Subject: Re: Old Ed
Thanks for the story - I enjoyed. Rickenbacker was one of my childhood heroes. I was living in Macon when the plane he was on crashed in Atlanta (Eastern Air Lines Flight 21 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) - and I was living in Zurich when he died there (Eddie Rickenbacker - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - I append a portion of this article). I read his (ghost-written) memoir (Fighting The Flying Circus (Wings of War) (1919) - text in public domain) at an early age.
One of my favorite books is his (ghost-written) autobiography (RICKENBACKER an Autobiography by EDWARD V. RICKENBACKER (Hardcover - Jan 1, 1968)). I gave it to the son of a friend of mine in New Zealand. He later told me that it was his favorite book as a teenager.
All well with me and mine - to the best of my knowledge. My oldest is, I think, still in the South Island of New Zealand, but I have not heard from him in a couple of weeks. The last I heard he was planning to be here for my birthday in April.
Best to all, Cyril
BEGIN APPEND
World War I
Rickenbacker's uniform on display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
[edit] Pre-U.S. entry
Rickenbacker wanted to join the Allied troops in World War I, but the U.S. had not yet entered the war. He had several chance encounters with aviators, including a fortuitous incident in which he repaired a stranded aircraft for T. F. Dodd, a man who later became General John J. Pershing's aviation officer and an important contact in Rickenbacker's attempt to join air combat.
During World War I, with its anti-German atmosphere, he – like many other German Americans – changed his surname; the "h" in "Rickenbacher" became a "k" in an effort to "take the Hun out of his name." As he was already well known at the time, the change received wide publicity. "From then on", as he wrote in his autobiography, "most Rickenbachers were practically forced to spell their name in the way I had..."[1]
He believed his given name "looked a little plain." He signed his name 26 times, with a different middle initial each time. After settling upon "V", he selected "Vernon" as a middle name.[2]
In 1916, Rickenbacker traveled to London, with the aim of developing an English car for American races. Because of an erroneous press story and Rickenbacker's known Swiss heritage, he was suspected of being a spy. En route and in England, agents closely monitored his actions.[3]
On a sea voyage back to America, he came up with the idea to recruit his race car driver friends as fighter pilots, on the theory that such men were accustomed to tight spaces and high speeds. His suggestion was ignored by the military.
[edit] Army service
When, in 1917, the United States declared war on Germany, Rickenbacker had enlisted in the United States Army and was training in France with some of the first American troops. He arrived in France on June 26, 1917 as a Sergeant First Class.
Most men chosen for pilot training had degrees from prestigious colleges,[citation needed] and Rickenbacker had to struggle to gain permission to fly because of his perceived lack of qualifications. Because of his mechanical abilities, Rickenbacker was assigned as engineering officer in a flight-training facility at Issoudun, where he practiced flying during his free time. He learned to fly well, but because his skills were so highly valued, Rickenbacker's superiors tried to prevent him from attaining his wings with the other pilots.
Rickenbacker demonstrated that he had a qualified replacement, and the military awarded him a place in one of America's air combat units, the 94th Aero Squadron, informally known as the "Hat-in-the-Ring" Squadron after its insignia. Originally he flew the Nieuport 28, at first without armament. On April 29, 1918, Rickenbacker shot down his first plane and claimed his fifth to become an ace on May 28. Rickenbacker was awarded the French Croix de Guerre that month for his five victories.
Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker, United States Army Air Service, c.1919
Video clip of Rickenbacker conducting a bombing run over German lines
On May 30, he scored his sixth victory. It would be his last for three and a half months. He developed an ear infection in July which almost ended his flying career and grounded him for several weeks. He shot down Germany's hottest new fighter, the Fokker D.VII, on September 14 and another the next day.
On September 24, 1918, now a captain, he was named commander of the squadron, and on the following day, he claimed two more German planes, for which he was belatedly awarded the Medal of Honor in 1931 by President Herbert Hoover. After claiming yet another Fokker D.VII on September 27, he became a balloon buster by downing observation balloons on September 28, October 1, October 27, and October 30, 1918.
