Victor Emmanuel Chapman (April 17, 1890 – June 23, 1916) was a French-American pilot remembered for his exploits during World War I.
He became friendly with four men during his days in the trenches: a Polish fighter who was known only as "Kohl", and Americans Alan Seeger, Henry Fansworth, and David King.
[2] : 83 After Kohl's death, Chapman and two other friends, (Norman Prince and Elliot Cowdin), were given an opportunity to fly in a fighter airplane.
During the engagement, Chapman suffered a head wound, most likely from an attack by then four-victory German flier Walter Höhndorf.
Prior to his last flight Chapman loaded oranges onto his aircraft, intending to take these to Balsley who was in the hospital recuperating from his wounds.
[4][5] On June 24, 1916, while en route to Balsley, Chapman was again attacked, north of Douaumont by German flying ace Leutnant Kurt Wintgens, a close friend of Höhndorf.