John McGavock Grider

John McGavock Grider was a fighter pilot and pioneer in the early stages of American aviation when the United States had not yet organized their own air service and defense. 
When America entered the war in 1917, aviation only became officially established as an instrument used in war a year later in May 1918. The air service became the newest branch of the U.S. army and had very few pilots that were trained to endure combat. An aviation bill was passed in July 1917 for $640 million however it would take time to build airfields and planesFlying for the Air Service page 2.
At the end of First World War, the commander of the American Expeditionary Force in Europe, General John J. Pershing named John McGavock Grider as one of his top one hundred heroes of the warAn Arkansas History for Young People His diary is one of the first written accounts of a pilot in the beginning of American aviation. He was amongst several U.S. volunteers that served in the British Royal Air Force during World War I. Grider Army Airfield is named in his honor.
== Family ==
John M. Grider was born on May 28th, 1893 in Mississippi county, Arkansas. His parents were William Henry Grider and Susan John McGavock Grider. He had two sisters, Georgia Grider Williamson and Josephine Grider Jacobs. His wife was Margaret Samuels with whom he had two sons: navy captain / submarine commander and Congressman, George William Grider of Memphis Tennessee (1 Oct 2912- 20 Mar 1991) and John McGavock Grider, jr, 23 Nov 1910 - 6 Nov 1984
== World War I ==
Grider registered for the draft during WWI on June 1st 1917 and entered the University of Illinois School of Military Aeronautics, Squadron F. After training, he and a number of volunteers were transferred from U.S. military air service to the Royal Flying Corps' no. 2 School of Military Aeronautics at Christ Church College, Oxford UniversityThe Royal Flying Corps on the Home Front and was assigned to the 85th squadron RAF.
== Portrait Photograph ==
Picture of John McGavock Grider
== Diary ==
Grider kept a diary of his experiences during the war. In it he wrote of the lives, details of rigorous training and the deaths of some the pilots either during training or in combat. It encompasses a unique view into the early start of the American Air Force. After the war ended, fellow pilot Elliot White Springs published a book in 1926: War Birds: Diary of an Unknown Aviator but did not mention that the book was actually the diary of Grider. Grider's sister, Josephine Grider Jacobs sued Springs, claiming the book was her brother's writing and was given a $12,500 settlement 
In The Collected Works of T.E. Lawrence, T.E. Lawrence's writes of the book War Birds: Diary of an Unknown Aviator and states: it is a permanent book and a real and immortal part of our war with Germany, besides being the history of the beginning of military flying". The book was republished in 1988 by Texas A&M University Press,with John McGavock Grider as the author.War Birds: Diary of an Unknown Aviator
== Film ==
A film was made of his diary.
== Death ==
At 09:15 AM on June 18th 1918 Grider was last seen with his plane, an SE5AThe Dawn of the DroneRAF Museumin combat with enemy aircraft over Menen. He was shot down betweenHoupline s andArmentières, France.https://www.fold3.com/record/642692900/john-mcgavock-grider-airmen-died-in-the-great-war Fold His name is amongst 43 missing in action that are inscribed on a plaque at the Flanders Field American Cemetery and Memoria.
Category:1892 births
Category:American World War I fighter pilots
Category:American people
Category:1978 deaths