80 years ago today, on November 27th, 1940, Henri Guillaumet and Marcel Reine were shot down by mistake above the Mediterranean Sea.

Guillaumet was one of the great pioneers of the Aeropostale Line, perhaps the greatest with Jean Mermoz. In May 1930, he survives a crash in the Andes at the Laguna Diamante, and walks towards the East. His only goal is to find a spot for his body to be found, so his widow can receive the life insurance. He stumbles upon a young shepherd five days later, on the verge of death. To Saint-Exupéry who flew in as soon as he heard that he had been found, he says this immortal quote, a testament to human resolve and obstination: “You know, what I did… No beast would have ever done it.”

Marcel Reine had survived the Sahara, and being captured three time by rebel R’Guibat Tuareg tribes. Talented and facetious, he had been notorious for flying low above the waves and other acrobatics, and during the early days in Casablanca, was once reprimanded for giving champagne to the horses during one too many parties… Though lesser known, I always consider him the fourth Musketeer to Mermoz, Guillaumet and Saint-Ex.

The Farman NC.223 was flying from France to Lebanon on that fateful day, when it found itself in the midst of an engagement between Italian and British fighters. Although recognizable as a civilian plane (with large yellow bands painted on the sides), it was hit several time and disintegrated as it fell into the sea. To this day, there is uncertainty over who fired the fatal rounds: the British, or the Italians.

Guillaumet’s death deeply affects Saint-Exupéry, who writes: ” Guillaumet is dead. It feels tonight that I no longer have any friends.”

Saint-Exupéry disappeared four years later during a recon mission, joining his companions into the legend.