William H. Stovall

William Howard Stovall
Lieutenant William H. Stovall, 13th Aero Squadron, 1918
Nickname(s)	Hank
Born	18 February 1895 Stovall, Mississippi, USA
Died	11 May 1970 (aged 75) Stovall, Mississippi, USA
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	Air Service, United States Army
Years of service	1917 - 1918; 1941 - 1945
Rank	Lieutenant; later colonel
Unit	13th Aero Squadron
Battles/wars	World War I World War II
Awards	Distinguished Service Cross, Victory Medal with 3 battle clasps, Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster, Bronze Star, European Theatre of Operations ribbon with 5 battle stars, British Order of the British Empire, French Legion d'Honneur and Croix de Guerre with Palm
Relations	Father: William Howard Stovall; son: William Howard Stovall; wife: Eleanor; two other sons and a daughter
Other work	Deputy Chief of Staff of U. S. Strategic Air Force during World War II

Lieutenant (later Colonel) William Howard Stovall (18 February 1895 - 11 May 1970) began his military career as a World War I flying ace credited with six aerial victories. He went on to become a successful businessman, as well as serving his country a second time in World War II. On the latter occasion, he served once again with fellow aerial combat veterans from World War I, Frank O'Driscoll Hunter and Carl Spaatz. He also suffered the loss of his namesake son in aerial battle.

Upon return from the war, Stovall won awards for his agricultural expertise. He died in his sleep at home, aged 75.

William Howard Stovall was born on his family's cotton plantation in Stovall, Mississippi on 18 February 1895. He was the son of Civil War Confederate colonel William Howard Stovall. He graduated from Lawrenceville School in 1913, then attended Yale in 1916.

He reported to the 13th Aero Squadron in July 1918. On 1 August, in company with Charles Biddle and two other American pilots, he shot down two German Albatros D.V fighters over Viéville-en-Haye. Then, from 15 September to 23 October 1918, he downed four of the new Fokker D.VII fighters. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.

He returned to the plantation after the war. During World War II, he served once again, joining the U.S. Army Air Forces as a major on 12 December 1941. He became the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel for the Eighth Air Force in Britain under a World War I comrade, Brigadier General Frank O'Driscoll Hunter; the two of them worked for another World War I companion, General Carl Spaatz. Stovall's son, William Howard Stovall, also served in the Army Air Forces; he saw his father in England during Christmas 1944 before the younger Stovall was killed in action while engaging 7 enemy aircraft over Bergsteinfurt, Germany. He had to bail out of his battle damaged plane after a 50 mile running combat and he was to low and his chute did not deploy all the way. He downed 2 of the 7 in combat. Colonel Stovall met the pilot who thought he had accidentally killed his son. Colonel Stovall proved otherwise when he developed gun camera film that showed the pilot had not fired long enough and that the deflection angle of his guns were not anywhere near his son's plane.