Dumitru-Cicerone Bădulescu (23 March 1893 – 26 March 1978) was Romania's only World War I ace. Born in Pitești into a family of career soldiers, after graduating from high school he attended the Military School for Infantry Officers and was awarded the rank of Sublocotenent. Like many of the young Romanian officers, Bădulescu felt drawn towards the then-fledgling Aviation Corps and applied for transfer. He got his wish in September 1916, when he was assigned to as an observer.
Early life
Bădulescu was born in Pitești, Argeș County on 23 March 1893. He was from a family of career soldiers. After graduating from high school he attended the Military School for Infantry Officers, which he graduated from in 1914, receiving the rank of (Second Lieutenant).
Military career
In 1913, he participated as a student-Sergeant during the Second Balkan War. From 1914, he served as an administration officer of the 10th Regiment Roșiori, however, after the mobilization of the Romanian Army in 1916, he requested to be transferred to the aviation. On 16 September 1916, he was assigned as an observer to , commanded by Captain (Cpt.) . As an air observer he performed reconnaissance as well as interception of enemy aircraft missions, flying with Gheorghe Negrescu and Ioan Peneș. On 20 November 1916, while flying on a mission to intercept some German airplanes that were over Ploiești, Bădulescu together with Gheorghe Negrescu engaged and shot down an enemy aircraft which crashed in flames 400-500 meters away from the and the Romanian airfield.
During the winter of 1916, Dumitru Bădulescu attended the Air Observer School at Bârlad, which he graduated on 12 January 1917. After graduating he flew with the F.2 Squadron, then with the F.6 Squadron. On 28 January, he successfully bombed the Union factory, setting fire to 3 factory halls. From the 23rd of March, Bădulescu joined the F.6 Squadron. During this period he flew almost daily over the front, bringing back photographs and valuable information about enemy troop movements. On 1 April 1917, he was moved to an administrative position within , however, he would return to the squadron on 9 June.
After his return to Escadrila F.6, he took part in a bombing raid on the "Carpați" factory, his aircraft being hit by anti-aircraft shrapnel. On 24 June, he received his observer brevet, no. 78/24 June 1917. On 27 June 1917, while flying on a Farman F.40 together with Lieutenant (Lt.) Petre Ioanin, they were attacked by a Hansa-Brandenburg C.I over the Mărăști – Soveja sector. In his report Bădulescu wrote: "The fighting was going on for about 10 minutes when the enemy plane, badly damaged, fell in the Soveja area. Our crew earned the congratulations of the front commander...". Following this second victory, he was decorated with the Order of the Crown of Romania Knight class. In preparation of the Battle of Mărăști he will bomb the enemy positions in the Momâia Peak - Cota 625 area and direct friendly artillery fire. On 1 August, he obtained his 3rd confirmed air victory, shooting down an observation balloon near Panciu.
9 August 1917
On 9 August 1917, during the Battle of Mărășești, Farman F.40 no. 3236 of the French Sergeant de Triquerville and observer Slt. Dumitru Bădulescu was flying on a reconnaissance mission over the enemy lines of Kézdi-Vásárhely, higher up and somewhere to the right flew Nieuport 11 no. 1418 of Lt. Gheorghe Mihăilescu. At 8:10 in the morning, the two Romanian airplanes arrived over the enemy lines. After photographing the two enemy aerodromes, the Romanian airplanes were returning to base. Close to the Romanian lines, the Farman was attacked by an Austro-Hungarian aircraft, Oeffag C.II no. 52.63 of FliK 31, flown by Zugsführer Adolf Rabel and observer Oberleutnant Franz Xaver Schlarbaum, which was returning from a mission over the Romanian lines. Mihăilescu immediately intervened, diving on the Oeffag, and from several short bursts, set enemy airplane on fire. The Austro-Hungarian aircraft crash-landed in no man's land, closer to the Romanian trenches.