He was killed in a landing accident at a time
almost coincident with the disappearance of Guynemer. One of his
escadrille mates described him thus: "With remarkable intelligence, and
a perfectly even disposition, his chiefs valued him for his sang-froid,
his quick eye, his exact knowledge of the services he was able to
perform. Every time a mission was intrusted to him, everybody was sure
that he would accomplish it, no matter what conditions he had to meet.
He often had to face enemy airplanes better armed than his own, and in
the course of a flight had been wounded in the thigh by an exploding
shell. Nevertheless he had continued to fly, only returning considerably
later when his task was done. His death has left a great void in this
escadrille. Men like him are difficult to replace...."
Thus the immoderate Guynemer had for his first friend a comrade who knew
exactly his own limits. Guynemer could save Jean Krebs from his excess
of literal honesty by showing him the enchantment of his own ecstasies,
but Jean Krebs furnished the motor for Guynemer's ambitious young wings.
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