










 | |
| Name: | Kenneth Lee Porter | Country: | United States | Rank: | Lieutenant | Service: | United States Air Service | Squadrons: | 147th Aero | Victories: | 5 | Born: | 6 December 1896 | Place of Birth: | Dowagic, Michigan | Died: | 3 February 1988 | Place of Death: | Queens, New York |
| |
| | A graduate of the University of Michigan with a degree in engineering, Porter joined the United States Air Service on 6 August 1917. Following training in Canada and Texas, he was commissioned and assigned to the 147th Pursuit Squadron in January 1918. Flying the Nieuport 28, Porter scored his first victory on 2 July 1918, sharing in the destruction of a Pfalz D.III. In August, the 147th Aero was re-equipped with the SPAD S.XIII and Porter scored four more victories to become an ace on 12 October 1918. Two days before his final victory, Porter replaced Wilbert White as commander of C Flight when the latter was killed in action. After the war, Porter resumed his career in engineering, working for Boeing during World War II. He was a member of the United States Fighter Pilots Association and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. |
| Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) |
| "For extraordinary heroism in action near Chateau Thierry, France, 2 July 1918. Lt. Porter with four other pilots, attacked twelve enemy aircraft (Pfalz type) flying in two groups well within the enemy lines. As soon as the enemy planes were sighted, Lt. Porter maneuvered to get between them and the sun with great difficulty and gained the advantage. While three of the American officers dived on the lower formation, Lt. Porter and 2nd Lt. John H. Stevens engaged the upper formation in a bold and brilliant combat, two planes of which they crashed to earth." DSC citation |
| | "An excellent pilot. He has always been efficient and brave, firing on enemy convoys from low altitude, attacking balloons, forcing them down. On 2 July 1918, together with two other pilots, he attacked a formation of 12 enemy planes and brought down one of his adversaries." Croix de Guerre citation |
| |
|