May 3, 1918 - Day trip to Toul aviation field, death of Chapman of Iowa

This is the 150th Don Martin daily blog posting, since the start on December 7, 2017. To view earlier postings, click on the three red lines at the top right corner, and then click the down arrow by Archives.

Don Martin diary entry for Friday, May 3, 1918:

Went out with [F.J.] Taylor [United Press] again. Visited Boucq and the aviation field near Toul. Some of the American fliers told us about young Chapman of Iowa losing his life in fight with Boche over the German lines. The others feel sorry – that’s all. “Got to happen now and then,” said young O. G. Gude of N.Y. Called earlier in day at French prison and saw a lot of Boche prisoners.

Situation on Picardy front quiet.

Weather delightful.

Fine day but showers at night.

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About the Author

James Larrimore, creator of this blog, had a career in the nuclear field, starting in 1985 in international safeguards at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and as consultant. His continuing interest in nuclear nonproliferation and international safeguards is the basis for the posting in this blog starting in May 2025. In the earlier period 2017-2018, this blog was used to document the writings of James's grandfather, Don Martin, WWI war correspondent. James spent hundreds of hours searching out and transcribing every trace he could find of his grandfather Don Martin’s life and work. He also went to many of the places mentioned in Martin’s diary, dispatches and letters to his young daughter and family. This blog makes the fruits of his labors – including Don Martin’s remarkably vivid accounts of his experiences traveling to France and with the American Expeditionary Force on the front there – available for anyone interested to read. Enjoy!

Aknowledgements

This compilation of the work of Don Martin has been made possible by the availability of scanned copies of the 1917-1918 New York Herald newspapers on the website www.fultonhistory.com. Thomas M. Tryniski of Fulton, New York 13069, is heartily thanked for his tremendous, continuing work in developing that website with all the New York newspapers. Don Martin’s 1917 and 1918 diaries, along with letters from and to him while he was in Europe, became available to the author in the papers of Dorothy Martin Larrimore upon her death. A number of photos in the blog are taken from Wikipedia. Thanks also go to great-grandchildren of Don Martin, Corinne Larrimore Shaddock and Mark Larrimore, and to great-great-grandchild Thomas Shaddock, for wonderful assistance in the layout of this blog. Completion of this effort has been greatly assisted by careful proofreading and the continuing patience of my wife, Irene Larrimore.

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May 3, 1918 - Day trip to Toul aviation field, death of Chapman of Iowa

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