Thirteen more wins followed in October, bringing his total to thirteen Fokker D.VIIs, four other German fighters, five highly defended observation balloons, and only four of the easier two-seated reconnaissance planes.
The military determined ace status by verifying combat claims by a pilot; confirmation was needed from ground witnesses, affirmations of other pilots, or observation of the wreckage of the opposing enemy aircraft. If no witnesses could be found, a reported kill was not counted. It was an imperfect system, dependent on the frailties of human observation, as well as vagaries of weather and terrain. Most aces records are thus best estimates, not exact counts. Nevertheless, Rickenbacker's 26 victories remained the American record until World War II.
Rickenbacker flew a total of 300 combat hours, reportedly more than any other U.S. pilot in the war.
When Rickenbacker learned of the Armistice, he flew an airplane above the western front to observe the cease fire and the displays of joy and comradeship as the formerly warring troops crossed the front lines and joined in celebration.
[edit] Verified aerial victories
Number[4] Date Time Aircraft Opponent Location
1 01918-04-29 April 29, 1918 1810 Nieuport Pfalz D.III Baussant
2 01918-05-07 May 7, 1918 0805 Nieuport Pfalz D.III Pont-à-Mousson
3 01918-05-17 May 17, 1918 1824 Nieuport Albatros D.V Ribécourt
4 01918-05-22 May 22, 1918 0912 Nieuport Albatros D.V Flirey
5 01918-05-28 May 28, 1918 0925 Nieuport Albatros C.I Bois de Rate
6 01918-05-30 May 30, 1918 0738 Nieuport Albatros C.I Jaulny
7 01918-09-14 September 14, 1918 0815 SPAD XIII Fokker D.VII Villecy
8 01918-09-15 September 15, 1918 0810 SPAD XIII Fokker D.VII Bois de Warville
9 01918-09-25 September 25, 1918 0840 SPAD XIII Fokker D.VII Billy
10 01918-09-25 September 25, 1918 0850 SPAD XIII Halberstadt C Foret de Spincourt
11 01918-09-26 September 26, 1918 0600 SPAD XIII Fokker D.VII Damvillers
12 01918-09-28 September 28, 1918 0500 SPAD XIII Balloon Sivry-sur-Meuse
13 01918-10-01 October 1, 1918 1930 SPAD XIII Balloon Puzieux
14 01918-10-02 October 2, 1918 1730 SPAD XIII Hannover CL Montfaucon
15 01918-10-02 October 2, 1918 1740 SPAD XIII Fokker D.VII Vilosnes
16 01918-10-03 October 3, 1918 1707 SPAD XIII Balloon Dannevoux
17 01918-10-03 October 3, 1918 1640 SPAD XIII Fokker D.VII Cléry-le-Grand
18 01918-10-09 October 9, 1918 1752 SPAD XIII Fokker D.VII Dun-sur-Meuse
19 01918-10-10 October 10, 1918 1552 SPAD XIII Fokker D.VII Cléry-le-Petit
20 01918-10-10 October 10, 1918 1552 SPAD XIII Fokker D.VII Cléry-le-Petit
21 01918-10-22 October 22, 1918 1555 SPAD XIII Fokker D.VII Cléry-le-Petit
22 01918-10-23 October 23, 1918 1655 SPAD XIII Fokker D.VII Grande Carne Ferme
23 01918-10-27 October 27, 1918 1505 SPAD XIII Fokker D.VII Bois de Money
24 01918-10-27 October 27, 1918 1450 SPAD XIII Fokker D.VII Grand Pre
25 01918-10-27 October 27, 1918 1635 SPAD XIII Balloon St. Juvin
26 01918-10-30 October 30, 1918 1040 SPAD XIII Balloon Remonville
END APPEND
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