Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

Not Marseille, Hydro Junkie; although our subject could give Marseille a rough time in the victory column on a good day. Of course, no other pilot was quite like Marseille, I guess. Here's another clue to help all of you along. Thanks; Ernie P.


What warbird pilot do I describe?

1. This pilot is, today, almost unknown. Yet he was, in many ways, one of the best there ever was.

2. He was born on a farm.

3. And entered military service at a young age.

4. And originally served, as seems natural, in a cavalry unit.

5. He first saw combat as part of a cavalry unit.

6. He switched his path and became a pilot a couple of years later.

7. He rose through the ranks quickly.

8. By the time he first engaged in air combat, he was already an experienced pilot.

9. He accomplished things in combat that have only been done by a very small handful of men.

10. And he did at least one thing no other pilot, before or since, has accomplished.

11. He did not become an ace on his first combat flight.

12. That had to wait for his second combat flight.

13. Against enemy aircraft considered to be pretty stiff competition.

14. Of course, both flights occurred on the same day.

15. He was the top scoring ace of his service.

16. And was compared to Baron von Richthofen himself.

17. He scored over 50 victories.

18. In a total combat career of three months.

19. It may be that he became too confident of his own abilities.

20. He was shot down and killed.

21. By enemy fighters.

22. After scoring three final victories.

23. While escorting a flight of bombers.

24. He was the highest scoring ace in his conflict.

25. And the highest scoring ace of his particular service.

26. He is one of the very few men who became an “ace in a day”, scoring five or more victories in a single day.