07. Commander’s pinch of salt

After many years, Cooper wrote in his memoirs: “On the eastern border of Europe – there near Lviv, there was neither victory nor triumph. There was a terrible, uneven, fierce battle there. I knew that Poland must finally deal with its enemies or be killed irretrievably. “When the eight Americans stood in front of Pilsudski with a proposal to fight “for ours and yours “, the Commandant had doubts. He thought it was a few reckless adventurers – “Cowboys”, as he called them. He thought that not many of them would be useful, but he was convinced by the enthusiasm of Merian Cooper and eventually agreed to include the Americans in the Polish armed forces. Piłsudski did a great impression on Cooper. He wrote many years later: “To this day I still remember the strong, steel look of his penetrating eyes, from heavy eyebrows, when he said goodbye to us.” 8. American airmen came to Poland in mid-September 1919. They hit the 7th Fighter Squadron stationed at the Lewandówka airport in Lviv. From December 1919, the Squadron took the name of the 7th Fighter Squadron named after Tadeusz Kościuszko. Major Faunt-le-Roy took the command of the squadron, Cooper became his deputy and commanded one of his two groups – the one named Pułaski. Lewandówka Airport was taken over by the Polish airmen from Austria, who earlier served the Austrian army. Stefan Bastyr and Stefan Stec stood out among them. The Lwówians, delighted with the heroic deeds of both airmen, called them “Stefki waryjaty”, there were songs sang for them, the Lviv girls sighed to the two brave pilots. Stefan Stec decorated his Fokker with white and red checkerboard of his own idea. The sign appealed so much, that it was considered the official emblem of the Polish air force.