Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-15
ACES UP! B. JOHN KNoz
The Fact Story of American Avators the World War

Some went into Frances Foreign I.e-
cion. some swore to Canadian or Aus.
tralian or New Zealand citizenship so
that they might fight beside men who
smoke their own language. Some.
with a splendid reluctance against the
violation of legal neutrality. entered
the service of the Red Cross and suf
fered all the pcrils Of war without the
privilege of defending themselves.
Among these American soldiers
fighting under foreign flags were those
intrepid souls destined TO form one OF
tho most notable organizations created
in that time of stress and travail-the
now historic Lafayette F.scadrl'c.
Briefly we shall mention some Of the
mon whose names appear first on tho
muster roll of this fighting unit.
The Muster Roll.
William Thaw of Pittsburgh had
learned to fly in America. Caught in
France by the sudden storm Of war.
he offered his training for the defense
Of that country. but French law then
accepted foreigners only in that weird
twilight fighting force they call The
Legion of the Strangers" and which
we know under the more familiar
name Of the Foreign Legion. Thaw.
born to wealth and accustomed to
luxury. enlisted in the Foreign Legion
as private of infantry and earned
his pay Of n penny "A day in the mud
Of the .tiSnc trenches.
Raoul I.ufberN az WalinGford.
Conn. son of an American father and
a French mother, soldier nf fortune
and Worldwide wandernr was an avia
ton mechanic when war WAS declared.
Tcmporari Y in France with the
French pilot Mare pourpe l.ufbery
Swore 10 French citizenship in an at
tempt 10 follow his employer into the
aviation service of France, hut his
ruse WAS discovered. He. too entered
the Foreign Legion. hut shortly after
succeeded in rcjoining Pourpe in the
air service of France.
Bert Hall of HiSsinsville. Mo. and
James Bach son of an American mil
lionaire resident in Paris. forced their
way into the Foreign Legion through
the barriers OF official red tape. soon
forming with Thaw one Of those in.
separate masculine friendships born
in the twin fires of affection and peril.
Pierre Roal OF BoalSburg. Pa. en-
listed in the LIST Regiment of CuiraS
$ierS. armorcd French cavalry, whom
the new warfare did not permit 10 ride
into battle.
Edgar j. Boulisnv OF New Orleans
enlisted in the Foreign Legion in the
first week of the war. impelled 10y his
French ancestry ne we'll as by his
American sense Of Justice.
Victor Chapman OF New York City
was another who entered the Foreign
Legion as "A private at the beginning
NJ the war for career whose brief
brilliancA flaming across the French
skies will he told in this chronicle.
Herman Lincoln Chatkon Of Maple
wood Mass. enlisted in the Foreign
Legion in August. 1914 Promoted to
the air service. h" wearied of waiting
for assignment To duty and secured
permission to return tn his old regi.
ment. with which he fought until his
place in the air service was ready.
The First American To Die.
Dennis Dowd OF New York City was
the first American who made the long
Journey TO France for the definite
purpose of joining the Foreign Legion.
Others who preceded him in the da te
Of their enlistment had the advantage
Of being in Paris when war was do,
ciared. Later he earned the melan.
choly honor of being the first Ameri.
can Ia he killed ut an aviation school
ana the second TO he killed in France.
James Norman Hail of Colfax Iowa
bright particular star OF the war in
the air Joined up" with the 9th Bat.
talon of the Kotal F'usliers ~ the
British Army on August is. 1914. later
transferring to the French aviation
and finally 10 the American forces
when thcv arrived
Didier Mason Of Los Angeles. a fver
since 1909 and chief of air service in
Gen. ohregon's Mexican Army in 1918.
served in the i1a;h and 36,h French
Infantry Regiments from August TO
October, 1914. and then entered the
French air service.
Although Norman Prince ~ Boston
didn't get 10 France until later than
those listed above. his unique part in
The war classes him as pioneer of
The first A. f. F.
Paul Pa, e!ka OF Madison Conn
VAS another member OF the Foreign
Legion Who crossed the Atlantic To
mist. He. too. became an aviator
md his later adventures are a part Of
his story.
KIM Yates Rockwell Of Asheville
:. e. enlisted In the third week Of
hat fateful August Of 1915, became
~ aviator and wrote for himself a
bright page in the history OF aerial
warfare, some part of which viii he
sold In the chapters which follow
Marius Romain Rocle OF New York
CITY was another Yank who left safe
and comfortable home to become II
Legionnaire nj penny A DAY. Ne
enlisted In September. 1914, and hc