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Joe Doyle: You are right! I read that book, and it gave me the impression that Fonck was meticulous in his approach to air combat. He would examine each cartridge that he loaded into his guns, and reject those that were defective or likely to cause a jam and he lubricated them. I do not think tha Fonck was ever shotdown, or injured, and he was a superb marksman.
In war, to be effective as opposed to just fighting for life, a person has to have what the French call sang froid or 'cold blood' a quality much admired by the French militaire. Sang froid is the antidote to fear, but it is a rare quality. Fonck had, and it was this clinical approach to combat and nonchalance that made lesser men hate Fonck for qualities we all wish we had.
My father spent some time in France. He told me that certain Frenchmen-not all-have a sarcastic sense of humor: they make jokes by insulting people. He said if you ever get to France and meet someone like that, you must answer sarcasm with sarcasm. I got to France and met monsieur sarcasm in the form of a border guard who did not want to stamp my kids passports. I was driving a VW camper with a German export plate, and probably thinking I was German asked me why I was in France. I answered: "Pour voire votre belle fornicating pays." This started him laughing and he then stamped all our passports. That's the French for you. But that's the only time I had a hard time in that country.
VBRs Billy H 09/16/00.
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