Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-08-29
Automobile Racing
Was The Ambition Of
Eddie Rickenbacker

Columbus, O., Aug. 2S.-St1teen
years ago in a small tombstone works
here, a ganglins youth Of Is wrestled
with mallet and chisel, learning the
art of monument making, physically
on the Job, mentally behind the
steering wheel OF a racing automobile.
That was the first job Captain Ed
ward v. Rickenbacher, American ace
OF. aces in the World war. ever held
in his life. He vas getting IS a week.
Later he gladly accepted a job in q
garage. 1t payed 81 a week.
Rickenbacker was born in a little
frame cottage close to the Columbus
Driving park. From the, days when
he was bis enough TO peer through
the fence. the track fascinated him.
When automobile racing started, the
Driving park was his mecca. His
racing automobile. He reached his
goal when he was Is years Of age. At
that time, he was. sent to Texas by a
local automobile concern, In whose
factory he had been working to dem
onstrate its speedsters.
Was Auto Racer.
< From then on. his career wis
metoric. He became one Of the best
known automobile raeers in the coun-
try.
Rckenbacher entered the world
war as chauffeur to General Pershing.
His rise to American ace Of aces was
as Sensational as the jump from the
obscurtty of his Columbus home to
the highest pinnacle Of racing fame.
Rickenbacher became a part Of the
A. E.. F. after a series Of rebuffs
When the United States entered the
war, he vas in England buying racing
cars. He Immediately returned to this
country and offered his services He
tried to get governmental sanction to
a plan of his to enlist a flying squad
ron from among racing drivers OF The
country, but army ofacials turned the
prefer down.
A few weeks later Rickenbacher
was on his way overseas as chauf-
fuer to General Pershing. A short
time after arriving abroad, he was In
an aviation training camp. placed
there through the personal interven-
ton of General Pershing.
Rickenbacher basged his first Ger
ma early in 1918. Within a month
he had won the Croix de Guerre, and
despite his delayed entrance into
aviation, be was the second American
to be given the title Of ace.
II At this tuncture, he met with an
accident that nearly ended his cAree.
as q flyer.
Ills ear drums were split as the re-
suit Of q s6.o00-foot fall which came
after a single-handed fight aSatnsl
three German planes. The tip Of one
OF the wings Of the plane Rfcken-
hacker was plotting was carried away
hD q h40@S1A nlGrAr~~A ~ nuv--l
to earth. He was pronounced In
capacited for further service.
The former racing driver refused
to be put out Of the running, and car
ried hts case direct to General Perish
ing. The latter ruled that he still
might fight.
Many Of the medals ana cups won
and conferred upon Rickenbacker
during his career, = packed care:
fully away in the little frame cottage
here. ut there are four @thiHgs MrE
Elizabeth Rickenbacher. his mother,
values more than anything else. Thcy
are:
A piece 7of marble chiseied in the
shape Of 4 book. and bearing the In.
scription Holy Bible"
Atsmall wooden chest.
A silver cup. embossed with gold
the championship trophy won By
Rickenbacher in 4 bitter contest q
Sioux City, Ia. in July -i3lf. when ht
drove q DusenburG car to victory In I
sec-miIe rae on q gumbo dirt track
citation from the French gov.
eminent, accompanying the ward ol
the Croix de Gnerre.
Rickenbacker chisied the marhl,
book in his monument making ap.
prentice days. The WOODEN chest Il
ia memento OF q short time spent IL
the shops Of a railroad here.
His mother values them A. sym.
bolic OF the steps In her SON.. life.