EVR's MOH mission

[Barrett]

I thought of adding this topic to Frank's trench map thread but figgered I'd get lost in the geography (so to speak).
Which brings me to the point at hand:
1) Rickenbacker's Medal of Honor mission is cited as occurring near Billy, France, which I assume was on the Verdun front in the approximate area of the German 5th Army. Dog-gone if I can find it on any map. Directions appreciated.
2) JWC (that's Jasta War Chronology for the two or three new Forumites who haven't discovered Grub Street's wonderful series) shows no German fighter pilot casualties in that area on 25 September 18. Just wonder if any other sources show any Halberstadt or at least two-seater losses that date. I know, I know, "not every victory is a kill" but I'd like to pin down the possibilities for my Medal of Honor project. (Do not yet have the Grub Street GAS losses book.)
Thanks to one and all.

[stephen]

Barrett, my modern Michelin atlas shows only one "Billy" of any sort in France, and its all the way up in the Brit sector. Its Billy-Montingy... look north of Arras, smack dab between Lens and Douai. Just south of the A21 autoroute that connects the two. This is actually on the extreme eastern outskirts of modern day Lens.

Wonder if his SPAD had drop tanks.

[Dan_San_Abbott]

Barrett:
There are 13 Billys- listed in my "Dictionnaire des Communes. I think the one you are looking for is: Billy-sous-Mangiennes, Meuse, this is 12 km from Baroncourt and 8 Km from Spincourt behind Verdun. Where specifically was this engagement? If this not it let me know.
Blue skies,
Dan-San Abbott

A few years ago I went to a local flea market, for my first and last time. Of course, the first table that I went to, and the first box of junk, had at the top of the pile a very good condition National Geographic map of the western front, dated 1918. Beginners luck. It is now framed behind glass in the "map room". The biggest problem with it (about 30" x 36") is that it is VERY detailed. Anyway, Billy-sous-Mangiennes... about 8 or 9 miles due east of Damvillers, which is about 12 or 13 miles due north of Verdun. Great map! B-s-M seems to have been a very small spot of nothing, being serviced by no sizeable roads or rail lines.
Have fun,
Ed

[Barrett]

Thanks, guys. You're terrific.
Yup, Billy-sous-Mangiennes undoubtedly be da place, but the MOH citation is very unspecific, merely citing "near Billy, France." (Uh-huh...like Chicago USA).
The citation further states one Fokker OOC and one Halberstadt "sent down." The tentative wording is why I asked about any records showing a two-seater loss in that area 25 Sep 18, as a/c ID wasn't always terrific.

Barrett: The 1918 June issue of national Geographic had a map of every town on the Western Front. If you subscribe to NG you can call their cartograhic people and they will send you that map gratis. The phone number is on the back of the membership card. They treat writers very well.
Do you have any poop on who put EVR in for that medal, or did he lobby for it via his political friends; and why did it take 11 years?
VBRs Billy H. 16FEB01/0130

Barrett: What was the point-of-no-return of a Spad XIII flying out of Rembercourt? Billy wwould have to be within that radius of action, n'est-ce pas?

[rammjaeger]

Barrett,

maybe worth a try: Sgt. Heinrich Lender (p) and Lt. d.R. Fritz Knipp (o) of FA 36. The first was reported lost near Jametz, the letter in Maas-Ost (whatever that means). Jametz is situated ca 10 miles WNW of Billy-s.-Mangiennes.

VBR
Hannes

[Barrett]

Billy, Hannes, et al: again, my thanks for your continuing support. The crew of Lender/Knipp seems to offer prospects assuming the time works.
As yet I don't have access to the paper trail of EVR's MOH, which presumably is held in the new(er) National Archives branch at College Park, Maryland. Am still awaiting definite word. The story of EVR's lobbying for The Big One has been about for years, but thus far there's no hard evidence--just the mighty peculiar situation of the MOH replacing one of his ten (!) DSCs twelve years after the fact. Some observers have noted that his action of 25 Oct was unobserved by US or allied witnesses, but that's not unprecedented in context. In fact, I've found a few other aviation MOH actions that fit the same description in WW II.

[rammjaeger]

Ooops, 25 Oct?