Eddie Rickenbacker the most decorated flying ace in WWI

On my walk through Green Lawn Cemetery in Columbus, Ohio, I visited the grave of Eddie Rickenbacker, the most decorated American flying ace of World War I.

Rickenbacker was born in 1890 in Columbus to Swiss immigrant parents. His childhood was marked by hardship. When Eddie was just thirteen, his father was killed in a workplace accident, forcing him to leave school and become the family’s primary breadwinner. He took whatever jobs he could find and, though largely self-taught, showed exceptional mechanical aptitude. He later said that his true education came not from classrooms, but from hard labour and self-teaching.

Fearless by nature, Eddie became a race car driver before the war—one of the most dangerous professions of the time. What he could not have known then was that the speed, risk, and mechanical precision of racing would sharpen his reflexes, courage, and technical intuition. These qualities would ultimately carry him into the skies of World War I and transform him into an American aviation legend.

When the United States entered World War I in 1917, Eddie was initially assigned as a chauffeur due to his driving expertise. Determined to fly, he set his sights on becoming a fighter pilot. He would eventually fly with the 94th Aero Squadron, famously known as the “Hat in the Ring.”

In combat, Rickenbacker proved to be a disciplined and calculating pilot, rather than a reckless one. By the end of the war, he had achieved 26 confirmed aerial victories, making him the most successful American flying ace of World War I.

His bravery and leadership earned him numerous decorations, including the Medal of Honour, securing his legacy as one of America’s greatest airmen.

Eddie received the Medal of Honour in 1930 for his actions near Billy, France on September 25, 1918.

After the war, Eddie became a leading figure in the development of commercial air travel in the United States, serving as president of Eastern Air Lines. His leadership helped shape the modern airline industry during its formative years.

Eddie Rickenbacker died on July 23, 1973, in Zurich, Switzerland. He was 82.

1890-1973