Victor Emmanuel Chapman (April 17, 1890 – June 23, 1916) was a French-American pilot remembered for his exploits during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. He was the first American pilot to die in the war.

Growing up

Chapman was born in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

to essayist John Jay Chapman and Minna Timmins (who died in 1897). He and his father moved to France soon after. In France, Chapman obtained dual-citizen status as a French and US citizen. His father remarried, to Elizabeth Chanler, a sister of William A. Chanler from the

Astor family The Astor family achieved prominence in business sector, business, Socialite, society, and politics in the United States and the United Kingdom during the 19th and 20th centuries. With Germans, German roots, some of their ancestry goes back to th ...

, when Chapman was a teenager around 16 years old. Chapman returned to the United States in his late teens to attend

Fay School Fay School, founded in 1866 by the Fay sisters, is an independent, coeducational day and boarding school located in Southborough, Massachusetts. History Founding and early years Fay School was founded in 1866 by sisters Eliza Burnett Fay ...

(Class of 1903), St Paul's School, Concord, NH, and

Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...

. After graduating, Chapman returned to Europe, spending time in France and in

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

Fighting in the war

When

broke out, his father and stepmother moved to

London, England London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

. However, Chapman decided to stay in France, joining the

French Foreign Legion The French Foreign Legion (, also known simply as , "the Legion") is a corps of the French Army created to allow List of militaries that recruit foreigners, foreign nationals into French service. The Legion was founded in 1831 and today consis ...

on August 30, 1914, and served in the 3rd March regiment of the Legion. He became friendly with four men during his days in 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. He was also friends with

Edmond Genet Edmond Charles Clinton Genet (November 9, 1896 – April 17, 1917) was the first American flier to die in the First World War after the United States declared war against Germany, shot down by anti-aircraft artillery on April 17, 1917. Genet had ...

. After Kohl's death, Chapman and two other friends, ( Norman Prince and Elliot Cowdin), were given an opportunity to fly in a fighter

airplane An airplane (American English), or aeroplane (Commonwealth English), informally plane, is a fixed-wing aircraft that is propelled forward by thrust from a jet engine, Propeller (aircraft), propeller, or rocket engine. Airplanes come in a vari ...

. Chapman requested a transfer to the

Aéronautique Militaire The French Air and Space Force (, , ) is the air force, air and space force of the French Armed Forces. Formed in 1909 as the ("Aeronautical Service"), a service arm of the French Army, it became an independent military branch in 1934 as the Fr ...

, the army's air arm. He attended flight school and was certified as a pilot. Chapman flew many missions for the 1st Aviation Group and was promoted to sergeant. He was chosen as one of the founding members of N.124, the Escadrille Americaine, also known as the

Lafayette Escadrille The La Fayette Escadrille () was the name of the French Air Force unit escadrille N 124 during the First World War (1914–1918). This escadrille of the History of the Armée de l'Air (1909–1942)#World War I (1914–1918), ''Aéronautique Mil ...

. On June 17, 1916, he was flying over the

Verdun Verdun ( , ; ; ; official name before 1970: Verdun-sur-Meuse) is a city in the Meuse (department), Meuse departments of France, department in Grand Est, northeastern France. It is an arrondissement of the department. In 843, the Treaty of V ...

sector when he was attacked by four German aircraft. During the engagement, Chapman suffered a head wound, most likely from an attack by then four-victory German flier Walter Höhndorf. Chapman landed his aircraft safely, with Höhndorf getting his fifth victory as a result. While recovering Chapman found out that his friend, Clyde Balsley had been wounded in a separate incident. Prior to his last flight Chapman loaded oranges onto his aircraft, intending to take these to Balsley who was in the hospital recuperating from his wounds. On June 24, 1916, while en route to Balsley, Chapman was again attacked, north of

Douaumont Douaumont () is a former commune in the Meuse department in Grand Est in north-eastern France. On 1 January 2019, it was merged into the new commune Douaumont-Vaux. History The village was a single street lying on an east-west axis and appe ...

by German flying ace ''Leutnant'' Kurt Wintgens, a close friend of Höhndorf. With Wintgens flying a Halberstadt D.II that day against Chapman's Nieuport 11, Wintgens soon gained the upper hand and Chapman was shot down and killed. A memorial service was held on the 4th of July for Chapman. The service, which was held at the American Church in Paris, included many of the American ambassador to France, American residents of Paris and any American soldiers in France that could make it.

Awards and medals

Chapman earned many medals and commendations during his military career. 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. A book of these letters, called ''Victor Chapman's Letters from France'', with a memoir by John Jay Chapman was published in 1917 after his death. In his memory, the composer

Charles Martin Loeffler Charles Martin Tornov Loeffler (January 30, 1861 – May 19, 1935) was a German-born American violinist and composer. Family background Charles Martin Loeffler was born Martin Karl Löffler on January 30, 1861, in Schöneberg near Berlin to par ...

, a friend of Chapman's father, composed his quartet ''Music for Four Stringed Instruments''. A

cenotaph A cenotaph is an empty grave, tomb or a monument erected in honor of a person or group of people whose remains are elsewhere or have been lost. It can also be the initial tomb for a person who has since been reinterred elsewhere. Although t ...

in his honor was erected in St. Matthew's Episcopal Churchyard, Bedford, New York.Military Hall of Honor
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Bibliography

References

* Guttman, Jon Nieuport (2006). ''Flyers of the Lafayette'', Albatros Productions, {{DEFAULTSORT:Chapman, Victor 1890 births 1916 deaths Military personnel from New York City Harvard University alumni Aviators killed by being shot down Aviators from New York (state) Soldiers of the French Foreign Legion French military personnel killed in World War I American military personnel killed in World War I Fay School alumni Livingston family Jay family Schuyler family