postwar period, for Lufthansa would not hire
anyone whom they considered to be a mili-
tarist. It was not until 1950 that Bär found
work supervising the German Aero Club, an
organization founded to promote sport flying.
On April 28, 1957, Bär was demonstrating a
light plane specifically designed for safe fly-
ing—when it inexplicably spun in and
crashed, killing him. Having survived five and
a half years of nonstop combat, his demise in
a civilian airplane seems all the more tragic.
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Diedrich, Hans-Peter. German Jet Aircraft, 1939–
1945.Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publications, 2000; Hess,
William N. German Jets Versus the U.S. Army Air
Force.North Branch, MN: Specialty Press, 1996;
Hooten, E. R. Eagle in Flames: The Fall of the
Luftwaffe.London: Arms and Armour, 1997; Isby,
Dave C., ed. The Luftwaffe Fighter Force: The
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Famous Aces.Atglen, PA: Schiffer, 1999; Weal,
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Osprey, 2000; Weal, John.Focke-Wulf FW-190 Aces
of the Western Front.London: Osprey, 1996; Weal,
John. Messerschmitt Bf-109 D/E Aces, 1939–1941.
London: Osprey, 1996; Weal, John, and Hugh Mor-
gan. German Jet Aces of World War II.London:
Osprey, 1998.BARBONCITO
Barboncito
(ca. 1820–March 16, 1871)
Navajo War Chief
T
he eloquent Barboncito was a success-
ful warrior, a forceful spokesman for
the Navajo nation, and the last of his
tribe to surrender to the United States. When
his military efforts failed, he took his case to
the government and won a new reservation
on traditional Navajo lands.
Barboncito, also known as Hastin Dagha
(Man with the Whiskers), was born into the
Coyote Pass clan of the Navajo nation around
- His birthplace was Canon de Chelly in
present-day northeastern Arizona, a sparse,
rugged region that was sacred to Native
Americans living there. Barboncito matured
into a man with a powerful voice and great
natural eloquence, talents that ensured his se-
lection as the tribal religious singer. Like their
near-relatives, the Apaches, Navajos were
mounted raiders by nature, traditional ene-
mies of the neighboring Ute, Hopi, and Zuni
Indians. Concurrently, however, the Navajos
were also in constant conflict with Mexican
authorities, who frequently dispatched expe-
ditions into their territory for the purpose of
acquiring slave labor. The Navajos were there-
fore greatly relieved in 1846 when a U.S. expe-
dition under Col. Alexander William Don-
iphan drove the hated oppressors out of
Arizona following the commencement of the
Mexican-American War. Barboncito had by
this time advanced to the position of subchief
and used his influence to council friendly rela-
tions with the newcomers. Both sides initially
profited by trade, but as the pace of white mi-
gration increased, so did inevitable conflicts
over the use of land.
By 1850, sporadic warfare had broken out
between white settlers and various groups of
Navajos. Barboncito was at the forefront of
peace negotiations in 1853, which temporarily
suspended hostilities. The crisis seemed de-
fused for the moment, until new frictions