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Raoul Lufbery Collection

 Collection
Identifier: MS-502

Scope and Contents

Raoul Lufbery was well-known as one of the greatest American Flying Aces of World War I. This collection contains an array of items, including newspaper articles, magazine articles, photographs, and paintings. The newspaper articles offer an insight into the mind of a military aviator. Two of the articles were written by Lufbery. The other newspaper articles and magazine articles are by those who knew him and flew alongside him in battle.

Dates

  • Creation: 1917-1985

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Open for research

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright restrictions may apply. Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright. Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository and the copyright holder.

Biography of Gervais Raoul Lufbery

Born Gervais Raoul Lufbery on March 14, 1885 in Chamalières, Puy-de-Dôme, France. At the age of one his mother died so his father left him in the care of his French grandparents until he left at the age of 17. He served in the United States Army from 1907 to1909. Lufbery would join the Foreign Legion as a mechanic at the beginning of World War I, later receiving his pilot wings in 1914. He was attached to the Lafayette Escadrille, an American flying squadron. He was very successful against the enemy, shooting down at least 17 German planes. On May 19, 1918 with enemy planes coming closer to the airfield for the 94th Pursuit Squadron, Lufbery rushed into the air without performing his usual pre-flight check. Soon his plane took a direct hit from the enemy. In order to escape the burning plane, he jumped, was impaled on a fence post. He died instantly. Lufbery received full military honors at his funeral and is interred at the Lafayette Memorial du Parc de Garches, the shrine honoring the Lafayette Escadrille, just outside Paris, France.

Biographical information courtesy of:

American Aces of World War 1 by Norman Franks http://www.firstworldwar.com/bio/lufbery.htm http://www.nationalaviation.org/lufbery-raoul/

Extent

1 linear feet (1 document box, 1 oversize folder)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

This collection contains documents from the World War I flying missions and the untimely death of Raoul Lufbery. The collection contains newspaper clippings, magazine articles, photographs and other prints.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged into one series.

Location Information

Oversize folder in OS 62

Custodial History

Germaine Fox Lufbery collected materials about her brother Raoul. She was the nanny for the Saltonstall family and remained with them until her death. Her belongings were left to the grandsons of the children for whom she cared, Endicott P. Saltonstall and his brother.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Endicott P. Saltonstall donated these materials to the Wright State University Special Collections and Archives in July 2014.

Existence and Location of Copies

A selection of materials from this collection is available in Wright State University’s Campus Online Repository, CORE Scholar, at: https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/special_ms502/.

Title
Guide to the Raoul Lufbery Collection (MS-502)
Status
Completed
Author
Herzog, Nina
Date
2016 January
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
English
Sponsor
Barton, Gloria

Revision Statements

  • 2019 Mar 28: Added CORE Scholar link information

Repository Details

Part of the Special Collections Repository

Contact:
Wright State University Libraries
Special Collections and Archives
3640 Colonel Glenn Hwy
Dayton OH 45435-0001 USA
937-775-2092