El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-11-09

nARIs, France. Nov. As Bill
I shakspere used to say: What's in
4 manner" Under the modest title Of
the "Gimpers' is operating in France
one Of the best squadrons on the
whole fighting front. Witness the fact
that the French government has just
conferred seven decorations Of the
coveted Legion Of Honor, and 70 Croix
de Guerre to American pilots and OBJ
servers who took part in the aerial
activity preceding marshal Foeh's
surprise attack Of July IS, including
Lieut. Ralph O'Neiu Of Nogales. Ariz.
a great number OF the pilots who
have received the official recognition
Of France are "Gimpers." but unfor-
tunately a number Of the decorations
have been made posthumously. as
several Of the men have made the su-
prerne sacrifice on the field OF battle.
There is no mention OF the Gimp
ers" in any official q. s records They
are known under a unit number Still
they are a unit Of which the army
may well be proud, and as soon as
Individual names are mentioned the
"Gimpers'' will be recognized in most
corners OF America
Their squadron commander IS Capt.
Kenneth Mari. Of San Francisco, who
recently added to his fame by bringing
down another Hun aviator who was
INDUCING in trying TO bomb an Amer
lean hospital MARI was already wen
known as a member OF the famous la
fayette Escadrille.
Lufbery Best Known
Perhaps Lufbery, the mourned
American ace" was the best known
OF the "Gimpers." Another Of the
squadron who has faced death times
without number and who IS now a
prisoner in Germany Is James Norman
(Jimmiel Hail, author Of Kitchen
er's Mob" OF which he was one Doug
las Campbell and Alan WinslOw (slnce
killed) were two youths who rose TO
suppIant the fallen stars. distin-
guishsd themselves by taking the air
and bringing down Boche apiece
inside OF ten minutes. Both were
'Gimpers" and extremely proud Of il.
So IS Eddie Richenbacher, OF Colum-
bus, Ohio. the former champion auto
race driver. who has shown as much
skill in the air as on the earth with
eight official victories TO his credit.
One "Gimper' who is about to be made
a captain for his fine work is James,
Or Jacques, ordinarily known as Jim
ME" Meissner, OF Brooklyn. Meissner
is one OF the most promising flyers,
as his official string Of victories bears
testimony 10.
All Of the following boys have
proved themselves airmen OF the first
degree by downing some Of the best
flyers the "All Highest ever sent TO
the front, including members OF the
late Won Richthofen's famous circus"
Lieut. Hamilton (Ham) Coolidge, OF
Boston; Lieut. Thorne c Taylor. OF
Chicago, and Lieut. Walter II Smythe,
Of New York.
Nearly all these boys also contrib
uted materially toward establishing
aerial supremacy in the St Mihiel
smash when they were rushed up TO
reinforce the French units who were
already on the grou =
Legion of Honor Men.
Lieut. Col Bert n. Att A. son. OF
Georgia: Mai Lewis H. Brereton, OF
Annapolis, Nd: Lieut. Douglas Camp
bell OF California; Lieut.. Sumner
Sewall. OF Bath, Ne: Lieut. Edward
Buford. OF Nashville. Tenn: Lieut. Ed
die Rickenbacher, OF Columbus. O..
and Second Lieut. John Macarthur, OF
Buffalo. " Y
CrOix de Guerre Citation.
Those who received the Croix de
Guerre or. through already having
that decoration. received the right 10
wear another palm for the extra eta
tion. are as follows:
Pursuit pilots (single sesters)-Nai.
Harold E Hartney, Pasadena, Calf
Capt Kennth A Mari, San Francisco.
Calf: Capt David Mex Peterson,