' s ▁first ▁duty ▁in ▁the ▁military ▁was ▁as ▁a ▁driver . ▁He ▁was ▁ill ▁and ▁in ▁hospital ▁for ▁several ▁months . ▁Upon ▁recuper ation , ▁he ▁applied ▁for ▁av iation ▁service . ▁In ▁October ▁ 1 9 1 5 , ▁he ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁Esc adr ille ▁ 2 6 . ▁He ▁scored ▁his ▁first ▁victory ▁on ▁ 1 2 ▁March ▁ 1 9 1 6 , ▁and ▁by ▁ 1 4 ▁September , ▁he ▁had ▁six ▁enemy ▁air plan es ▁and ▁an ▁observation ▁bal lo on ▁to ▁his ▁credit , ▁along ▁with ▁five ▁un conf ir med ▁claims . ▁The ▁following ▁day , ▁ 1 5 ▁September , ▁he ▁was ▁shot ▁down ▁and ▁wounded . ▁He ▁died ▁of ▁his ▁w ounds ▁the ▁next ▁day . ▁ ▁Hon ors ▁and ▁awards ▁ ▁Che val ier ▁de ▁la ▁L ég ion ▁d ' honneur ▁ ▁" Ser gent ▁pilot ▁of ▁an ▁army ▁esc adr ille . ▁A ▁pilot ▁of ▁remarkable ▁aud acity ▁and ▁skill . ▁On ▁ 2 2 ▁May ▁ 1 9 1 6 , ▁he ▁purs ued ▁an ▁enemy ▁plane ▁and ▁down ed ▁it ▁after ▁a ▁difficult ▁combat . ▁Al ready ▁c ited ▁in ▁army ▁orders ▁and ▁the ▁Méd aille ▁militaire ▁for ▁having ▁down ed ▁two ▁enemy ▁plan es ▁previously ." ▁( L ég ion ▁d ' honneur ▁c itation , ▁ 1 0 ▁June ▁ 1 9 1 6 ) ▁ ▁Méd aille ▁militaire ▁ ▁" Ser gent ▁pilot . ▁An ▁ar dent , ▁skill ful ▁and ▁t ena cious