Maj. Reed Gresham Landis, RFC/USAS
Victories:
12
Squadrons:
40 Sq. (RAF) 
25th Aero (USAS) 
Born:
17 July 1896 Ottawa, Illinois
Died: 1975 Lake Ouachita, Arkansas
Awards:
American Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)
American Distinguished Service Cross (DSC)
Notes
Landis was the son
of Judge Keneshaw Mountain Landis, commissioner of American
baseball in 1920's. After the war he became chairman of the
American Legion and was a colonel with the United States Army Air
Corps during World War II.
Distinguished
Flying Cross (DFC)
"For
conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He has carried out
offensive patrols with marked determination and dash, and he has
on all occasions engaged the enemy with marked skill and an
entire disregard of personal danger. On 8 August 1918, he
attacked an enemy kite balloon over Vitry-en-Artois. One observer
jumped clear with a parachute and the balloon burst into flames
and went down. Personally he has accounted for enemy aircraft as
follows: On 8 August, during a general engagement west of Douai,
he engaged a Fokker biplane and fired a short burst from point
blank range. EA went down vertically after emitting a huge cloud
of smoke and though the enemy machine was not seen to burst into
flames, it was evidently on fire. He then attacked a balloon over
Vitry but seeing a DFW below it, he attacked the EA instead. He
fired a long burst from above; the enemy machine dived, started
to spin and crashed on the southern edge of Vitry-en-Artois
village. On 7 August, while on offensive patrol in the vicini ty
of Carvin, four enemy scouts were engaged. He selected one and
fired about 300 rounds closing at short range. EA spiraled
steeply, side-slipped at intervals and was seen to crash in the
vicinity of Carvin. On 14 July, when on offensive patrol, he
fired about 150 rounds into a Pfalz scout from 75 yards range.
Enemy machine was observed to crash near Epinoy. In addition to
the above, this officer has destroyed one EA and driven on down
out of control." DFC citation
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