▁November ▁ 1 9 1 5 , ▁he ▁received ▁Military ▁Pil ot ' s ▁Bre vet ▁No . ▁ 2 0 0 4 . ▁His ▁first ▁flying ▁assignment , ▁on ▁ 2 1 ▁January ▁ 1 9 1 6 , ▁was ▁to ▁Esc adr ille ▁C 4 2 ▁as ▁a ▁Ca ud ron ▁pilot . ▁His ▁first ▁task ▁was ▁to ▁find ▁a ▁satisf actory ▁mechan ic . ▁After ▁several ▁candidates ▁had ▁been ▁found ▁wanting , ▁F y odor ov ▁was ▁sent ▁"... a ▁kid ▁from ▁the ▁Class ▁of ▁' 1 6 .... Dir ty , ▁not ▁gro omed , ▁un sh aven , ▁sw imming ▁in ▁those ▁large ▁blue ▁p ants , ▁d rench ed ▁in ▁oil .... " ▁After ▁flying ▁a ▁Ca ud ron ▁tun ed ▁by ▁young ▁Cap oral ▁Pierre ▁Lan ero , ▁F y odor ov ▁land ed ▁to ▁proc laim , ▁" Now ▁I ▁am ▁able ▁to ▁be ▁at ▁ease , ▁my ▁back ▁does ▁not ▁hurt ▁and ▁does ▁not ▁v ibr ate . ▁I ▁can ▁walk ▁wonder fully ." ▁F y odor ov ▁had ▁found ▁his ▁mechan ic ▁for ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁his ▁war . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 1 ▁February ▁ 1 9 1 6 , ▁F y odor ov ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁ser ge ant , ▁even ▁as ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Verd un ▁er upt ed . ▁His ▁fl ights ▁were ▁in ▁support ▁of ▁the ▁on going ▁ground ▁action . ▁He ▁gained ▁the ▁reputation ▁of ▁being ▁cheer fully ▁willing ▁for ▁a ▁fight , ▁and ▁eager ▁to ▁press