Introduction
Lieutenant Howard Burdick was a World War I flying ace credited with eight confirmed aerial victories.
Biography
Born in Brooklyn, New York, Burdick joined the Air Service, United States Army and was deployed to France. He was assigned to the 17th Aero Squadron, and flew British Sopwith Camels while attached to the Royal Air Force. For his actions in combat, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for eight aerial victories, often flying in company with George Vaughn, his flight commander. He shot down an enemy Fokker biplane with Vaughn on 14 October force landed and the enemy pilot was killed when shot up on the ground.
During World War II, his son Clinton became an ace flying the P-51 Mustang as part of VIII Fighter Command, based in England. Eventually settling in California, Burdick died in Los Angeles in January, 1975.