davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1921-03-06
NUNGESSERS fighting plane, sOth the fetish so feared
by the Germans painted its side

nous. The general in command Of
the Division had sent for him and
Nungesser listened to such praise
from that officers lips as might fill
any soldier with pride.
"You are Hussar Of the Hus-
sars!" exclaimed the general, in
conclusion. "You have taken &
Mors. I shall give it to you. Hence
forth you shall be 'Hussar Of the
Mors'"
The Medaillc Militaire, one of our
most distinguished decorations, was
Herewith bestowed upon him. This
is the reason why Nungesser wears
the uniform and title of lieutenant
of hussars, where he won his first
military fame, although a captain
Of aviation. But he prefers to use
now the simple designation he gave
the commander of the cavalry di-
vision when he asked: what is
your name?" and was told "Nun-
gesser"
Ever since he was eighteen years
of age this famous ace has been
fond of flying and, at the first op-
portunity, entered the aviation serv-
ice Of France, where his adventures
in the skies have wen the admira-
ton of the world.
have asked him what his sensa-
New-York tribune., 1921-03-06
7 LIEUTENANT NUNGESSER on crutches at the front
IL after one of his numerous injuries

gether in battle. But I met him at
the front, where i heard the story
OF his first leap to fame, story
thrillingly recounted in his book.
which will shortly be published. At
that time Nungesser was fighting in
the I'd Regiment Of Hussars, 4th
Division of Cavalry, known as the
Famous 4th Division" composed
OF the Hussars Of Verdun, ORA
goons of Sedan and Cuirrassirs of
Vouziers. He had enlisted as a pri-
vate at the outset Of the war and
won his promotions by dint of hard
fighting and intrepid adventures.
1t was during the bad days of
Charleroi, when the French army
was retreating under the protection
CT the cavalry, that unprecedented
honor came to Nungesser. In the
end Of August, 1915, after his
division had been battling for q
month in Belgium, Verdun, Ar
dennes and the Meuse, and the di-
vision was at Sissonnes, Nun
gesser in one Of his brilliant coups
stole German Mors automobile
and in it saved the life of his COM
manding officer. This thrilling epi-
sode met with as thrilling a climax.
The Germans were coming up on all
New-York tribune., 1921-03-06

drew him like a magnet. In the
maelstrom Of Belgium, over the
war-rached fields Of France, his lit
tie plane sped like a hornet that al
ways left it's sting behind.
He could never be forced from
the front. Wounded, he often con-
tinued fighting until carried to a
hospital and from thence he always
rushed straight back to conflict. No
lower could induce him to rest and
recuperate from his wounds. The
minute these were patched up so
shat he could get about he was back
in the clouds, Haunting his challenge
his grinning fetish-at the enemy
and. defying death with its own
symbol.
The plane he most often used was
a Nieuport, small light craft with
motor Of 1870 horsepower. In this
he brought down twenty-one enemy
planes and fought in sixty or sixty
two battles. But he had as good
luck in other airplanes he used, for
all bore the same charm painted
upon their sides.
Enlisted as a Private
Nungesser fought in the skies, I
on the field, and we were never to-
New-York tribune., 1921-03-06

also are said to be trenched, and,
indeed, there are evidences of more
than one highways having been
tampered with. But once one gets
out into the County of Limerick he
finds new emphasis given to the
"spotty" complexion of the country
side. In one village he will see Black
and Tans, with cooked rifles, gaz-
ing hostilely at his car as it passes
through. In another he finds occu-
pying forces and local population ap-
parently on the best Of terms
Tomnies walking around with the
village girls, inhabitants pursuing
their business without that furtive
look which characterizes those in
troubled districts. One usually can
tell within five minutes of his entry
into an Irish city just about thA
status of the relations between the
local population and the crown
forces.
Up on TIE borders cf Limerlcs ;.ld
Tippe-ary there is hamlet named
Hospital. There is no hospital in
the place, and nobody seems TO know
where the town got it's name. There
is a vague local tradition that it
grew up about a mission of the
Knights Hospitallers, which was es-
tsblished there in tho Middle Ages,
New-York tribune., 1921-03-06

