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The final flight of Victor Chapman,
the first US airman to lose his life in combat. Chapman, a member
of the famed Lafayette Escadrille was flying his Nieuport 16
on June 23, 1916, on a personal errand to deliver a crate of
oranges to a hospitalized friend. While in the air he noticed
a dogfight in which he recognized three of his squadron mates.
Chapman joined the fight only to find that his squadron mates
had vanished and he was now alone against five German Fokker
monoplanes. The fight ended quickly with Chapman plummeting to
his death. Signed by the artist. |