Murray Kenneth Guthrie

Name:

Country:

United States

Rank:

Lieutenant

Service:

United States Air Service

Units:

13^th Aero

Victories:

Born:

29 May 1896

Place of Birth:

Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

Died:

21 May 1985

Place of Death:

Lometa, Texas, USA

Raised in Mobile, Alabama, Murray Kenneth Guthrie, the son of K. R. Guthrie, joined the United States Air Service in 1918. As a SPAD XIII pilot, he was assigned to the 13th Aero Squadron, eventually becoming a flight commander. Credited with downing six Fokker D.VIIs, he was the highest scoring ace in his squadron. After the war, Guthrie returned to Minnesota where he co-founded an advertising agency, became an officer in a financial institution and started a food supplement company. In 1951, he moved to Texas and became a rancher.

Combat Report, 15 September 1918

Distinguished Service Cross (DSC)

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Murray Kenneth Guthrie, First Lieutenant (Air Service), U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Andevanne, France, October 1, 1918. Lieutenant Guthrie was a member of an offensive patrol of four planes, which was attacked far behind the enemy's lines by six German machines. One of our pilots was forced to withdraw by the failure of his machine-guns, and two others were surrounded and overpowered. Lieutenant Guthrie fought the six enemy planes alone for ten minutes and destroyed one of them.

General Orders No. 37, W.D., 1919

Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) Oak Leaf Cluster

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Murray Kenneth Guthrie, First Lieutenant (Air Service), U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Montfaucon, France, October 4, 1918. When the leader of his patrol was blown to pieces by a shell, Lieutenant Guthrie took command and attacked the formation of six enemy planes. Although he became separated from his companions, he succeeded in destroying one of his opponents.

General Orders No. 37, W.D., 1919

Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) Oak Leaf Cluster

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Murray Kenneth Guthrie, First Lieutenant (Air Service), U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Fontaines, France, November 4, 1918. As flight commander, Lieutenant Guthrie led his formation of six planes to the attack of seven enemy planes (type, Fokker); six of the enemy were destroyed, one of which was sent down by this officer. Immediately following this combat he attacked and drove off four hostile machines (type, Fokker), which were about to attack one of our balloons.

General Orders No. 37, W.D., 1919

Victories

	Date	Time	Unit	Aircraft	Opponent	Location
1	14 Sep 1918	0805	13^th		Fokker D.VII	Preny
2	14 Sep 1918	0805	13^th		Fokker D.VII	Preny
3	15 Sep 1918	1030	13^th		Fokker D.VII	Vaux
4	01 Oct 1918	1635	13^th		Fokker D.VII	Andevanne
5	04 Oct 1918	0855	13^th		Fokker D.VII	Nantillois
6	04 Nov 1918	1300	13^th		Fokker D.VII	Fontaine

Books

American Aces of World War 1: by Norman Franks, Harry Dempsey (Illustrator) / Paperback / Osprey Publishing (September 25, 2001)
Over the Front: by Norman L. R. Franks, Frank W. Bailey / Hardcover / Grub Street the Basement (May 1992)

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