American Aces of WW1 - Harold Hartney Name: Harold Evans Hartney Country: United States Rank: Lieutenant Colonel Service: Royal Flying Corps U. S. Air Service Units: 20 (RFC) 27th Aero, 1st Pursuit Group (USAS) Victories: 7 Date Of Birth: April 19, 1888 Place of Birth: Pakenham, Ontario Date Of Death: October 5, 1947 Place of Death: Washington D.C. Born in Canada, Hartney worked as a clerk in his brother's law firm in Saskatoon after graduating from Toronto University in 1911. After obtaining a graduate degree from the University of Saskatchewan, he became a barrister, joined the Saskatoon 105th Fusiliers, and played the cornet in the town's band. Married in 1914, he shipped out for England with the Canadian Expeditionary Force less than a year latter. As he trained with his battalion on Dibgate Plains, Hartney's visit to an aerodrome near Folkstone and a chance meeting with William Bishop led to his request for transfer to the Royal Flying Corps. On October 21, 1915, Hartney entered the RFC at Norwich. The following day, he survived a near fatal first flight in a Maurice Farman longhorn. By the following year he was grasping the stick of an F.E.2, flying reconnaissance missions over the Western Front. After scoring 5 confirmed victories, he was shot down for the fourth time by Manfred von Richthofen on the afternoon of February 14, 1917. On September 21, 1917, Hartney was promoted to Major and ordered back to Toronto to assume command of the American 27th Aero Squadron. As a member of the United States Air Service, he scored two more victories by the end of the war. In 1923, Hartney became a citizen of the United States and published an autobiography, "Up and at 'Em," in 1940. Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) "For extraordinary heroism in action near Fismes, France, August 13, 1918. Major Hartney voluntarily accompanied a reconnaissance patrol. Realizing the importance of the mission, Major Hartney took command and although five enemy planes repeatedly made attempts to drive them back, he continued into enemy territory, returning later to our lines with important information. The cool judgement and determination displayed by Major Hartney furnished an inspiration to all the members of his command." DSC Hartney, Harold Evans Born: April 19, 1888 in Pakenham, Ontario, Canada Education: School of Practical Science 1906, B.A. 1911, Univ. of Toronto; Barrister University, Saskatchewan, Canada, 1914. Flying: Learned to fly at Norwich, England 1915; military aviator; had logged 1,100 hrs by 1943. Aviation Business: Organized second & first general manager of N.A.A. Assisted in organizing the National Exchange Clubs (800+ local orgs. in U.S.) Delegate to International Chamber of Commerce on Commercial Aeronatucis, Rome Italy, 1929 Technical Adivser for Senate Air Safety Commission, 1935-1938 Director of Aviation Section of New York Board of Trade Member Advisory Committee on Aeronatuics, New York World's Fair 1939 Technical Adviser for Sikorsky Aviation Corp, General Airways System Inc., Argonauts Inc., Generalair Beacons Inc., Sky Advertising Corp. of America, Aviation Business Bureau Inc., Airport Lighting Inc., Airport Advertising, Inc. Aero Service Pick-Up Cop., Aviation Devleopment & Finance Corp., Air cruisiers Inc., Donaldson Holding Corp, Century Rotary Motor Corp., Seabeacons Inc., Pennsylvania-Central Airlines, Amerian Airship Co., Consulting Aeronautical Assistant C.A.A. 1938-1940; Consulting Aeronautical Counsel since 1940. Military: Pvt to Capt. R.F.C. Canada 1915-1917 Commanding Officer 27th Aero Squadron, U.S. Army Air Service 1917-1918; Group Commander First Pursuit Group 1918 Major 1917 Lieutenant Colonel 1919, A.E.F. Chaumont, France chief of training, acting cheif operations, chief of civil affairs, Office of the Air Service, US Army Air Corps 1919-1921; Lieutenant