The Way of the EagleA classic aviation memoir: an American pilot's account of air combat in the First World War. Charles J. Biddle, a Philadelphia native, was active in France beginning in 1917, where he flew as a volunteer, initially for the French in Escadrille 73, and then in the American 103rd Aero Squadron, the Lafayette Escadrille, and then the 13th Aero Squadron and 4th Pursuit Group, which he commanded. His memoir was published shortly after his return to the United States and provides an immediacy lacking in other books that were written later. Accounts of US pilots from this period are relatively rare, and this one paints a compelling picture of a group of Americans fighting as volunteers for the French. Biddle's US compatriots soon established their own capability and wrung free of French direction—and as this book reveals, it was largely because of their combat prowess. For his service, Biddle was awarded the French Legion of Honour, the Croix de Guerre, the American Distinguished Service Cross, and the Belgian Order of Leopold II. This memoir gives us a unique perspective on America's participation in the Great War. |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
13th Aero Squadron able altitude American Archies attack aviation AVORD balloon BERGUES better Bleriot Boche bomb bullets captain certainly Chadwick chance chasse machines climb close clouds coming coolies couple course Deullin diving Dun-sur-Meuse Dunkirk English escadrille ESCADRILLE LAFAYETTE feet fellow field fight fire flew flying Fokkers Fonck four French front GEORGES GUYNEMER German German lines glad gone gotten ground Guynemer holes hope hundred yards Huns infantry killed land look luck machine gunner machine guns manœuvre metres miles minutes morning motor never Nieuport night nose observer officers Oliver one’s Paris patrol pilot plane PLESSIS-BELLEVILLE pretty pulled rear RENÉ FONCK renversement Rumpler sector seems seen shell shooting shot side sight single-seater soon Spad speed squadron started tail thing thought TOUL tracer bullets tried trouble turn two-seater watch week wings Ypres