James A. Summersett (Jr.) was born August 23rd, 1891 in Florence, South Carolina. He was raised in Columbia SC and graduated from Columbia High School in 1908. He attended Newberry College in Newberry, SC from 1909 until 1910.
Lt Col James A Summersett (04882) enlisted in the U.S. Army 8th Calvary Division August 21, 1911 under General John J. Pershing. He received his training at the Signal Corps Aviation School in San Diego in 1916. In 1918, he received his "brevet," or French aviator qualification in 1918 and was transferred to the 18th Infantry in France to serve as an officer in the 96th Aero Squadron of the 1st Day Bombardment Group. The 96th originally consisted of eighty men, largely college graduates or college dropouts, volunteers all, and something of an elite group, since their aeronautical qualifications were the highest in the U.S. Army Air Service. Summersett was outstanding among his comrades. Unlike most of the others however, he lacked a college education.
During the War he commanded the 96th and led a squadron of Breguet 14B Bombers in one of the first American bombing raids on Germany as well as leading numerous raids over the hostile territory of St. Micheil. He was awarded a Purple Heart for injuries he suffered when leading a formation of five planes on a bombing mission to Vigneuiles. Lt Col Summersett was also the recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross. The DSC is our Nation's second highest award for valor, second only to the Medal of Honor. The Distinguished Service Cross was created during the First World War and was signed into law by President Woodrow Wilson on January 2, 1918.
Lt Col Summersett received an honorary discharge on the basis of disability on November 30th 1941. He is memorialized in the Wright Patterson Air Force Base Museum in Dayton, Ohio and buried in the Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas.
Lt Col James A Summersett (04882) enlisted in the U.S. Army 8th Calvary Division August 21, 1911 under General John J. Pershing. He received his training at the Signal Corps Aviation School in San Diego in 1916. In 1918, he received his "brevet," or French aviator qualification in 1918 and was transferred to the 18th Infantry in France to serve as an officer in the 96th Aero Squadron of the 1st Day Bombardment Group. The 96th originally consisted of eighty men, largely college graduates or college dropouts, volunteers all, and something of an elite group, since their aeronautical qualifications were the highest in the U.S. Army Air Service. Summersett was outstanding among his comrades. Unlike most of the others however, he lacked a college education.
During the War he commanded the 96th and led a squadron of Breguet 14B Bombers in one of the first American bombing raids on Germany as well as leading numerous raids over the hostile territory of St. Micheil. He was awarded a Purple Heart for injuries he suffered when leading a formation of five planes on a bombing mission to Vigneuiles. Lt Col Summersett was also the recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross. The DSC is our Nation's second highest award for valor, second only to the Medal of Honor. The Distinguished Service Cross was created during the First World War and was signed into law by President Woodrow Wilson on January 2, 1918.
Lt Col Summersett received an honorary discharge on the basis of disability on November 30th 1941. He is memorialized in the Wright Patterson Air Force Base Museum in Dayton, Ohio and buried in the Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas.
James A. Summersett (Jr.) was born August 23rd, 1891 in Florence, South Carolina. He was raised in Columbia SC and graduated from Columbia High School in 1908. He attended Newberry College in Newberry, SC from 1909 until 1910.
Lt Col James A Summersett (04882) enlisted in the U.S. Army 8th Calvary Division August 21, 1911 under General John J. Pershing. He received his training at the Signal Corps Aviation School in San Diego in 1916. In 1918, he received his "brevet," or French aviator qualification in 1918 and was transferred to the 18th Infantry in France to serve as an officer in the 96th Aero Squadron of the 1st Day Bombardment Group. The 96th originally consisted of eighty men, largely college graduates or college dropouts, volunteers all, and something of an elite group, since their aeronautical qualifications were the highest in the U.S. Army Air Service. Summersett was outstanding among his comrades. Unlike most of the others however, he lacked a college education.
During the War he commanded the 96th and led a squadron of Breguet 14B Bombers in one of the first American bombing raids on Germany as well as leading numerous raids over the hostile territory of St. Micheil. He was awarded a Purple Heart for injuries he suffered when leading a formation of five planes on a bombing mission to Vigneuiles. Lt Col Summersett was also the recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross. The DSC is our Nation's second highest award for valor, second only to the Medal of Honor. The Distinguished Service Cross was created during the First World War and was signed into law by President Woodrow Wilson on January 2, 1918.
Lt Col Summersett received an honorary discharge on the basis of disability on November 30th 1941. He is memorialized in the Wright Patterson Air Force Base Museum in Dayton, Ohio and buried in the Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas.
Lt Col James A Summersett (04882) enlisted in the U.S. Army 8th Calvary Division August 21, 1911 under General John J. Pershing. He received his training at the Signal Corps Aviation School in San Diego in 1916. In 1918, he received his "brevet," or French aviator qualification in 1918 and was transferred to the 18th Infantry in France to serve as an officer in the 96th Aero Squadron of the 1st Day Bombardment Group. The 96th originally consisted of eighty men, largely college graduates or college dropouts, volunteers all, and something of an elite group, since their aeronautical qualifications were the highest in the U.S. Army Air Service. Summersett was outstanding among his comrades. Unlike most of the others however, he lacked a college education.
During the War he commanded the 96th and led a squadron of Breguet 14B Bombers in one of the first American bombing raids on Germany as well as leading numerous raids over the hostile territory of St. Micheil. He was awarded a Purple Heart for injuries he suffered when leading a formation of five planes on a bombing mission to Vigneuiles. Lt Col Summersett was also the recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross. The DSC is our Nation's second highest award for valor, second only to the Medal of Honor. The Distinguished Service Cross was created during the First World War and was signed into law by President Woodrow Wilson on January 2, 1918.
Lt Col Summersett received an honorary discharge on the basis of disability on November 30th 1941. He is memorialized in the Wright Patterson Air Force Base Museum in Dayton, Ohio and buried in the Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas.
Inscription
Lt. Col
US Army
WW I
DSC
Purple Heart
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