Lieutenant Stephen W. Thompson achieved a milestone in United States military history when he became the first person in U.S. uniform to shoot down an enemy aircraft. This event occurred during World War I while Thompson flew on combat duty with a French aviation unit. The episode holds lasting historical importance because it marked the first confirmed American aerial victory and signaled the arrival of the United States as an active participant in modern air warfare.
The United States entered World War I in April 1917, long after aerial combat had become a defining feature of the conflict. European powers had already developed air services with specialized fighter pilots, aircraft production systems, and combat doctrines. The U.S. Army faced a severe shortage of trained aviators and combat-ready aircraft. As a result, American pilots often received advanced instruction overseas and were temporarily assigned to Allied units to gain operational experience. This structure placed U.S. airmen directly into established European combat environments.
Stephen W. Thompson served as an observer rather than a pilot at the time of the February 5 engagement. He flew aboard a French-built aircraft operated by a French pilot assigned to Escadrille Spa 48 of the French Air Service. Thompson carried a Lewis machine gun and acted as the aircraft’s defensive and offensive gunner. His role reflected the early structure of military aviation, in which reconnaissance and artillery spotting missions frequently required two-man crews.
During a patrol over the Western Front near the Franco-German lines, Thompson’s aircraft encountered a German Albatros fighter. According to official combat reports, Thompson fired multiple bursts from his machine gun at close range. The German aircraft lost control and entered a steep dive before crashing behind German lines. French ground observers confirmed the destruction of the enemy aircraft. This confirmation met Allied standards for a verified aerial victory.
The U.S. Army formally credited Thompson with the kill, making him the first American airman to destroy an enemy aircraft in combat. French authorities also recognized the action. Thompson received the French Croix de Guerre with palm for his conduct during the mission. The award reflected Allied acknowledgment of American participation at a time when U.S. aviation units remained in early stages of development.
The significance of February 5, 1918, extends beyond the single engagement. The event demonstrated that American personnel could integrate into Allied air operations and perform effectively under combat conditions. It also provided a symbolic boost to U.S. military aviation, which faced criticism for slow mobilization and limited resources during the early months of American involvement in the war. Thompson’s success offered tangible evidence of progress.
This incident occurred several months before the establishment of large, independent U.S. pursuit squadrons on the Western Front. When American units later entered sustained air combat in mid and late 1918, they did so with growing confidence shaped in part by earlier experiences like Thompson’s mission. The event thus occupies a transitional position between American dependence on Allied air power and the emergence of a distinct U.S. aerial combat force.
From a technological perspective, the engagement highlighted the continued importance of observer-gunners in early air combat. Fixed forward-firing machine guns synchronized with propellers had become common by 1918, yet two-seat aircraft still played a vital role. Thompson’s victory underscored how skill, situational awareness, and coordination could compensate for equipment limitations.
In the longer arc of U.S. military history, Thompson’s action stands as the opening chapter of American air-to-air combat success. It predates the rise of well-known American fighter aces and occurred before the creation of an independent air service. The U.S. Air Force later recognized this event as a foundational moment in its institutional lineage.
February 5, 1918, therefore represents more than a tactical success. It marks the first verified assertion of American combat power in the air. The event connects the United States to the broader transformation of warfare in the twentieth century, where control of the skies became a decisive factor. Thompson’s confirmed victory remains a fixed reference point in the documented history of American military aviation.
References / More Knowledge:
National Museum of the United States Air Force. “Lt. Stephen W. Thompson.”
https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit/Museum-Exhibits/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/197430/lt-stephen-w-thompson/
U.S. Army Center of Military History. The U.S. Air Service in World War I.
https://history.army.mil/html/books/air/air_service/CMH_Pub_23-1.pdf
Franks, Norman, Frank Bailey, and Russell Guest. Above the Lines: The Aces and Fighter Units of the German Air Service, Naval Air Service and Flanders Marine Corps, 1914–1918.
https://archive.org/details/abovelinesacesfi0000fran
History.com Editors. “First American Aerial Victory.”
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/first-american-aerial-victory