remembered his absent pocket fet-
ish and did not feel safe until the
fight was over and he landed on
French soil, badly wounded. He
feels quite certain that he might
have escaped those wounds had he
remembered his little fetish.
Is An Inventor
/ may add that it is characteristic
of Nungesser to forget himself in
pursuit Of whatever interests him.
That explained his military success;
it explains his SUCCESS as an inventor
for he has several inventions in
airplane improvements and explo-
sives to his credit, and one of these
is Of sort to revolutionize every
thing in its particular field.
He not only works in his labora-
tory at 90 Avenue de Champs
Elysees, but is also head Of school
of aviation at Orly, near Paris, for
which Office the French government
pays him salary of more than
million francs a year. His dream
is to gather about him, in a great
laboratory, distinguished French en-
gineers who might be interested in
working on his inventions. He
plans to devote his future to inven-
tions relating to everything in the
New-York tribune., 1921-03-06
LIMERICK, ireland.

" RALEE and Cork have been
most cruelty visited by the
death nd destruction which
'ae irish troubles have brought in
"eir train. Limerick has escaped
comparatively easily.
Certainly, the city on the Shan
aOn seemed to a visitor moro nor
"s' tnan any other in Ireland-even
more SO than Dublin, where there is
a'' 80 much disorder, but where
'sfe are constant evidences Of mill
NY occupation. Its mills were
pe'a''ng full blast. Heavy lorries,
= 'aoen with armed men, but with
Nseeiul foodstuffs or goods, were
Ssn IN evidence. There were but
~ men IN uniform on the streets,
'nose seemed on friendly terms
~ the townspcople. There were
paths, fires in ones bedroom
0'ner aprurtenanccs of an cffese
~ naaataon. There was even an ex-
,s. ' restaurants thing most
80 IN small Irish cities.
curfew Is Ignored
= limerick haa its 10 o'clock
New-York tribune., 1921-03-06
The Giant Knocked Out

The astonished audience expected
TO see short work made of this fierce
young assailant. They saw his jaw
frightfully crushed by a staggering
blow, his boyish form terribly pun
ished; but the Nungesser spirit,
which never lets go till he downs his
man, persisted-the giant was
knocked out.
Can you wonder that our French
ace admired the young American
heroes he met at the front? He
liked them so much that he wanted
to see what Americans were like at
home, to become better acquainted
with a nation which could produce
such splendid types of fighters. He
is delighted beyond all expectations.
He thinks New York more mar
velous than even the wonderful tales
he had heard about it. His graft
tude and pleasure over the hospital
ity with which he has been received
are enthusiastic. Indeed, so greatly
is he impressed that although his
duties call him back to France on
March II he declares he will soon
return and make frequent visits here.
AS for his achievements, when |
tell him what IS said here by those
who meet him. he looks abashed and
says:
Il have simply done my duty,
that's ALL"
(Copysisht, May Wilkinson, Mountj
New-York tribune., 1921-03-06

but there is no evidence to corrobo-
rate it.
This town was a paradox. On the
one hand there We're no boarded-up
windows, sure signs of recent fight
ing. On the othere there was e
burned police barracks (buildings
which have been barracks of the
Royal Irish Constabulary can al
ways be distinguished from others
by the insignia in the form Of a
diamond above the door), and across
the street from it there was heav-
lily sandbagged frame house-a mill
tary strong post.
Brief interviews with townspeople
confirmed The impression that there
had been no fighting in this village.
Still, the sandbags looked ominous
and were certainly unusual.
New-York tribune., 1921-03-06

Found any atrocities here yet?r
he yawned
Eyes, one just down the street..
somebody said.
The officer stiffened perceptibly.
"Indeed?" he asked. s'May ask
what it was?"
''The local pub" answered the
journalist. "The stuff they pass off
there as Jameson is real atrocity.
if ever there was one.'
The lieutenant's brow cleared.
"If that's ali that's troubling
you," he said, "I have some real
Scotch inside. Would you CARE
Later he explained the villages
apparent paradox. Three months
ago the local police barracks had
been evacuated. The villagers,
brightly and as a matter of course.
bat entirely without malice, burned
it down. Then ne was detailed
there with his platoon, comman-
dserel that seed to him the mo-
suitable .-o-se fox he's ~; =; 'tters. ard
proceeded to foritfy It, Just b5 way
vi caution. you know
"It's beastly place to be stuck, !"
he said, but the men seem to en-
JOY it. They haven't had single
row with the people since they've
bean here"
New-York tribune., 1921-03-06

