Mercenary pilot Vince Schmidt

Anyone have anything on him? Apparently an ex- U.S.A.S. pilot.He's mentioned in Byrd's bio. on Chennault as having fought in Mexico, Ethopia, Spain, China and Finland. He headed up the 14th International Sqd. fighting in China in the late 30's. Would appreciate any info. Also need info. on "Speed" Volta (I don't know his real given name nor am I exact on the spelling of Volta). He was flying for Lockheed at the end of WWII. Thanks much! LEB

Hi!
There are som bits and pieces about him in the book "The Flyers" by Brian Bridgeman.
How much info do you have on him ?
/Lars Larsson

Sebie Smith was Chennault's personal mech.in China in the years before the AVG. Smith taped some of his thoughts for author Martha Byrd as she was working on her bio. of CC.The tapes, her index notes, are at Columbia Univ. as part of their Oral History Program. He mentions Schmidt ("an excitable kind of guy.") in the course of his comments. I appreciate your input and will try to locate the Bridgeman book. VS must have been quite a character. I wonder how he reconciled his mercenary existence with the U.S. State Depts. dim view of such activities. In Byrd's book, for instance, she mentions constant pressure on Chennault from the U.S. Consulate as re his alleged combat flying. He was threatened with apprehension (by a "U.S.Sheriff of Shanghai"!) and the penalties involved loss of pension, loss of citizenship and repatriation to the U.S. under arrest. This is an interesting point in itself: Biggs says C. didn't engage in combat. CLC's interpreter says he didn't. CLC's widow says he brought down over 40 Japanese AC. Chennault always said he sworn an oath not to discuss any aspect of it. James McHugh, a U.S. Marine Major and Naval Attache in China at that time says C.waved two fingers as answer to his questions of a "Any luck?" type question put to C. by McH. as Chennault landed after one of the many raids that he was aloft "observing" (?). Some of the AVG vets I've spoken with have mixed viewpoints. None state he claimed any victories. At the time as young kids these types of issues, while tantalizing to present researchers, didn't enter into their thinking as they were in the midst of their own great adventures in Burma and China. Well it is apparent that Schmidt certainly deserves more of a spotlight being, I'd surmise, somewhat of a classic adventurer: He sure didn't spend the "Depression Years" selling apples on the corner! Someday soon I'll see what the old Air Corps archives might have on him. Would appreciate any other info. VBR. LEB