David Guy
David Wade Guy | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1897 St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. |
| Died | 1960 |
| Occupation(s) | Aviator, businessman |
| Known for | American aviator in World War I; inaugural president of the Flying Club of Philadelphia |
David Wade Guy (1897–1960) was an American aviator who piloted biplanes for both France's Aeronautique Militaire and the U.S. Army Air Service during World War I. He belonged to the Lafayette Flying Corps, a contingent of 180 American pilots serving under French command.
Early life and education
Guy was born in St. Louis, Missouri to William Evans Guy, a veteran of the Civil War who fought with the 86th Ohio Infantry in the Union Army, and Katherine B. Lemoine Guy. His lineage featured notable military and civic contributions: his grandfather, David Everett Wade, participated in the American Revolutionary War, played a role in establishing Cincinnati, constructed its first Presbyterian church, and held several public offices, including trustee of Cincinnati College (now the University of Cincinnati).
He completed his secondary education at Morristown-Beard School in 1915 and enrolled at Princeton University later that year, attending until February 1917 when he left to join the war effort.
War service and aviation achievements
Between February and July 1917, Guy served as an ambulance driver with the American Field Service (AFS), operating near Verdun, France during combat around Hill 304 and le Mort Homme. He was also part of the AFS group that brought the American flag to the front lines. Subsequently, on July 21, 1917, he enlisted in France's Aeronautique Militaire and underwent pilot training at flying schools located in Tours, Avord, Pau, and G.D.E. His assignments included SPAD biplane squadrons 155, 156, and 38. He advanced to corporal in September 1917 and sergeant by May 1918.
In July 1918, Guy achieved his sole confirmed aerial victory by downing a German Rumpler reconnaissance aircraft. This accomplishment earned him the French Croix de Guerre with palm and official commendation. On November 7, 1918, he transferred to the U.S. Army Air Service as a first lieutenant and served with the 1st Aero Squadron during the Army of Occupation stationed in Trier, Germany. He returned stateside and was discharged on April 14, 1919.
After the war, Guy helped establish the Flying Club of Philadelphia under the auspices of the National Aeronautical Association, becoming its inaugural president.
Post-war education and career
Following his military service, Guy resumed academic pursuits at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, MA, where he earned a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering in 1922. He subsequently held positions at Monsanto Company in Missouri and with industrial manufacturer Ingersoll Rand, headquartered in Davidson, North Carolina. After working at the First Pennsylvania Banking and Trust Company, he co-founded Wellington Foundation and acted as its president. The foundation oversaw management of the Wellington Fund mutual funds.