The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1916-11-09
FRANCE HAS new
AIR DAREDEVIL
Former CavaIryman Performs
Astonishing Feats Of vaIor
With Aeroplane.
IS MANY TIMES DECORATED
Pronounced Permanently Disabled
After Smash-Up, He Steals Ma
chine and Goes Forth to New
Deeds of Heroism.


Parls-Nungesser, the latest air
man to be revealed to us as a prince
among pilots, is great, big, heavy
fellow, fat-faced and cumbersome of
build.
He was a cavalryman in the Second
Hussars when he started his career
and the war was not month old be
- fore he distinguished himself.
His squadron was cut off and sur
rounded in the retreat from Charleroi
The troop commander was lying help
less, badly wounded. Nungesser bore
him to shelter. Getting a few strag-
lers together, he ambuslcd German
staff motor car, killed its occupants,
put his wounded officer inside, and
taking the wheel set off on wild dash
through the enemy's lines. The car
was powerful Mors, and the way
N,ingesser let her all out and tore
through the whole ranks of Germans
earned for him the epithet of dash
to Death"
Nungesser was subsequently pro-
NOTED quartermaster, awarded the
military medal, and permanently APP
pointed army chauffeur.
Takes to Flying.
Nungesscr later handed in his res
ignation and declared that unless he
was put into the flying corps he would
take his place in the trenches. He al
ready had pilots ticket, and after
week or two of training was passed
as good for military aviation.
Between April and August, 1915, he
took part in SO bombarding expedi-
tons, three of which secured him
fresh mentions in dispatches. Return
ing from the last, he cspied German
Albatross over Nancy, went for it, de-
spite the handicap of his heavy, slow
machine, insufliciently armed for sim
gle combat, and shot down the invader.
This achievement brought him into
prominence and he was promoted to
the crack chasing corps. Before the
end of the year he had been made
chevalier of the Legion of Honor.
A side slip at Bue, however, when
trying new type of machine, almost
cost him his life. He was picked up
for dead, with. a fractured skull,
broken jaw, nearly all his ribs broken
the muscles of the legs torn away.
Nungesser refused to accept the doc
tors decision that he was permanently
disabled; he declined to take three
months on cOnvalescence, If he ever
wanted to be of any use again-and
almost stealing machine, he scared
alOft, and never came down until he
had accounted for German aero.
plane.
Given His Own Way.
After this he was allowed to have
his own way. He could scarcely talk,
owing to the necessity of binding up
his jaw, his head was swathed in
bandages, he had to be lifted in and |
out of his acroplane, but he was per-
feet demon once aloft. He then be-
came Il sub-lieutenant.
This was mt the end of March and |
the beginning Of April last. On April |
% he engaged, single-handed, three |
Fokkers. brought down one and gave
the Others Il severe hauling A week |
later he was swOoped down upon by |
flotilla of six Fokkers. He had one |
down before they could get his range
almost, and then sailed at full speed |
right into the midst of the others.
They were unable to fire, for fear of |
hitting one another. whereas he pound
ed them hard until he had not shot
left, then by mastery airmanship, he
showed them clean pair Of heels.
They were in such state that they
did not dare follow him, which was
lucky, for he had not gone a mile or
two before his engine went all to
pieces. Seven balls had gone through
it, and only n couple Of cylinders still
had any go in them. He had dropped
to under 5000 feet, and was limping
lamely as he crawled back over the
German trenches.
The storm of shells missed him all
the same and he made home safely.
One shot had gone through his helmet
and grazed the top Of his head, an
other had carried away the heel of
his slipper, ~ had struck the plane
and done various kinds of damage
without counting those In the engine.