Frederic Ives Lord - World War I

World War I

According to one story, Lord enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1917, but was discharged from the 3rd Texas Infantry when it was learned that he was only 17 years old. However, in 1917, he would have been 20. Whatever his reason, he went to Toronto, Canada where he joined the Royal Flying Corps. He had to renounce his American citizenship on May 25, 1917:

I was born in the town of Manitowoc in the state of Wisconsin, one of the United States of America ... I have come to the city of Toronto from Houston, Texas, for the express purpose of enlisting and entering the Royal Flying Corps of the Canadian Army for service overseas. And I do hereby solemnly declare my purpose and intention to become a British subject and I do hereby renounce my citizenship as a Citizen of the United States of America. ...

After completing his training in England, he joined 79 Squadron in France. Flying a Sopwith Dolphin, Lord became an ace along with four other pilots in the squadron: Francis W. Gillet, Ronald Bannerman, John McNeaney, and Edgar Taylor. On June 27, 1918, Lord shot down an Albatros D.V as his third kill. On his return to the airfield, he saw an allied formation engaged with several Pfalz scouts. He joined in and shot down a Fokker Dr.I, and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. He rose to the position of flight commander before being wounded in October. His final score in World War I was an observation balloon and eight aircraft claimed destroyed, three 'out of control'.