OVERVIEW:
NORMAN PRINCE: A Volunteer Who Died for the Cause He Loved by George Franklin Babbitt is a biography written in the early 20th
century that chronicles the life and valiant service of Norman Prince, an
American aviator who dedicated himself to the French cause during World War I.
The book presents a compelling narrative of Prince's journey from his early
life in Massachusetts through his education and into the realm of aviation,
culminating in his heroic sacrifices on the battlefield. This biography
captures the spirit of a young man whose love for France and commitment to
liberty drove him to serve as a pilot in the war effort, a topic that resonates
with ideals of bravery and patriotism. The narrative unfolds through various
sections that include memoirs, personal letters, and tributes from comrades,
offering an intimate portrait of Prince’s experiences as a pioneering aviator.
Following his arrival in France, he quickly trained in military aviation and
became a key member of the Lafayette Flying Squadron, where he was known for
his courage and skill in aerial combat. The biography details his numerous
missions, the trials of war, and ultimately his tragic death in an aviation
accident, showcasing not only his personal achievements and the respect he
earned but also the deep affection and admiration he inspired in those around
him. The work memorializes Prince's life as one of dedication, underscoring the
broader narrative of American volunteers who fought alongside the Allies before
the United States entered the war.
The following excerpt from NORMAN PRINCE is titled V. A COMRADE’S TRIBUTE:
V. A COMRADE’S TRIBUTE
In
a contribution to the World’s
Work, James R. McConnell, a sergeant-pilot of the original American
Escadrille, gave the following graphic description of the engagement in which
his comrade Prince lost his life. It is a pathetic circumstance, but a
short time after he had written this tribute, Sergeant McConnell himself met
the same fate as that which befell his American comrade, his dead body having
been found within the German lines where he had fallen in an aerial combat with
the enemy.
“On the 12th of October, twenty small aeroplanes flying
in a ‘V’ formation, at such height that they resembled a flock of geese,
crossed the Rhine River, where it skirts the plains of Alsace, and, turning
north, headed for the famous Mauser works at Oberndorf. Following in their wake
was an equal number of larger machines, and above these darted and circled
swift fighting ’planes. The first group of aircraft was followed by
British pilots, the second by French, and four of the battle ’planes were from
the American Escadrille. They were piloted respectively by Lieut. de Laage,
Lufberry, Norman Prince, and Masson. The Germans were taken by surprise, and as
a result few of their machines were in the air. The bombardment fleet was
attacked, however, and six of our ’planes were shot down, some of them falling
in flames. As the full capacity of a Nieuport machine allows but a little more
than two hours in the air the avions de chasse [fighter
planes] were forced to return to their own lines to take on
more gasoline. The Nieuports having refilled their tanks went up to clear the
air of any German machines that might be hovering in wait for the returning
raiders. Prince found one, and promptly shot it down. Lufberry came upon three
and he promptly disposed of them.
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“Darkness was rapidly coming on, but Prince and Lufberry
remained in the air to protect the bombarding fleet. Just at nightfall,
Lufberry made for a small aviation field near the lines, known as Corcieux.
Slow-moving machines, with great planing capacity, can be landed in the dark,
but to try to feel for the ground in a Nieuport, which comes down at about a
hundred miles an hour, usually means disaster. Ten minutes after Lufberry
landed, Prince decided to make for the landing field. He spiraled down through
the night air and skimmed rapidly over the trees bordering the Corcieux field.
In the dark he did not see a high-tension electric cable that was stretched
just above the tree tops. The landing gear of his airplane struck it. The
machine snapped forward and hit the ground on its nose. It turned over and
over. The belt holding Prince broke, and he was thrown far from the wrecked
’plane. Both of his legs were broken and he suffered other injuries. Despite
the terrific shock and intense pain, Prince did not lose consciousness for a
time. He even kept his presence of mind, and gave orders to the men who had run
to pick him up. Hearing the hum of a motor, and realizing that a machine was in
the air, Prince told them to light fires on the field. ‘You don’t want another
fellow to come down and break himself up the way I’ve done,’ he said.
“Lufberry went with Prince to the hospital in Gerardmer.
As the ambulance rolled along Prince sang to keep up his spirits. He spoke of
getting well soon and returning to service. It was like Norman. He was
always joyous and energetic about his flying. Even when he passed through the
harrowing experience of having a wing shattered, the first thing he did on
landing was to busy himself about getting another fitted in place. No one thought
Prince was mortally injured in the accident, but the next day he went into a
coma; a blood clot had formed on his brain. Captain Haaf, in command of the
aviation groups of Luxeuil, accompanied by our officers, hastened to Gerardmer.
Prince, lying unconscious on his bed, was named a second lieutenant and was
then and there decorated with the Legion of Honor. He already held the Médaille
Militaire and the Croix de Guerre.
“Norman Prince died on the 15th of October. His body was
brought back to Luxeuil and he was given a funeral similar to Rockwell’s. It
was hard to realize that poor Norman had gone. He was the founder of the
American Escadrille, and every one in it had come to rely on him for
inspiration. He never let his spirits drop, and he was always on hand with
encouragement for others. I do not think Prince minded going. He wanted to do
his part before being killed and he had more than done it. He had, day after
day, freed the line of Germans, making it impossible for them to do their
work, and five of them he had shot to death.
“Two days after Prince’s death, the Escadrille received
orders to leave for the Somme. The night before the departure, the British gave
the American pilots a farewell banquet and toasted them as their guardian
angels. They keenly appreciated the fact that four men from the American
Escadrille had brought down many Germans, and had cleared the way for their
squadron returning from Oberndorf. The Escadrille passed through Paris on its
way to the Somme front. The few members who had machines flew from Luxeuil to
their new post. At Paris the pilots were reinforced by three other Americans,
among whom was Frederick H. Prince, Jr., who had completed his training and had
come over to serve in aviation with his brother Norman.”
Next time: TALES FROM A DUGOUT by Arthur Guy Empey . . . . .
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