San Francisco County CA Archives Military Records.....Bonnalie, Allan F. 1918
WWI Air Service, attached to R. A. F.
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Distinguished Service Cross Citation
  Allan F. Bonnalie, first lieutenant, Air Service, attached to Royal Air Forces,
British Army. On August 13, 1918, this officer led two other machines on a long
photographic reconnaissance. In spite of the presence of numerous enemy aircraft
they were able to take all the photographs required, but were attacked by six Fokker
biplanes. During the combat Lieut. Bonnalie saw that one of his accompanying
machines was in difficulty and that an enemy airplane was nearly on its tail. He at
once broke off combat with the enemy with whom he was engaged and dived to the
assistance of the machine in trouble. He drove off the enemy plane, regardless of
the bullets which were ripping up his own, machine. Eventually, however, his tail
planes and his elevator wires were shot away and his machine began to fall in side
slips. Lieut. Bonnalie managed to keep his machine facing toward the British lines
by means of the rudder control, while his observer and the third machine drove off
the enemy aircraft, which was still attacking. In its damaged condition Lieut.
Bonnalie's machine was tail heavy, and he therefore had his observer leave his
cockpit and lie out along the cowl in front of the pilot. In this manner he
recrossed the British trenches at a low altitude and righted his machine
sufficiently to avoid a fatal crash. Had it not been for the gallantry of Lieut.
Bonnalie the injured machine to whose assistance he went would have fallen into
enemy territory, as pilot had been wounded and its observer killed. Lieut.
Bonnalie's own machine was riddled with bullets and it was a marvelous performance
to bring it safely to the ground. Residence at appointment: 2521 Mission Street, San
Francisco, Calif.

Additional Comments:

Extracted from:

CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR
THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS
AND THE
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL
ISSUED BY THE WAR DEPARTMENT
Since April 6, 1917
Up to and including
General Orders, No. 126, War Department, November 11, 1919

COMPILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL OF THE ARMY
WASHINGTON
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
1920


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