Corps ; he saw his father in England during Christmas 1944 before the younger Stovall was killed in action by friendly fire . Colonel Stovall met and personally forgave the pilot who had accidentally killed his son . From this war , Colonel Stovall brought home the Legion of Merit , Bronze Star , British Order of the British Empire , French Legion d ' Honneur and Croix de Guerre , as well as campaign ribbons . Once again , he returned to the family cotton plantation . His stewardship of the land earned him the Delta Council Achievement Award for 1967 - 1968 as the pre - eminent conservationist among local farmers . He also served as president of Cotton Council International . The Federal Land Bank granted him a 50th anniversary medal for his contributions to the cause of American agriculture just prior to his death . He died at home in his sleep on 11 May 1970 . He was survived by his wife Eleanor , a daughter , and two sons . Citations for awards . Distinguished Service Cross ( DSC ) The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to William Howard Stovall , First Lieutenant ( Air Service ) , U . S . Army , for extraordinary heroism in action in the region of Etain , France , September 26 , 1918 . While leading a protection patrol over a day bombing formation First Lieutenant Stovall ' s patrol became reduced through motor trouble to himself and one other pilot . When the bombing patrol was attacked by seven enemy planes he in turn attacked the enemy and destroyed one plane .