Guynemer

France's second highest scoring fighter pilot of World War One, George Guynemer was accepted for training as an aircraft mechanic in 1914, but he was eventually accepted for pilot training, joining Escadrille MS.3 on 8 June 1915. With this unit, he scored his first victory, on 19 July. Guynemer scored his fifth victory in February 1916, and was promoted to lieutenant in March. By year's end, his score had risen to 25. At the end of July, he became the first French ace to attain 50 victories and was lionized by the French press, becoming a national hero. Having scored a total of 53 victories, Guynemer failed to return from a combat mission on 11 September 1917. He was only 22 at the time of his death. Neither he nor the wreckage of his airplane were ever found by the Allies, but the Germans announced that he had been shot down by Lt. Kurt Wissemann of Jasta 3. Guynemer's death was a profound shock to France; nevertheless, he remained a popular icon for the duration of the war.