The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1918-05-21
GREATEST AMERICAN AIR
FIGHTER MEETS DEATH I'M
CONFLICT WITH BIGPLANE|

AMERICAN HEADQUARTERS IN
FRANCE, May 20--(Associated Press J
Major Gervais Raoul Lufbery, pre-
mier ace Of the American fiers in
France met dafeat and death in an en-.
gagement with German aviatots today.
Major Lufbery in bis fighting plane
engagedsa German's Two scatter which
carried two machine guns. High above
the earth they Iianeuyered and fought
until the machine Of the American pre-.
mier ace was seen to burst into flames
and crash to the earth. It was evi,
dent that his gas tank had been hit
and punctured. IT,
When the body of the great aviator
was tenderly picked up it was found he
had met his death from the fall and not
from wounds for the only wound on the
body was one on the thumb.
Major Lufbery was the premier ace
of the Lafayette Escadrille before the
United States entered the war and has
been the premier of all American air
fighters since that body went into the
service of the native country of its
members. He had downed eighteen
enemy machines while with the French
and the American cOlors.
Spectacular Career
Lufbery's career ever had been full
Of excitement. Life to him has been
one adventure after another. Sixteen
years ago, the aviator, then seventeen
years old, left his home in Walling-
ford, Connecticut, 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.
From China To France
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 new field of adven-
turP. In this manner he travelled
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 these 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 promi-
nent citizens of Bombay. The latter
had insisted that Lufbery say "sir" to
him, The aviator always did have a
hot temper.
Becomes Aviator
Lufbery' 3 next occupation and the
business to which he has remained at
tached 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 pre-.
scented each aviator with a decoration
that entitled him to a guard of honor
on the streets of any town within the
realm.
Joins Foreign Legion
In the summer of 1914 the two com
rades came to France to get a new air,
plane War was declared and Pourpe
at once volunteered as an aviator. Luf.
berry wished to enlist with him, but
was told if he desired to serve Franco
in that capacity he must enter the