Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-06-25
Dashing Young Air
Pilot in France is
Idol Of Thousands
Correspondence Of The Associated Press)

Correspondence OF Ine Absociateo rrees-l
Paris, June l.-Second Lieutenant
Jean Navarro OF the French flying
corps, has just been officially credited
with destroying his tenth German ma
chine. Unofficially, he has brought
down eighteen; that is to say that, in
addition to the ten machines, destruc-
ton of which has been verified by his
superior officers, he is known to have
sent more to earth behind the German
lines under circumstances that justify
the supposition that they were de-
stroyed.
Navarro is the "enfant terrible, 1or
pest, of the French flying corps. with
eccentricities that keep his superior
officers busy. He has seen most Of
the world at IS, and had Just disetn-
barked from Japan and taken few
lessons in aviation when the war
broke out Too young to be called to
the colors regularly, he enlisted and
was summoned TO appear for medical
examination; instead of responding,
he took the train for Saint Cyr, and
told the officers J there that he had
been ordered to report to join the
engineers. Together with cot1lrade
that had receiyedga pilots license, he
applied to an officer of the flying
corps at Tours to be incorporated in
that service. The captain examined
the papers Of the real aviator and
passed him; then asked Navarro:
"Whatrdo you wanti" Same as he"
replied Navarro, and without further
formality Navarro found himself on
an acknowledgements .bipiane at the
front, regulating the fire Of the ar
tillery in November, 1914. 1t was a
service that was little suited to his
disposition; he called it driving
taxi-auto," and showed his discomfort
by some fantastic esolutions on re-
turning from an observation tour, that
resulted in his being sent to the rear.:
He presented himself at the aviation
camp where men were being trained
to fly the swift battle planes and was.
given opportunity to try one Of them.
His natural qualities as an acrobat OF
the air got him Immediately one Of
these new machines.
He made his debut in the chase in
March, 1915, and in his first expedi-
ton attacked one OF the German MAJ
chimes that was the most redoubtablt
at that time, by his skill as pilot
alone dominating his adversary. He
flew over him, looped loop under.
him, sailed all around him, risking.
dozen times to collide with him, Yet
never giving the German observer a
chance to fire. The German machine
finally went TO earth few yards from
the French lines without having been
hit or damaged in any way; the Ger
man pilot had lost his head in the
presence of the fantastic evolutions
of his adversary and could only in
quire after being made prisoner:
What in the world is that phenome-
non that fell upon mel" Since that
time Navarro has flown successfully
in all the different machines ia the
French aviation service, mastering
them all with equal ease and skill
and never failing. to charge an enemy
wherever he found him. His theory
of the aerial combat is to 60 at his
man, drive right at him, regardless
Of the enemy's fire, paying attention
only, to his own,
Up to date, Navarro has waged
nearly fifty air battles.
A great many anecdotes are told OF
Navarro, some Of them perhaps some
what stretched, few OF them authen-
tic. One Of he latter relates to his
fourth combat, which barely escaped
getting him thirty days Of prison. He
had then already acquired the habit,
which he still follows, OF getting out
before daylight and finishing his
sleep in his machine, so as to be;ready
to take the air instantly when an ad-
versary's machine is sisnaled. On
this occasion his aid ran up, crying:
There is a German coming up there
Navarro darted into the air above
the Marine river, and made straight
tor a big German two-seated biplane.
He fired dozen bullets at the pilot,
who, in trying to shield himself, steer
ed his machine abruptly to one side.
Then Navarro placed nine bullets in
the motor and the machine plunged
toward the earth, but landed without
accident. Navarro landed after il,
and, running up just as gendarmes
were taking the pilot and observer
away, invited them into d wine shop
besides the gendarmes' headquarters
to have q drink.
Winehed6n, Mass, promises TO Be