Francis May Simonds  Lieutenant Francis May Simonds (17 October 1894 – 10 July 1961) was an American World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories. Captain of the football team and a member of the varsity eight in his junior year, Francis May Simonds graduated from Columbia University in 1916. Simonds was assigned to the 147th Aero Squadron on 23 February 1918. He scored five aerial victories from July through October 1918.