branch death_place birth_place allegiance unit rank image article_title name
infantry ; aviation merida , yucatan , mexico asnières , france france/united states 129eme 18 , escadrille 16 , lafayette escadrille regiment d'infanterie , 36eme regiment d'infanterie , escadrille adjutant file : didier masson avion.jpg didier masson
 didier masson
didier masson

didier masson -lrb- 23 february 1886 -- 2 june 1950 -rrb- was a pioneering french aviator .
he was born in asnières , france .
he died and was buried in mérida , yucatan , mexico .
among his adventures was his life as a pioneering barnstormer , being the second flier in history to bomb a surface warship , as well as combat service in the lafayette escadrille with edwin c. parsons and charles nungesser .
in one of the more unusual aerial victories of history , masson shot down an enemy plane after his own plane 's motor quit running .
later in life , he was a manager for pioneer pan american world airways , as well as a french consular officer .
