File:New England aviators 1914-1918; their portraits and their records (1919) (14595468090).jpg

English: First Lieutenant Raymond B. Messer, A.S.A., U.S.A. Killed in airplane accident, Feb. 20, 1919. Son of Bradley A. and Hattie (Boden) Messer, of Lowell, Mass.; was born in Lowell, Sept. 12, 1894. He graduated from the Lowell High School, where he made a record as long-distance runner, and was manager of the baseball team in 1913. He attended the Lowell Textile School for three years. He enlisted as mounted orderly in the 6th Mass. Regiment, on March 80, 1917, at Lowell, and was chosen to attend the Officers' Training Camp at Plattsburg. There he volunteered for Aviation Service, and was sent to the Ground School, M.I.T. When he had completed a six weeks' course, he was transferred to Mineola, N.Y. He was commissioned 1st Lieut. in Sept. 1917. He went overseas, Nov. 13, 1917, and trained at Issoudun, France, graduating there in Feb., 1918. He was subsequently ordered to several other training-fields as an instructor. On July 13, 1918,, he was sent into the zone of advance. He hoped to get to the front, but was stationed at Chatillon-sur-Seine as instructor and tester of planes. He was killed in an airplane collision there on Feb. 20, 1919, and was buried at Chatillon-sur-Seine on Feb. 22, 1919.

Identifier: NewEnglandaviatVol1Tick (find matches)
Title: New England aviators 1914-1918; their portraits and their records
Year: 1919 (1910s)
Authors: Ticknor, Caroline, 1866-1937, ed
Subjects: Biography Aeronautics World War, 1914-1918
Publisher: Boston, New York, Houghton Mifflin Company
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Smithsonian Libraries

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e on Feb. 20, 1919, and was buried at Chatillon-sur-Seine onFeb. 22, 1919. Lieut. Messers superior officer wrote concerning his death: Raymond joined us as a pilot shortly after the Second Corps Aeronau-tical School was organized at Chatillon-sur-Seine. I was in charge of theflying at that school from its organization. It did not take many days tofind what a really valuable man your son was, and he was at once put towork as an instructor in Sopwith and Breguet planes, in addition to hisduties as a staff pilot. He was a skilful pilot; his judgment was good; and hisattitude toward his equals and superiors was one of unvaried courtesy.He was extremely popular, and to quote one of the old officers, No acci-dent ever hit the fellows quite so hard as Messers death. Like the restof us, he found it a source of great regret, not being able to get to the front.But the training of observers was so important that he could not be spared.If ever a man served his country well, it was Messer. ( 308 )
Text Appearing After Image:
* EUGENE DORR MORSE Second Lieutenant, A.S.A., U.S.A.Killed in airplane accident, Nov. 6, 1918Son of Fitz Albert and Helen D. (Cotting) Morse; was born inBrookline, Mass., Dec. 7, 1895. He was educated at the CountryDay School, Boston; and at Harvard College, class of 1919. Atschool he played baseball and football, and was captain of thefootball team in 1914. At college he was assistant manager of hisfreshman baseball team, and 2d assistant manager of the Harvard,1917, hockey team. He left college in his sophomore year to enlist, on Oct. 23, 1917,at Boston. He received his ground training at M.I.T. and CornellUniversity, graduating on Jan. 26, 1918, and was assigned toEllington Field, Houston, Tex., for flying instruction. He passedhis reserve military aviator test on May 2, and was commissioned2d Lieut, in the Air Service on that date. He was then assigned foradvanced training in reconnaissance successively to Camp Dick,Dallas, Tex.; Post Field, Fort Sill, Okla.; and Taliaferro Field

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