- USAF Academy Department of History
The Luckiest Man Alive: The Life of World War I Aviator Captain John H. Hedley
by Jack S. Ballard
As the one hundredth year anniversary of World War I continues, discover more information about Captain John H. Hedley. Follow the experiences of this little-known British aviator as he evolves into an ace crewman in the observer cockpit. Holding a unique place in aviator lore, he survives a fall from his observer’s seat by landing on the tail of his own aircraft!
Documents and artifacts, recently made available by Hedley’s grandson, contribute to the description of Hedley’s signature event, his prisoner of war status in World War I, and his postwar transition to an American citizen.
