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Lansing Holden [USA]

Name:Lansing Colton "Denny" HoldenBalloon Buster
Country:United States
Rank:Lieutenant
Service:United States Air Service
Squadrons:N461 (FAS)
95th Aero (USAS)
Victories:7
Born:8 October 1896
Place of Birth:New York
Died:13 November 1938Killed In Flying Accident
Place of Death:Near Sparta, Tennessee
Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) with Oak Leaf ClusterLansing Holden

Notes
A graduate of Princeton University, Holden joined the French Air Service in 1917. After flight training, he was posted to N461, one of three Escadrilles assigned to defend Paris. In early 1918, Holden accepted a commission in the United States Air Service and was assigned to the 95th Pursuit Squadron. Flying the SPAD S.XIII, he was credited with destroying five German observation balloons. In 1924, Holden flew for the French in the Moroccan uprising and in 1933, he illustrated Harold Buckley's book, "Squadron 95."

Distinguished Service Cross (DSC)
"For extraordinary heroism in action near Montigny, France, 23 October 1918. Lt. Holden was ordered to attack several German balloons, reported to be regulating effective artillery fire on our troops. After driving off an enemy plane, encountered before reaching the balloons, he soon came upon five balloons in ascension, one kilometer apart. In attacking the first, which proved to be a decoy without a basket, his guns jammed; after clearing them, he attacked the second balloon, forcing the observer to jump. His guns again jammed before he could set fire to this balloon. Moving on to the third balloon at a height of only fifty meters, he set fire to it and compelled the observer to jump. He was prevented from attacking the two remaining balloons by the further jamming of [his] machine guns." DSC citation

Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) Oak Leaf Cluster
"For extraordinary heroism in action near St. Jean de Buzy, France, 4 November 1918. Flying at a low altitude to evade hostile pursuit patrols, Lt. Holden attacked a German observation balloon in the face of anti-aircraft and machine gun fire. Although the balloon was being rapidly pulled down, he set fire to it in its nest and also caused much damage to adjacent buildings." DSC Oak Leaf Cluster citation

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