June 10, 2011

During World War I, pilot Field E. Kindley of Gravette (Benton County) became one of the nation’s ranking aces. During his wartime service, Kindley was officially credited with downing twelve enemy airships (five confirmed kills raised a pilot to the ranking of ace). Kindley remained in the service after the war and was killed in a flight demonstration accident in 1920. He is shown here during the war in his Sopwith Camel plane with his pet dog, Fokker.