New-York tribune., 1918-05-21
Lufbery, an Obscure Wanderer.
Climbed to Fame in Airplane
f1ero OF Two Nations Won nnumerable Honors in Two
Years During Which He Shot Down Eighteen
Enemy Aircraft

Major Raoul Lufbery climbed in his
aeroplane from an aimless obscurity
. to the heights of international fame in
less than two years.
Two years ago he was a soldier Of
fortune. To-day two nations mourn
him and sing his praises alternately as
the peer of American "aces," whose
uncanny flying skill and machine-gun
proficiency officially accounted for
eighteen enemy planes.
Lufbery closed a career of wander
ing to become a cadet in the Lafayette
Escadrille in July, 1916. He would have
entered the service sooner, but indeci-
sion over his allegiance, in view of his
French birth of American rarents, kept
hlm out for time. He was thirty two
years old when he enlisted.
On April 8, 1917, though but a SER
geant, Lufbery led the other mem
bers of the Escadrille in the number
OF enemy aircraft bagged. He had shot
down six. France resounded with his
praises in June when Lufbery swooped
from behind cloud, his favorite meth
od OF attack, and plunged into squad
ron OF hve German planes. His ma
chine gun sent one earthward imme-
dlately, and the others fed, with the
lone air knight in pursuit.
Cited Many Times by French
The French official reports cited him
IN the army orders as "a marvellous
hghting pilot, who is a living example
of audacity, GOODNESS and devotion to
his squadron" In August the French
once more expressed characteristic ad-
mlration with the citation: "Adroit
and intrepid, and true model for all
his comrades"
But Lufbery's greatest tribute came
wnen services in memory of Captain
alrman. were being held in an air
sdrome. AS part of the ceremonial, Luf-
berry was decorated with the classifica-
ton: "A remarkable pilot, who, on Oc-
tober "a, in the course of three sue
cessive patrols, brought down his four
teenth adversary and forced five others
to fall out of control"
The French were lavish in their rec
ognition of Lufbery's exploits. He
wrote to his brother few months ago:
II am looking like Christmas tree
with the medals all over my chest"
The remark was typical. Lufbery
fought, took his .honors, and probably
died-lightly and with a laugh.
Almost all the Allies had decorated
him with their highest insignia. He
won the Croix de Guerre, the British
Military Cross, the French Medaille
Militaire and the Legion of Honor.
When the twenty-four Americans of
the Lafayette Escadrille were absorbed
by the American aerial forces last De-
cember Lufbery was commissioned
major. William K. Thaw, whose career
IN the air was largely linked with Luf-
bery's, received a similar ranking
Born in Clermont, France
The little town of Wallingford, Conn.,.
like Lufbery himself, was little known
until the aviator began his sky con-
quests. Though he spent only a year
and half there he always claimed the
village as his home.
Lufbery was born in Clermont,
France, and came to this country when
six years old. New York City was his
first American home. He returned to
France several years later. At tue age
Of fifteen an Unsuitable wanderlust took
him to Algiers. Egypt, Rumania, Switz-
erland and finally Germany were in
cluded in his random itinerary. In
Germany his remarkable physique
qualified him as an athletic instructor.
Later he unexpectedly returned to
Connecticut to find that his father
had gone to France. He lived at Wal
lingford with his brother and worked
at various occupations, including casket
trimming manufacture The Walling-
ford existence increased his thirst for
adventure and he journeyed to Cuba.
He returned to the United States and
enlisted in the army, seeing service in
the Philippines, supplementing this