The Millionaires’ Unit

Founding squadron of the Air Force.

The Millionaires’ Unit is the story of a group of privileged Yale University students who during World War One’s call to arms, which did not include aviators, formed a private air militia in preparation for America’s entry into WWI.

Known as the First Yale Unit, dubbed ‘The Millionaires’ Unit’ by the New York press, these young men became the founding squadron of the U.S. Naval Air Reserve and were the first to fly for the United States in the Great War.

Only 13 years after the Wright Brothers' first flight, these affluent young men took on the charge voluntarily. Their service and sacrifice is the great untold story of American aviation in World War One.

Narrated by Oscar®-nominated actor Bruce Dern, grand-nephew of one of the pilots, this documentary epic was filmed in England, France and Belgium and along the Eastern Seaboard
Winner of multiple Best Documentary Feature film festival awards, The Millionaires’ Unit features stunning re-enactments and dogfights filmed air-to-air with period aircrafts.
Using the words of these pioneer aviators from their letters and diaries, the documentary tells the story of young men coming of age as America was coming of age as a world power.

2:00:22 | 2015

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