Joseph Callaghan

Who was Joseph Callaghan?

Major Joseph Creuss Callaghan was a World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories.

The Irish-born Callaghan was living in Texas when World War I began; he returned home to join the Royal Munster Fusiliers. He transferred to the Royal Flying Corps on 1 September 1915. He was assigned to No. 18 Squadron in April 1916; he promptly piloted an FE.2b to victory on the 26th, getting credit for destroying a Fokker Eindekker. He crashlanded near Château de la Haie because of damaged controls, to discover his observer dead, shot through the head.

His next posting was to No. 2 School of Aerial Gunnery. His final posting was command of No. 87 Squadron in January 1918. He scored four more victories in a month, between 29 May and 28 June 1918, flying Sopwith Dolphin No. D3671. On 2 July, he launched a solo attack on a large formation of German fighters, estimated to number as many as 25. He was shot down in flames by German ace Leutnant Franz Büchner.