Victor Emmanuel Chapman, son of John Jay and Minna E.Timmins.

The U.S. Army Signal Corp's Cutler Aerial Gunnery Field had been renamed for Victor Emmanuel Chapman. This field was a agricultural and horticultural station going back to the early 1900's.

It was near Miami, Florida and in 1972 was known as the Subtropical Horticulture Research Station.

Victor Emmanuel Chapman, the first American aviator to be killed in France in World War I. He was shot down while delivering fruit to an injured member of the squadron. A body presumed to be that of Chapman was recovered after the war, but dental recordes didn't match, neartheless, the body was placed in a grave under his name in the American Cemetery at Suresness. The remains in that grave were not removed to a memorial to the Lafayette Escadrille built at Villeneuve Park in St. Cloud outside Paris and the crypt bearing Chapman's name remains empty.

SOURCE: A portion of the above information was found at;A Century of Research with USDA in MiamiPro. Fla. State Hort. Soc. 1999R.G. McGuire, R.J. Schnell and W.P. Gould.V. E. ChapmanSergeant, U.S. ArmyLafayette EscadrilleEntered the Service from: New YorkDied: June 16, 1916Buried at: Plot D Row 1 Grave 33Meuse-Argonne American Cemtery, Romagne, FranceAwards: French Medaille Millitaire and French Croix de GuerreSource: American Battle Monuments CommissionWorld War I Honor RollGreat-hearted, loyal, reckless for a friend;Not counting risks, cool handed, clear of sight,He gave himself to serve a lofty end,And like an eagle soaring in the light,On wings unruffled by the wind's chance breath,He sought, and seeks his goal with steadfast flight,--Victor, indeed, in name, in life, in death!John Heard, Jr.SOURCE: Victor Chapman's Letters from France, with memoir by John J. Chapman. Macmillan Co., New York1917page 2The Memorial Church, Harvard UniversilyWorld War I MemorialVictor Emmanuel ChapmanClass of 1913Victor ChapmanIt is not true he died in France;His spirit climbs the serried yearsVictorious over empty fearsAnd proof of Freedom's last advance.The handful of his mortal clayMay drift upon a foreign breezeTo burgeon in to flowers and treesThat make the diadem of May.Himself still lives, and cannot dieWhile freemen shun the tyrant's heel,While minds are true and hearts are leal,And men look upward to the sky.Compact of elemental fireAnd heart untouched by easy fear,His vision measures fair and clearThe worth of ultimate desire.For him no blight of searing age;Eternal youth is his and joy--The cheerful gladnesss of the boyShall be his constant heritage.Mourn not for that devoted head;He is the spirit of our raceTriumphant over Time and Space__He cannot die; he is not dead.Benjamin Apthorp GouldSOURCE: Victor Chapman's Letters from France, with memoir by John J. Chapman. Macmillan Co., New York1917

VICTOR CHAPMAN