Eddie Rickenbacker Downs Two Planes in a Day

On September 25, 1918, Captain Edward V. Rickenbacker, commander of the United States 94th Aero Squadron, shot down two German aircraft in a single day, adding to a tally that would make him America's top-scoring ace of the First World War. Rickenbacker flew the French-built SPAD XIII, one of the finest fighters of the conflict.

A former champion race-car driver, Rickenbacker brought mechanical skill and fearless aggression to aerial combat. His 94th Aero Squadron, marked with the famous Hat-in-the-Ring insignia, was among the first American units to see sustained action over the Western Front, and his exploits earned him the Medal of Honor.

Rickenbacker finished the war credited with twenty-six aerial victories, the most of any American pilot. He became a national hero and later a prominent figure in commercial aviation, leading Eastern Air Lines for many years. His wartime career came to embody the courage and resourcefulness of the young American air service.