1. Raynal Cawthorne Bolling was the first high-ranking officer of the United States Army to be killed in combat in World War I A corporate lawyer by vocation, he became an early Army aviator and the organizer of both of the first units in what ultimately became the Air National Guard and the Air Force Reserve Command.
Raynal Bolling was touring his future area of operations to learn the nature of the work he would be expected to perform when he was killed in action by German troops during the opening days of the 1918 spring offensive.
Raynal Bolling was the namesake of Bolling Air Force Base.
Raynal Bolling was born in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and was a resident of Greenwich, Connecticut, from 1911 until 1915.
However, Raynal Bolling spent virtually no time enjoying his family and new home.
Raynal Bolling attended the Penn Charter School in Philadelphia, graduating in 1896.
Raynal Bolling graduated from Harvard College in the class of 1900 and from the Harvard Law School in 1902.
Raynal Bolling was the sister of William Phillips, a prominent career diplomat.
Raynal Bolling was in sympathy with the objectives of the Preparedness Movement, a group of influential Americans advocating military preparedness for involvement in World War I and drawn primarily from wealthy lawyers, bankers, academics, and politicians of the Northeast.
Raynal Bolling arranged for use of the American Aero Club's six-person balloon, the America III, to make a demonstration for the trainees.
Raynal Bolling secured the services of three additional flying instructors and began recruiting personnel.
Raynal Bolling received $12,500 in funding from the Aero Club of America The funds provided Bolling were donated anonymously by two wealthy New Yorkers, including William K Vanderbilt, specifically to establish a unit for the NY Guard.
Raynal Bolling returned its rented trainers to Gallaudet and acquired five more of disparate manufacture and age, including purchase of a Curtiss JN-4 "Jenny".
The company, commanded by now-Captain Raynal Bolling, was mustered into federal service on July 13,1916, and began a five-week encampment.
On November 18,1916, Raynal Bolling led a flight of seven Jennies from Mineola to New York harbor, where they were joined by a pair of JN-4s from the Governors Island school.
Raynal Bolling was called to active duty as a major in the Aviation Section, US Signal Corps on April 27,1917, "for duty in connection with the organization of the 1st Reserve Aero Squadron," pursuant to authorization of the National Defense Act of 1916.
Raynal Bolling's commission consisted of himself, two Army pilots trained in aeronautical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, two naval officers, seven civilian industrial experts, and 93 civilian manufacturing technicians.
Raynal Bolling was chosen for his business and legal skills in negotiating prices and royalties.
Raynal Bolling took advantage of his mission's "quasi-diplomatic" status and his brother-in-law's authority as an Assistant Secretary of State to communicate with Washington using the State Department's transatlantic telegraph cable.
Raynal Bolling prepared the preliminary aeronautical contract with the French, calling for delivery of 5,000 airplanes by July 1,1918, which was signed on August 30,1917, by the French air minister and General Pershing, now in command of the American Expeditionary Force.
On September 3,1917, Pershing created the Air Service of the American Expeditionary Force and chose Raynal Bolling to become Director of Air Service Supply, to administer the Air Service Zone of the Lines of Communication.
Raynal Bolling was promoted to colonel and his duties were a continuation of those under Mitchell: the supervision of training, the administration of personnel records, the operation of Air Service lines of communication, the activities of the Balloon Division, and the establishment of training schools and air depots for equipment and repair.
Raynal Bolling was relieved by Foulois and assigned to be chairman of the Joint Army-Navy Aircraft Committee, ostensibly to coordinate the activities of the military and the aviation industry in procuring aircraft.
Raynal Bolling was Pershing's nominal aviation representative on the Supreme War Council; however, Foulois sat on both these committees.
Raynal Bolling sought a combat command and was picked to become chief of air service for the US II Corps when it formed in the spring.
Only Raynal Bolling was armed, and that an officer's service revolver.
Holder and Raynal Bolling took cover in separate shell holes, which were connected by a ditch that enabled Raynal Bolling to see Holder.
When one of them fired twice at the unarmed Holder crouching in his hole, Raynal Bolling shot and killed the German with his revolver.
Raynal Bolling was posthumously awarded the Legion of Honour by the French government and the Distinguished Service Medal by the United States Army.
The sculptor Edward Clark Potter created a life-size statue of Raynal Bolling that was cast in bronze by the Gorham Foundry of Rhode Island for permanent display near the town commons of Greenwich, Connecticut.
Raynal Bolling is honored at the Memorial Church of Harvard University and by "Raynal Bolling Grove," a redwood grove on the Avenue of the Giants, paralleling US Highway 101 along the South Fork of the Eel River in Humboldt Redwoods State Park, California.