head is almost plain Now. If that
were really an Irish made article it
would have initials or a crest or
something stamped on the head.
Why? Well, you see when the boys
get together for a pleasant Satur-
day night it's sometimes difficult
to tell just who has hit whom. So
they initial their sticks, as one would
a seal ring. Then when Paddy
wakes up in the morning he goes
and looks at his head in the mirror.
IT. M He sees the initials i'm
printed on his skull.
"AT. NJ he cogitates TO himself,
That would be Timothy Murphy.
the - So then he goes and gets
a brick OF something and begins to
look for Timothy Murphy. Avoids
confusion, you know, what?"
Spread of -.ss:2lor
Limerick also offered very inter-
esting example of the spread and
growth Of rumors.
A young Irishman whom | had
met rushed up to me, much excite
ed, and informed me that another
youth OF his acquaintance had inst
New-York tribune., 1921-03-06

sides. They fired on the car and
pierced his shake, surrounded and
overlook the fleeing automobile.
They found an empty car. Soldiers
looked In it. There was no sign Of
life to be seen. Undaunted, they be-
pan search for the man they had
been using for target, when Nun
gesser made his second coup
aDrang from his hiding place into
the car, darted away before his
New-York tribune., 1921-03-06
What a Fighter Thinks

"I never thought about sensa-
tions," he told me. II had only one
idea-to catch the man ahead of
me-"
The career Of Nungesser's fetish
began with his career as an army
aviator. He designed the trinket
himself and has several of them,
some of gold and some of silver, and
fortunate is the man who succeeds in
obtaining a duplicate of this famous
luck piece.
/ have it from himself that on one
occasion he flew up to combat with
out his pocket piece, and that was
one time when Nungesser thought of
something besides the enemy. He
began to feel uneasy as soon as he
New-York tribune., 1921-03-06

way Of comment that apparently
sober citizens vouch for it:
"The Black and Tans," so the
story runs, chad got young chap
and were debating what to do with
him. The rank and file wanted to
shoot him. but the leader insisted
that tho Irishman was his personal
capture, and to be treated as such.
At last he carried his point. I'm
bind his hands, he said, and throw
him in the river When that was
done the leader stepped back. Now
he said, you may shoot
"But the prisoner was an excel
lent swimmer, and he managed to
reach the bank, holding only the tip
Of his nose above the water. The
police. believing him dead, went
away, and at last he crawled out
and managed to reach home"
And here is anotnvr from the
ether side. An officer in Limerick
was examining an alIegedly genuine
Irish blackthorn stick which a jour
nalist was carrying.
II don't think it's the real prod
uc&,s hs said at last. "You see, ths
New-York tribune., 1921-03-06
A Coveted Insignia

This meant that of all aviators
In the war Nungesser was most
nbject to attack, and accounts for
the fact that more than once his
record for shooting down planes
was eight in one day, and that he
often fought, singlehanded, as
many as six or eight enemy planes
at one time, his little plane darting
to attack and never letting up until
ne downed the man he was after.
he attributes his inexplicable es-
eapes and victories at such times
to the luck Of his fetish-so did the
Germans. / don't suppose there
was any one thing they coveted so
much in an engagement rs that
little gold piece in Nungesser's
pocket, the plane which flew its in
sigma and the man who owned it.
Seventeen times the ace received
wounds that in an ordinary mortal
would have proved fatal. But
Nungesser felt that he bore a
charmed life as long as his fetish
remained on his body, and surgeons
who worked over his shattered form
on their operating tables seven
seen times held the same opinion.
medical science had no theory to
offer in such case.
Here was a man badly wounded
New-York tribune., 1921-03-06
Awakened to Fame

been knocked down and beaten by
soldiers. It so happened that / knew
exactly where youth No. 2 was to be
found. So, with the first as a guide
and as sort of tester Of the mud
with which Limerick's streets are
well surfaced, went to question him.
Close Interrogation elected the fol-
lowing:
Not All Are Hostile
The man supposed to have been
beaten had been standing on side
walk, gazing into q shop window. A
party of soldiers was conducting a
raid near by, and one of them ordered
him to move on. He did not comply
with the order and the Tommy, by
way Of emphasizing his command,
poked him in the ribs with swagger
stick. The youth possibly was tick
lish; at any rate, he slipped and half
fell. Then he moved away.
This was the sum and substance
# what had happened, ard ret with
81 alceen minutes it A-.d -. Hoped
into a "murderous assault" Here,
again. reality confounds invention,
for there have been so many cases
Of apparently unprovoked assaults
that it would be very natural thing
to accept the original story as genu-
Inc without further investigation.
The roads round about limerick
New-York tribune., 1921-03-06
By Marquis de Charette

