Lansing Holden

Two American World War I aces, Lieutenants Lansing Holden (95th Aero Squadron, Left) and Zenos R. Miller (27th Aero Squadron) Miller became an ace the same day he was shot down and became POW, 30 July 1918 Lansing C. Holden, Jr. (Denny) with mechanics. April–May 1918. Le Bourget, France. Escadrille 471.Lieutenant Lansing Colton Holden, Jr. (October 8, 1896 – November 13, 1938) was a World War I flying ace credited with seven aerial victories. before he scored his first victory on 29 September 1918. After destroying that German observation balloon, it would take him almost a month to score again; on 23 October, Holden teamed with Edward Peck Curtis to down a Fokker D.VII at 1630 hours, and then shot down another balloon solo. Four days later, Holden shot down a Hannover CL. He turned balloon buster again for his last three victories, on 30 October and 3 and 4 November 1918. and the Croix de Guerre, with palm, by the French Government. He was also decorated by the Spanish Government with the Order of the Moroccan Peace. He returned to New York to begin his architectural career.

In 1932, Merian C. Cooper, a fellow pilot, invited Holden to Hollywood to work on movies, notably with She (1935) as Director, What Every Woman Wants (1934) as associate art director, The Garden of Allah (1936) as color designer, A Star Is Born (1937) as Production Designer, and Pow Wow (1938) as Director. Holden illustrated an unofficial history of the 95th Aero called Squadron 95, written by fellow squadron member Harold Robert Buckley in 1933

He then returned to New York. He became an officer in the 102nd Observation Squadron, 27th Division, New York National Guard. On 13 November 1938, while attempting a landing in dodgy weather, he crashed to his death near Sparta, Tennessee.