"SUDDEN DEATH, WOUNDS, CAPTURE OR ACCIDENT, AN OF THESE MAY HAPPEN… BUT NOTHING MAY DETER HIM AND NOTHING BUT FAILURE TERRIFY HIM"

HASLETT, Elmer. Luck on the Wing. Thirteen Stories of a Sky Spy. New York: E.P. Dutton, (1920). Octavo, original blue cloth, original dust jacket. $1500.

First edition, inscribed by the author in the year of publication, "To Harry—and may he always have 'luck on the wing"—and off. Elmer Haslett. May 27, 1920."

"The work of a successful aerial observation officer in the great war has never been described with such humor or with such light-hearted jollity as it is in Major Haslett's thrilling book." Haslett was the recipient of the United States Army Distinguished Service Cross, the Croix de Guerre Française, and two special citations by General Pershing for conspicuous bravery and exceptionally meritorious service. His Distinguished Service Cross was awarded "for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 12th Aero Squadron, U.S. Army Air Service, A.E.F., near Montfaucon, France, 28 September 1918. While on an artillery surveillance mission Captain Haslett engaged four enemy planes which were about to attack the American balloon line. He succeeded in diverting them from the balloons, but in the combat his machine-guns became jammed. Driving off his nearest adversary by firing a Very pistol at him he succeeded in clearing the jam and, returning to the fight, he destroyed one hostile plane and dispersed the remainder of the group" (War Department, General Orders No. 35 [1919]).

Book with rubbing and spotting to cloth, rare dust jacket with one chip to foot of spine, two tape repairs to spine verso. A very good copy.