| Victor Chapman | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 17, 1890 New York |
| Died | June 24, 1916 Douaumont |
Victor S. Chapman (April 17, 1890 in New York – June 24, 1916 near Douaumont) was a French-American pilot remembered for his exploits during World War I.
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Chapman's mother Mina Timins died in 1898, when he was eight. He and his father John moved to France soon after. In France, Chapman obtained dual-citizen status as a French and US citizen. Chapman was interested in the arts and in writing. He often found inspiration to write while he was in the middle of battles, and many of the letters he sent to his father were written in these circumstances.
His father re-married when Chapman was a teenager. Chapman returned to the United States in his late teens to attend Harvard University. After graduating, Chapman returned to Europe, spending time in France and in Germany. During this period, he became interested in architecture, becoming an expert in the field.
When World War I broke out, his father and stepmother moved to London, England. However, Chapman decided to stay in France, joining the French Foreign Legion on August 30, 1914. Serving in the 3rd march regiment of the Legion, he was sent to the trenches, where he found little of interest. Even as there were battles all around him, he could not help but feel indifference towards what was going on. He became friendly with four men during his days on the trenches: a Polish fighter who was known only as "Kohl", and Americans Alan Seeger, Henry Fansworth and David King. The trio of Americans watched as Kohl was killed by a bullet while walking with his friends.
After Kohl's death, Chapman and two other friends, (Norman Prince and Elliot Cowdin), were given an opportunity to fly in a fighter airplane. Chapman the became enamored with aviation and he requested transfer to the Aéronautique Militaire, the army's air arm. He then attended flight school for a short period before being certified as a pilot.
Chapman flew many missions for the 1st aviation group and was commissioned a sergeant. On 17 June, 1916, he was flying over the Verdun sector of battle when he was attacked by four German airplanes. During the engagement, Chapman suffered a critical head wound, most likely from an attack by then four-victory German flier Walter Höhndorf.[1] However, Chapman landed his airplane safely, with Höhndorf getting his fifth victory as a result. Luckily Chapman's head-grazing gunshot injury was not fatal: he was operated upon and was on his way to a full recovery when he found out that friend Clyde Balsley had been wounded in a separate incident. Balsley apparently and unknowingly crossed into German territory, to pick some oranges from a tree when he was injured by enemy fire.
On June 24, Chapman heard of the story and immediately filled a basket with oranges, which he intended to take to Balsley. Flying to the location where Balsley was recuperating from his wounds, Chapman was attacked north of Douaumont by German flying ace Leutnant Kurt Wintgens, and close friend of Höhndorf. With Wintgens flying a Halberstadt D.II that day against Chapman's Nieuport 16, Wintgen soon gained the upper hand and Chapman was killed when his airplane crashed.
Chapman earned many medals and commendations during his military career. A book containing the letters that he wrote his father, called Letters from France, further enhanced his celebrity status after his death. In his memory, the composer Charles Martin Loeffler, a friend of Chapman's father, composed his quartet Music for Four Stringed Instruments.[2]
[1] Bruce Gbur, booklet to Naxos CD 8.559077 including a recording of Loeffler's "Music for Four Stringed Instruments"