Posted on Mar 14, 2016
Gervais Raoul Lufbery - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Interesting Military Birthday today. Gervais Raoul Lufbery March 14, 1885 – May 19, 1918 was a French-American fighter pilot and flying ace in World War I. Because he served in both the French Air Force, and later the United States Army Air Service in World War I. http://acepilots.com/wwi/us_lufbery.html
Gervais Raoul Lufbery - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Posted from en.wikipedia.org
Birthday
WWI
Pilot
Military History
World History
Posted 9 y ago
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That is a very striking name SGT John " Mac " McConnell. I wonder what Gervais Raoul Lufbery's American nickname was. Having served in both the French and American armies must have been fascinating for this WWI ace.
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LTC Stephen F.
SGT John " Mac " McConnell - It seems he died before he earned a nickname. Being impaled on a picket fence is a sad way to die.
"94th Aero Squadron
He was one of the first members of the Lafayette Escadrille to be selected for American service. He was given the rank of Major, and assigned to the as-yet unformed 94th Aero Squadron, and he began "flying a desk" for U.S. aviation headquarters at Issoudun. In early March, 1918, when the Germans staged their last big offensive of the war, he and other experienced American pilots had nothing to do. (The 94th, the "Hat in the Ring" squadron, included Eddie Rickenbacker and became the leading American squadron of World War One.) The 94th had some Nieuports, but no machine guns for them. "It's nearly a year since the United States declared war," Lufbery complained, "And what do you suppose the 94th is doing? Waiting for machine guns." Tired of waiting around, Lufbery led Rickenbacker and Doug Campbell flew the 94th's first (although unarmed) patrol on March 19.
But once he did begin flying with the 94th, for some reason he became moody and irritable. He worried about his Nieuport 28 and (like Mick Mannock) obsessed over a fear of fire in the air. On May 19, a Lieutenant Gude of the 94th went up to engage an Albatros two-seater over their airfield at Saint-Mihiel. This was Lt. Gude's first combat flight, and at first it seemed as if he had scored against the Albatros, but after spiraling downward the German pilot pulled out and headed for home.
Anxious to score over Allied lines, Lufbery took off after the escaping Albatros. The onlookers watched, expecting him to shoot down the German easily. He made one pass and then moved off, likely to clear a jammed gun. But the enemy gunner hit next and Lufbery's plane caught on fire. Lufbery was seen to climb out of the cockpit and jump, from about 200 feet above the village of Maron. He was impaled on a picket fence and his body recovered by a woman and her daughter. Billy Mitchell watched, and regretted that America's leading flier had not been carrying a parachute (not yet regulation equipment)."
"94th Aero Squadron
He was one of the first members of the Lafayette Escadrille to be selected for American service. He was given the rank of Major, and assigned to the as-yet unformed 94th Aero Squadron, and he began "flying a desk" for U.S. aviation headquarters at Issoudun. In early March, 1918, when the Germans staged their last big offensive of the war, he and other experienced American pilots had nothing to do. (The 94th, the "Hat in the Ring" squadron, included Eddie Rickenbacker and became the leading American squadron of World War One.) The 94th had some Nieuports, but no machine guns for them. "It's nearly a year since the United States declared war," Lufbery complained, "And what do you suppose the 94th is doing? Waiting for machine guns." Tired of waiting around, Lufbery led Rickenbacker and Doug Campbell flew the 94th's first (although unarmed) patrol on March 19.
But once he did begin flying with the 94th, for some reason he became moody and irritable. He worried about his Nieuport 28 and (like Mick Mannock) obsessed over a fear of fire in the air. On May 19, a Lieutenant Gude of the 94th went up to engage an Albatros two-seater over their airfield at Saint-Mihiel. This was Lt. Gude's first combat flight, and at first it seemed as if he had scored against the Albatros, but after spiraling downward the German pilot pulled out and headed for home.
Anxious to score over Allied lines, Lufbery took off after the escaping Albatros. The onlookers watched, expecting him to shoot down the German easily. He made one pass and then moved off, likely to clear a jammed gun. But the enemy gunner hit next and Lufbery's plane caught on fire. Lufbery was seen to climb out of the cockpit and jump, from about 200 feet above the village of Maron. He was impaled on a picket fence and his body recovered by a woman and her daughter. Billy Mitchell watched, and regretted that America's leading flier had not been carrying a parachute (not yet regulation equipment)."
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