THE aMthor Of this article sVas an
4 officer in the first command of
e.ssch Tanks undcr Con,n,andamte
Fo,sa [who seas killed. that soent
,.to battle. He accomplished ,chat
=. other man had ever tried, giuing
hattie NTH ,seac scar machine Of the
.raetor type. OF seventeen tanks
,lat went into their first battle four
..surned. their commander killed
nrd ne remaining men dangerously
poanded.
New-York tribune., 1921-03-06

THESE the citations ond hoors Lieutenant N1gesser
rs entitled to heye engraved on his card Officer of the
Legion OF Honor; Medaie Milaire Croir de Ga1erre
cltotlons 28 palms, stars Military Cross; Chevalier Of
the 0rder Of Leopold Croir de Guere Belgian si1ver
palms; Korogeorgevch Michel le Braue Legion
of Hoor Brcvoure de Serb Delo de Montenegro Cros
GMerre, Portuguese, 1st Glass; Refornpe Bessuwes
New-York tribune., 1921-03-06
A Paradox Explained

Journalists fell into conversation
with a young subaltern, standing
culzzlcs!l.' his ns ads in lis pockets,
eutsleT lie barracks. He ven
turea question as to the reason for
the l4s4s-os4 o. IS a-O~.. .-.-sge.
British Labor Commission, In
vestigating reprisals," he was told.
"And You journalists are with
'en?' he inquired.
"Yes."
New-York tribune., 1921-03-06
Through Limerick Where No I,mericks Are

curfew and Ats notices stating that
the electricity is turned off at the
town powerhouse at 10:15 every
night. AS a matter Of fact, it isn't.
1t is on tap until at least 1890, and
very possibly until later.
They do not recite limericks in
Limerick. The burden Of available
evidence points to the conclusion
that they never heard Of them. But
they do recite stories, with introduc-
tions as invariable as those Of for
NAL tragedy.
1.-The town Is quiet now" they
say, "but you should have been here
month agol"
And then they proceed to tell
strange and weird tales. The EN-
barrassing part OF it is that SO
many unbelievable things happen in
Ireland that almost any one Of the
stories one hears might cdnceivably
be true, although most er ths.1l
are not.
Two Limerick Stories
One particular story which is a
Limerick favorite, however, merits
reproduction One can only say By
New-York tribune., 1921-03-06

realm Of the air, claiming that the
one great means of swift transpor-
tation Of passengers and freight in
the future will be by airplane, and
he has produced something to meet
the needs of commercial transporta-
ton. He has explained to the Aero
Club of America that the world
lacks the type Of plane needed for
passenger and freight transporta-
ton, although well supplied with
good sport and fighting types.
An Impressive Fetish
Some idea of the effect produced
by the fetish of Nungesser on the
Germans may be gained from the
impression recently made on a great
assemblage at Buc, who were there
to watch him loop the loop and per-
form those daring aerial feats which
render spectator breathless with
dread.
When Nuneesser appeared in a
white plane, on which was painted
his deaths head fetish in black, the
effect was shocking to the startled
crowd. They were dumb, as though
some ghost of the war had ratified
it's bones before them.
He was made officer Of the Legion
Of Honor when q non-commissioned
officer, and given the rosette of lieu
tenant. Nungesser is by nature a
jolly-spirited boy, the pride of his
father and mother in Paris. He is
fond of dancing and social gather
ings and yet has a wonderful dispo-
sition for hard work. That is doubt
less one secret of the distinction he
has won at the early age of twenty
six
No one who looks at his boy
ish, smiling face would ever dream
what a fiery courage could flare sud-
denly in his apparently cool, intrepid
nature. He demonstrated this on
one occasion, in his twentieth year,
when he was looking on at boxing
match between two great husky ath-
letes. One of them was French and
when his opponent knocked him out
ne delivered a contemptuous COM
ment on French instability. The
honor Of France had been insulted.
Instantly slight form catapulted
into the ring. and before the victori-
Gus giant knew what hit him blows
were raining upon his body.
New-York tribune., 1921-03-06
Famous Aviator Attributed His
Escape From Death to the Lucky
Piece He Canied

tions were when he first engaged an
enemy In the clouds.
New-York tribune., 1921-03-06
A Terror to the Foe

