Gorman DeFreest Larner
American flying ace
Captain Gorman DeFreest Larner (July 5, 1897 – May 20, 1984) was a World War I flying ace credited with seven aerial victories.
World War I
Larner was too young to join U. S. aviation, so he dropped out of Columbia University and began pilot's training at the private Curtiss Flying School in Buffalo, New York. He joined the French air service in July 1917. In December, he was assigned to Escadrille Spa.86. He used his Spad to down two enemy planes a week apart, on 18 and 25 March 1918; the latter victory was shared with Frank Hunter. The following month, he was commissioned into American service, but remained with the French until June. He was then transferred to the American 103rd Aero Squadron as a Flight Commander. He scored five more aerial victories with them, from 13 September to 4 November 1918. On 8 November, he was promoted to captain.
Between the World Wars
Larner stayed in France as part of the Peace Commission, and did not return to the U. S. until September 1919.
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