It may be of interest to WWI collectors that America's 2nd highest scoring ace of WWI used an Elgin watch: No. 20225566

Frank Luke was known as "The Arizona Balloon Buster." Winner of the Congressional Medal of Honor and other high honors he went after the toughest targets, heavily defended German observation balloons.

"In seventeen days in September, 1918, in just nine days of combat flying, ten missions, and only thirty hours of flight time, he shot down fourteen enemy balloons and four aircraft (seven planes according to some sources)."

On 9/29/1918, after being shot down, Frank Luke refused to surrender. Drawing his pistol he died fighting.

The only mention of the watch is the make and serial number. According to an officer of the American Graves Registration Unit, the unmarked grave was opened and the body examined in 1919. French villagers stated that the Germans had taken everything of value from the body including identification. But they apparently did not find the watch under his sleeve.

Additional information is available here:

http://acepilots.com/wwi/us_luke.html
acepilots.com

The type of case used with this open face grade 418 Elgin is unknown. But the fact that this 1918 vintage Elgin left the factory and found its way into combat the same year suggests that Elgin wrist watches were popular in 1918 and not sitting around in inventory.

Greg, that was a very interesting biography.
It made me think about a movie I saw a few years ago about WW1 flyers. I do not remember the name of it, but is was very interesting.