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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2009
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Mystery of Little Prince Author's Fate Solved

German vet tells archaeologist, 'I shot down Saint-Exupéry'

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(Newser) – One of aviation’s great mysteries has been solved: What happened to Antoine de Saint- Exupéry, the French pilot and author of The Little Prince, who disappeared in 1944. A bracelet turned up in the Mediterranean a decade ago, then a sunken aircraft. An archeologist diver, not satisfied to stop there, contacted hundreds of veterans before hearing, “You can stop searching. I shot down Saint-Exupéry.”

The pilot, Horst Rippert, says he shot down a P-38 with French colors near Marseille, the New York Times reports. Days later, he learned that the author he revered as a kid had disappeared. Convinced that he was responsible, he confided his fears only to his diary. Some are skeptical of Rippert’s claims, but Saint-Exupery’s grandnephew called his story credible.

Francois D'Agey, a relative of French aviator and author Antoine de Saint-Exupery attends a press briefing besides an original drawing by Saint-Exupery.
Francois D'Agey, a relative of French aviator and author Antoine de Saint-Exupery attends a press briefing besides an original drawing by Saint-Exupery.   (AP Photo/Junji Kurokawa)
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry wrote
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry wrote "The Little Prince."   (Harvest Books)
In this 1936 photo
In this 1936 photo "The Little Prince" author Antoine de Saint-Exupery and his wife, Consuelo, are seen in their Paris home.   (AP Photo)
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