Colonel U.S. Army Air Corps Reserves. Awards: Decorations Distinguished Service Cross Silver Star, Order of the Purple Heart, Legion of Honor, Croix de Guerre with Three Palms, Italian Silver Medal for Valor, british War Medal, Aeronautics Club Medal of Honor, McKay Silver Medal for Civilian Flying. Memberships: Early Birds N.A.A. Aviatiors Post American Legion, Institute of Aeronautical Sciences American Institute, Quiet Birdmen First Reserve Aero Squadron Association, Inc. Executive Committee American Section of the Ligue Internationale de Aviateurs, National Air Pilots Association. Author: Up and At 'Em (co-author George Sutton, Jur.), 1940 The Complex Flying Manual, 1940 Aircraft Spotters Guide, 1942 What the Citizen Should Know About Our Air Forces, 1942 Source: Who's Who in Aviation, 1943 Harold Evans Hartney Lieutenant Colonel, United States Army Air Service Name: Harold Evans Hartney Country: United States Rank: Lieutenant Colonel Service: Royal Flying Corps, United States Army Air Service Units: 20 RFC - 27th Aero, 185th Aero, 1st Pursuit Group Victories: 7 Boran: 19 April 1888 Place of Birth: Pakenham, Ontario, Canada Death: 5 October 1947 at Washington, D.C. Born in Canada, Hartney worked as a clerk in his brother's law firm in Saskatoon after graduating from Toronto University in 1911. After obtaining a graduate degree from the University of Saskatchewan, he became a barrister, joined the Saskatoon 105th Fusiliers, and played the cornet in the town's band. Married in 1914, he shipped out for England with the Canadian Expeditionary Force less than a year latter. As he trained with his battalion on Dibgate Plains, Hartney's visit to an aerodrome near Folkstone and a chance meeting with William Bishop led to his request for transfer to the Royal Flying Corps. On 21 October 1915, Hartney entered the RFC at Norwich. The following day, he survived a near fatal first flight in a Maurice Farman longhorn. By the following year he was grasping the stick of an F.E.2, flying reconnaissance missions over the Western Front. After scoring 5 confirmed victories, he was shot down for the fourth time on the afternoon of 14 February 1917. In his autobiography, Up And At 'Em, Hartney claimed Manfred von Richthofen shot him down that afternoon, northeast of Zillebecke Lake. On 21 September 1917, Hartney was promoted to Major and ordered back to Toronto to assume command of the American 27th Aero Squadron. As a member of the United States Air Service, he scored two more victories by the end of the war. In 1923, Hartney became a citizen of the United States and published an autobiography, "Up and at 'Em," in 1940. Colonel Hartney was buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery. His son, Harold E. Hartney, Jr., Second Lieutenant, United States Army Air Corps, (23 February 1923-13 May 1944) was apparently killed in World War II and is buried in the same gravesite. HARTNEY, HAROLD E LT COL AIR CORPS AUS DATE OF DEATH: 10/05/1945 BURIED AT: SECTION SOUTH SITE 1377A ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY HARTNEY, HAROLD E JR 2ND LT USA AF 56 FIGHTER GP AC DATE OF BIRTH: 02/23/1920 DATE OF DEATH: 05/13/1944 BURIED AT: SECTION 3 SITE 1377-A ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
Contrary to Up and at 'Em, he wasn't one of Manfred von Richthofen's victims. Lt H E Hartney of No 20 Sqn RFC was flying FE 2d A1960, with 2Lt W J Jones as observer, when he was shot down after combat with Albatros D.IIIs over Passchendaele on 14 February 1917. Both British airmen were injured when the FE crashed. Another FE 2d from No 20 Sqn, A15, flown by 2Lt F J Taylor (injured) and 2Lt F M Myers (killed while landing) was brought down in the fight. Victories were credited to Uffz Flemming and Ltn Paul Strähle of Jasta 18; they were the first victories for both German pilots. Gareth
