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| Name: |
Gervais Raoul Lufbery
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| County: |
United States |
| Rank: |
Major |
| Services: |
French Air Service
United States Air Service |
| Units: |
VB106, N124 (USAS)
94th Aero (USAS) |
| Victories: |
16 |
| Born: |
14 March 1885 |
| Place of Birth: |
Chamalieres, France |
| Died: |
19 May 1918 |
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| Place of Death: |
Maron, north of Nancy |
| Cemetery: |
Lafayette Memorial du Parc de Garches, Paris, France |
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Born in France, Raoul Lufbery emigrated to the United States with his family when he was six years old. When the war began, he was back in France where he quickly enlisted in the French Air Service. Serving first as a mechanic and then as a reconnaissance pilot, he soon moved on to single-seat fighters. Lufbery spent almost four years in the French Air Service and the Lafayette Escadrille before joining the United States Air Service as an instructor. Idolized by his subordinates and revered by his peers, he was killed in action as he attempted to down a German Rumpler north of Nancy. Hit by enemy fire, his Nieuport 28 suddenly flipped over and Lufbery was seen to fall from the aircraft. The following day, in an impressive funeral that was witnessed by hundreds and recorded on film, Lufbery was buried in the cemetery at the Sebastopol Hospital. In the village of Maron, near the Moselle River, a bronze tablet marks the place where he fell. Lufbery's remains were later moved to Lafayette Memorial du Parc de Garches in Paris.
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| Médaille Militaire |
| "A model of skill, sangfroid and courage. He has distinguished himself through the numerous long distance bombardments and by the daily combats which he has with enemy planes. On 31 July [1916], he never hesitated to attack at close range, a group of four enemy planes. He downed one of them near our lines. He succeeded in downing another on 4 August 1916." Médaille Militaire citation |
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| Légion d'Honneur |
| "He enlisted under the French colors for the duration of the war. Has given proof as a pursuit pilot of remarkable audacity and has downed up to 27 December 1916, six enemy aircraft. Already cited twice in orders and has the Médaille Militaire." Legion d'Honneur citation |
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| Victories |
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Date |
Time |
Unit |
Aircraft |
Opponent |
Location |
| 1 |
30 Jul 1916 |
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N124 |
|
Two-seater |
Foret d'Etain |
| 2 |
31 Jul 1916 |
|
N124 |
|
Two-seater |
Fort Vaux |
| 3 |
04 Aug 1916 |
|
N124 |
|
Two-seater 1 |
Aboucort |
| 4 |
08 Aug 1916 |
|
N124 |
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Aviatik C |
NE of Douaumont |
| 5 |
12 Oct 1916 |
|
N124 |
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Roland C.II |
Oberndorf |
| 6 |
27 Dec 1916 |
1500 |
N124 |
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Aviatik C |
SE of Chaulnes |
| 7 |
24 Jan 1917 |
1005 |
N124 |
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Aviatik C |
Chaulnes-Péronne |
| u/c |
08 Apr 1917 |
|
N124 |
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EA (FTL) |
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| 8 |
13 Apr 1917 |
1730 |
N124 |
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Two-seater |
NW of St. Quentin |
| 9 |
24 Apr 1917 |
1725 |
N124 |
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Aviatik C |
E of Cerisy |
| 10 |
12 Jun 1917 |
0820 |
N124 |
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Two-seater |
Sapignal |
| 11 |
04 Sep 1917 |
0915 |
N124 |
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EA |
E of Cheppy |
| 12 |
22 Sep 1917 |
1342 |
N124 |
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Two-seater |
Bois de Cheppy |
| 13 |
16 Oct 1917 |
1015 |
N124 |
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Two-seater |
Vauxillon |
| 14 |
24 Oct 1917 |
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N124 |
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Two-seater 2 |
Courtecon |
| 15 |
02 Dec 1917 |
1005 |
N124 |
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Two-seater 3 |
S of Ployart |
| 16 |
02 Dec 1917 |
1125 |
N124 |
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Two-seater |
Laval |
| u/c |
12 Apr 1918 |
1325 |
94th |
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Albatros D.III |
Xivray |
| u/c |
27 Apr 1918 |
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94th |
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EA |
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| 1 |
Shared with Adj Victor Sayaret |
| 2 |
Shared with Lt Paul Malavialle |
| 3 |
Shared with Sgt Vidal, Sgt Achille Rousseau, Cpl Cabot, Brig Wurtz |
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| Books |
- American Aces of World War 1
- by Norman Franks, Harry Dempsey (Illustrator) / Paperback / Osprey Publishing (September 25, 2001)
- Over the Front
- by Norman L. R. Franks, Frank W. Bailey / Hardcover / Grub Street the Basement (May 1992)
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