Jacques Ehrlich

Who was Jacques Ehrlich?

Sous Lieutenant Jacques Louis Ehrlich was a World War I flying ace who was one of the leading balloon busters of the war.

He enlisted in the French army on 29 May 1913. Three and a half years later, in December 1916, he transferred to aviation. In May 1917, he was brevetted a pilot. Two months later, he was badly wounded while on a trench strafing mission. He returned to duty in November as a newly promoted sergeant. Beginning on 30 June 1918, he was one of a "wolf pack" of his squadron's pilots dedicated to the highly hazardous pursuit of destroying German observation balloons. From that first victory, through the next two and a half triumphant months, he shared in the destruction of 15 enemy balloons, and shot down three others solo. On 1 August and on 15 September, he was credited with three victories each; on 17 July, he had two. After the 15 September feat of downing three balloons in two minutes, he was recommended for both the Legion d'Honneur and the Medaille Militaire. Three days later, he was shot down and captured while scoring his last win.