LIEUT. GERVAIS RAOUL LUFBERY, an “Ace” of the Lafayette Escadrille,
has brought down his thirteenth enemy airplane. The German machine was
first seen by Lufbery—who was scouting—several hundred yards above him.
By making a wide detour and climbing at a sharp angle he maneuvered
into a position above the enemy plane at an altitude of five thousand
yards and directly over the trenches. The German pilot was killed by
Lufbery’s first shot and the machine started to fall. The gunner in
the German plane quickly returned the fire, even as he was falling to
his death. One of his bullets punctured the radiator and lodged in the
carburetor of Lufbery’s plane, and he was forced to descend.
To a writer in the Philadelphia _Public Ledger_ Lufbery describes the
type of young man America will need for her air fleet. He says:
“It will take the cream of the American youth between the ages of
eighteen and twenty-six to man America’s thousands of airplanes, and
the double cream of youth to qualify as chasers in the Republic’s new
aerial army.
“Intensive and scientific training must be given this cream of youth
upon which America’s welfare in the air must rest. Experience has
shown that for best results the fighting aviator should not be over
twenty-six years old or under eighteen. The youth under eighteen has
shown himself to be bold, but he lacks judgment. Men over twenty-six
are too cautious.
“The best air fighters, especially a man handling a ‘chaser,’ must
be of perfect physique. He must have the coolest nerve and be of a
temperament that longs for a fight. He must have a sense of absolute
duty and fearlessness, the keenest sense of action and perfect sight to
gain the absolute ‘feel’ of his machine.
“He must be entirely familiar with aerial acrobatics. The latter
frequently means life or death.
“Fighting twenty-two thousand feet in the air produces a heavy strain
on the heart. It is vital, therefore, that this organ show not the
slightest evidence of weakness. Such weakness would decrease the
aviator’s fighting efficiency.
“The American boys who come over here for this work will be subject to
rapid and frequent variations in altitude. It is a common occurrence to
dive vertically from six thousand to ten thousand feet with the motor
pulling hard.
“Sharpness of vision is imperative. Otherwise the enemy may escape or
the aviator himself will be surprised or mistake a friendly machine for
a hostile craft. The differences are often merely insignificant colors
and details.
“America’s aviators must be men who will be absolute masters of
themselves under fire, thinking out their attacks as their fight
progresses.
“Experience has shown that the ‘chaser’ men should weigh under one
hundred eighty pounds. Americans from the ranks of sport—youths who
have played baseball, polo, football, or have shot and participated in
other sports—will probably make the best chasers.”
Lufbery is a daring aviator and has already been decorated with four
military medals awarded for aerial bravery. His life has been full of
adventure even before he thought of becoming an airman. _The Ledger_
says:
Fifteen years ago the aviator, then seventeen years old, left his home
in Wallingford, Conn., and set out to see the world. First he went to
France, the land of his progenitors. He visited Paris, Marseilles,
Bourges, and other cities. Then he went to Africa.
In Turkey he worked for some time in a restaurant. His plan was to
visit a city, get a job that would keep him until he had seen what he
desired, and then depart to a new field of adventure. In this manner he
traveled through Europe, Africa, and South America. In 1906 he returned
to his home in Connecticut. The following year he went to New Orleans,
enlisted in the United States army, and was sent to the Philippine
Islands. Two years later, upon being mustered out, Lufbery visited
Japan and China, exploring those countries thoroughly. Then he went
to India and worked as a ticket collector on a Bombay railroad. While
engaged at this occupation he kicked out of the railway station one of
the most prominent citizens of Bombay. The latter had insisted that
Lufbery say “sir” to him. The aviator always did have a hot temper.
Lufbery’s next occupation, and the business to which he has remained
attached ever since, was had at Saigon, Cochin China, where he met Marc
Pourpe, a young French aviator, who was giving flying exhibitions in
Asia. He needed an assistant. Lufbery never had seen an airplane, but
he applied for the job and got it.
The two men gave exhibitions over the French provinces in Indo-China.
After one of these flights the King of Cambodia was so pleased that he
presented each aviator with a decoration that entitled him to a guard
of honor on the streets of any town within the realm.
Lufbery and Pourpe, now inseparable comrades, went to Paris to get a
new airplane. War was declared, and Pourpe volunteered as an aviator.
Lufbery, who was anxious to be with his friend, tried also to enlist,
but was told that he must enter the Foreign Legion, as he was not a
French citizen.
Pourpe was shot to death during one of his wonderful air feats; and,
wishing to avenge the death of his friend, Lufbery asked to be trained
as an airplane pilot. His request was granted and in the summer of 1916
he went to the front as a member of the American Escadrille. It was on
August 4 of that year that he brought down his third enemy plane, and
soon afterward was decorated with the Military Medal and the French War
Cross, with the following citation:
“LUFBERY, RAOUL, sergeant with the escadrille No. 124; a model of
skill, _sang froid_, and courage. Has distinguished himself by numerous
long-distance bombardments and by the daily combats which he delivers
to enemy airplanes. On July 31 he attacked at short range a group of
four German airplanes. He shot one of them down near our lines. On
August 4, 1916, he succeeded in bringing down a second one.”
Two or more combats a day in the air came to be a common occurrence
with Lufbery, and many times he returned to the base with his machine
full of holes and his clothing cut by German bullets.
When Lufbery heard of the death of Kiffin Rockwell he ordered his
gasoline tank refilled and soared into the sky, in the hope of avenging
the death of his comrade. But no enemy machine was to be found. Of
Lufbery’s further exploits _The Ledger_ says:
During the bombardment of the Mauser factories on October 12, 1916,
the intrepid aviator brought down a three-manned _aviatik_. This was
counted as his fifth official victory and gained him additional honors.
It was during this raid that Norman Prince was mortally wounded.
After the escadrille had moved to the Somme battlefield, Lufbery, on
November 9 and 10, brought down two more German planes. These, however,
fell too far within their own lines to be placed to his official
credit. On December 27, 1916, he nearly lost his life in bringing down
his sixth flier of the enemy. Four bullets riddled the machine close to
his body. For this victory he received the Cross of the Legion of Honor.
In March of this year he was officially credited with bringing down
his seventh German aircraft. The others have been sent hurtling to the
earth at different times since then.
Lufbery is a quiet, level-headed man. His particular friend in the
Lafayette Escadrille of American fliers is Sergeant Paul Pavelka, who
also hails from Connecticut, and who has himself seen quite a bit of
the world. Lufbery has his own special methods of attacking enemy
airplanes; he is cool, cautious, and brave, and an exceptionally fine
shot. When he was a soldier in the United States army he won and held
the marksmanship medal of his regiment. He has been cited in army
orders twice since August, 1916.