William C. Lambert
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William C. (Bill) Lambert (August 18, 1894 – March 19, 1982) was an American fighter pilot who flew in World War I. He was the second-ranking American ace of World War I. He recorded 21.5 air-to-air victories, 4.5 fewer than "Ace of Aces" Eddie Rickenbacker and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.
He was born William Carpenter Lambert in Ironton, Ohio. On August 4, 1914, Britain declared war on Germany. Canada, as part of the British Empire, also went to war. American pilots who wanted to join the fight prior to America's entry into the war in April 1917 enlisted in the Royal Flying Corps. Some, like Lambert, later transferred to the British Royal Air Force, and eventually joined the United States Army Air Service.
While working in Canada in 1915 he decided to join the Royal Flying Corps and completed his training in Britain in 1918. He joined No. 24 Squadron RFC in March and, between April and August, scored 18 victories (11 destroyed including one shared and 7 "out of control" including two shared). Suffering from combat fatigue, he was rotated back to England for medical leave but the war ended before he recovered.
After the war, Lambert joined the U. S. Air Service and served with the Army Air Forces in World War II. He retired in 1954 as a lieutenant colonel in the U. S. Air Force.
Lambert's wartime experiences were related in his 1973 memoir, Combat Report.
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