Lieutenant Hilbert Leigh Bair began his service career as a World War I

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

 flying ace

Flying ace

A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...

 credited with six aerial victories.

Bair joined the U.S. Army Air Service on 18 July 1917. He was forwarded to the Royal Air Force for seasoning, and was assigned to 24 Squadron on 5 July 1918. On 22 August, he shared his first win with fellow ace William Lambert

William C. Lambert

William C. Lambert was an American fighter pilot who flew in World War I. He was probably the second-ranking American ace of World War I...

 and a couple of other pilots, driving a Fokker D.VII

Fokker D.VII

The Fokker D.VII was a German World War I fighter aircraft designed by Reinhold Platz of the Fokker-Flugzeugwerke. Germany produced around 3,300 D.VII aircraft in the summer and autumn of 1918. In service, the D.VII quickly proved itself to be a formidable aircraft...

 down out of control. Bair also shared one of his two 29 August victories with another pilot. The next day, Bair and Horace Barton

Horace Barton

Captain Horace Dale Barton was a World War I flying ace credited with 19 aerial victories.He originally spent 1914–1916 with the army in German Southwest and East Africa. He then joined the Royal Flying Corps in England. His first assignment after pilot's training was 84 Squadron. On 3 January...

 cooperated in the destruction of an Albatros

Albatros Flugzeugwerke

Albatros-Flugzeugwerke was a German aircraft manufacturer best known for supplying the German airforces during World War I.The company was based in Johannisthal, Berlin, where it was founded by Walter Huth and Otto Wiener on December 20, 1909. It produced some of the most capable fighter aircraft...

 reconnaissance plane. Bair singlehandedly destroyed a Fokker D.VII

Fokker D.VII

The Fokker D.VII was a German World War I fighter aircraft designed by Reinhold Platz of the Fokker-Flugzeugwerke. Germany produced around 3,300 D.VII aircraft in the summer and autumn of 1918. In service, the D.VII quickly proved itself to be a formidable aircraft...

 on 8 September. A week later, for his last triumph, he again teamed with Barton in the destruction of a Hannover recon plane. In October, Bair transferred back to an American unit, the 25th Aero Squadron.

In World War II, Hilbert Bair returned to service in the U.S. Army Air Force as a lieutenant colonel.