Ever since he landed In New York
the ace has been asked how he made
such q wonderful record in the war.
bringing down 105 planes and with
the French official recognition of
forty-four. England and Germany
do not require as many witnesses for
official" recognition. There were
unofficial witnesses to 105. Nun
gesser attributes his success in aerial
battles and his miraculous escapes
from death to his fetish, and he has
deputed to me the task of telling this.
The sight of it brought consterna-
ton to every feet of airplanes which
encountered it, however brave the
men who gave battle
Germany offered reward to the
men who would destroy that swift
engine Of death and capture that
fetish and its owner, dead or alive.
Whether the enemy fancied that
ownership Of the fetish would bring
them the same good fortune in the air
] do not know. But this l do know:
The sum offered for Nungesser's
fetish increased steadily with the
difficulty Of securing it until it
reached 100000 marks, worth one
fourth that amount in American
dollars,
New-York tribune., 1921-03-06
d Him" Says Nungesser, Frances Ace of Aces
Death Head Which Was Painted
{, On His Plane Was Terror
! to German Foes

IN one side of his head and with
two bullet holes in the other: q law
splintered by an exploding she'll; a
bullet through each side of his
chest; a shattered elbow. leg and
foot to say nothing of less terrible
wounds on other parts of his BODY
His skull, his arm, his leg and his
foot all carry metal supports, so
wonderfully supplied and adjusted
by surgical skill that he can eniov
life, and even dance, although
much dancing leaves its aftermath
Of pain.
Still Able TO Fight
And yet, in spite of all this. I am
convinced that Nungesser would
rush into cloud battle this min
ute if an enemy appeared on the
horizon.
The thunder and fame Of battle
New-York tribune., 1921-03-06

amazed pursuers realized what had
happened, and bore his commander
to safety. Then he tainted.
Awakened to Fame
There had been so protracted .
strain and struggle Of mind and body
that when revived and given food
the young hero slept heavily for
twenty hours.
He awakened to find himself IA
New-York tribune., 1921-03-06

TN AMERICA Nungesser is famed
as the greatest aviator Of the
World War, but in Europe he Is
most celebrated for his fetish. How
this fetish is regarded abroad may
be inferred by the price set on it by
Germany when it first made it's ap-
uearance and when a German mark
vas worth about twenty-five times
more than it has been since.
Plane after plane fell flaming
from the clouds under Nungesser's
attacks. The grewsome deaths head
painted on his inyulnerable eagle of
the skies struck terror to the enemy's
soul.
New-York tribune., 1921-03-06
Enlisted as a Private

Nungesser fought in the skies,
N the field. and we were never to.
The Washington times., 1921-05-06
Is LUNCHEON HOST.

Mrs. Frederick Anterior entertain.
ed at luncheon yesterday.
The Washington times., 1921-05-06

Ravenel, Miss Dorothy Penys, Miss
Muriel Denys. Mrs. u. S. Grant, jr
Mrs. James $. Parker. Mrs. John
Hervey Young, Mrs. John Steretr
Cuttings, Mrs. Loren Johnson, Mrs.
Minnigerode Andrews. Mrs. r. j.
Hemphill, Mrs, Lynn Horner. of
Plattsburg, Va, who is the guest OF
her mother, Mrs. Frank Hume, and
Mrs. William kearney Carr
The Washington times., 1921-05-06
ADVERTISEMENT.
FRECkIES
Don't Hide Them With a Veil;
Remove Them With Othine-
Double Strength.

This preparation for the removal
Of freckles is usually so successful
in removing frecklss and giving a
clear. beautiful complexion that it is
sold under guarantee to refund the
money if it fails.
Don't hide your fretkles under a
veil; get an ounce of Othinc and
remove them. Even the first few
anplicaticns should show a wonder
full improvement, some of the lighter
freckles vanishing entirely.
Be sure to ask the druggist for
the double strength Othine; it is this
that is sold on the money-back
guarantee.