Louis Bennett Jr. was West Virginia’s only World War I fighter ace. Born in Weston, he died in France after his plane was shot down. In just 10 days of combat, he shot down 12 enemy targets—3 planes and 9 balloons—making him one of the top American-born aces of the war.

Before the U.S. entered the war, Bennett was attending Yale and created the West Virginia Flying Corps, with help from the governor, but the U.S. Army wouldn’t accept it. Eager to serve, he joined the British Royal Air Force instead. His mother later built memorials to honor his sacrifice.