Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

An original Great War Aviation Section, Signal Corps, U.S. Army Pilot’s Flying Log Book appertaining to Samuel B. Kirby, Jnr., with training entries covering the period March 1918 to January 1919, and subsequent reserve training flights from August 1923 to September 1927, and four fights in an Aero Chief in July 1943, together with his Individual Record Card in green sleeve on the inside of the back cover, the front cover dark stained to top, otherwise generally in good condition £100-120

Samuel B. Kirby (1898-1983), who was born in Louisville, Kentucky, enlisted in the Signal Corps aged 18 years and, having been appointed a Private 1st Class, attended the U.S. School of Military Aeronautics at the University of Illinois from December 1917 until his graduation in mid-February 1918. Posted to the U.S. Aviation School Kellyfield, under Major H. B. S. Burwell, he undertook his first training flight in a Curtiss Jenny No. 4 on 5 March, prior to moving to Payne Field at West Point a few days later and thence, after being classified as a ‘Pursuit Pilot’ in September, to Carlstrom Field, Arcadia. Having then moved to nearby Dorr Field at the end of the same year, he was honourably discharged in January 1919.