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Knights Without Parachutes

World War 1 Armistice Day Centenary

147th aero squadron 94th aero squadron alvin york armistice eddie rickenbacker ernst udet eugene bullard frederick libby influenza jimmy doolittle luckiest man alive us enters war wwi

World War 1 Armistice Day Centenary

"I glanced at my watch. One minute to 11:00, thirty seconds, fifteen. And then it was 11:00 A.M., the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. I was the only audience for the greatest show ever presented." 

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Armistice? Or Keep Going?

94th aero squadron armistice eddie rickenbacker ernst udet field kindley fokkers harley motorcycle influenza maxwell kirby pershing rene fonck wwi

Armistice? Or Keep Going?

Don't waste this fighting spirit, Pershing warned, "An armistice would lead the Allied Armies to believe this the end of fighting and it would be difficult if not impossible to resume hostilities with our present advantage in morale in the event of failure to secure at a peace conference what we have fought for."

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Rickenbacker Versus the Flying Circus

94th aero squadron flying circus hamilton coolidge

Rickenbacker Versus the Flying Circus

Around this time Eddie Rickenbacker went for a balloon but found himself fighting four Fokkers from Baron von Richthofen's Flying Circus squadron, now led by Hermann Goering. Rickenbacker recognized them as well-practiced veterans of air warfare. Boxed in by the four, he decided not to wait for the kill and started attacking instead, managing to shoot one down. 

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Flying the Flag: Frederick Libby Raises Funds

frederick libby

Flying the Flag: Frederick Libby Raises Funds

Libby as described in Flying's quote from the New York Tribune ("a timid young officer," "cheeks burning with embarrassment," "Libby still tried to hide behind it with the shame that every real hero seems to have for his own valor") is unrecognizable as the same wild Colorado cowboy

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The Most Intense Part of WW1 for America

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The Most Intense Part of WW1 for America

Four American airmen recieved the Medal of Honor for deeds in WWI: Rickenbacker, Luke, Goettler and Bleckley. Fall of 1918 was a busy time for American soldiers and the journalists covering them. The main events leading to all four of these medals happened within about a two-week period over the end of September and the beginning of October,

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