A short history of the Lafayette Escadrille and the Lafayette Flying Corps will be provided here to refresh the reader of its origins, its accomplishments, and its contributions to the war effort.  This history will not be extensive, and will only provide a brief synopsis of the unit.  The purpose is not to recreate the history of the Lafayette Escadrille — that can be found elsewhere.

The Origins of the Lafayette Escadrille 

As the armies of Europe clashed in August of 1914, America decided to remain neutral.  This did not sit well with some of its citizens who believed that America should choose to side with one or the other belligerents.  American citizens for a variety of reasons rushed to join both sides of the fighting.  Some of the American men, whether finding themselves in Europe at the start of the war or after reaching Europe in a variety of other ways, sought a way to aid in the fight.  Some felt the call due to a strong sense of right and liberty; some were adventurous and sought their fame and fortune; and still others were just idle, young men — but whatever the case, they came in order to fight or to volunteer their services.

The question of neutrality was an issue for these Americans, and preserving their citizenship was another one.  President Woodrow Wilson of the United States had declared,

“No person within the territory and jurisdiction of the US shall take part, directly or indirectly, in the war, but shall maintain strict and impartial neutrality.” ¹ 

Articles 6, Chapter 1, Convention V of the 1907 Hague Convention, had expressly addressed the issue of foreign nationals fighting for other countries; persons were permitted to offer their services to one of the belligerents without penalty. However, Article 4 of the same Convention, disallowed countries from recruiting corps of candidates from neutral countries.  Furthermore, an American law passed in 1907 declared that any American that enlisted in or took an oath to a foreign service “shall be deemed to have expatriated himself.” ²     

The French, in order to skirt the citizenship issue, agreed that joining the French Foreign Legion one did not forfeit one’s citizenship since the oath of allegiance was not made to another country, just to the fighting unit itself.  A few hardy Americans found their entrance into the French forces in this fashion. ³ 

Early in the conflict, a few Americans fighting in the Foreign Legion came up with an idea to start a unit of volunteer American aviators.  The origins of this idea are generally credited to Legionnaire William Thaw, who had been a pilot before the war.  At the same time, a young man named Norman Prince was also independently toying with the idea.  Prince had lived on and off in France for most of his young life and his father held land in Pau in the south of France.  His idea was to form an American squadron in the French Aeronautic Service, using as a nucleus several other fellows that were akin to the idea, including the volunteer legionnaires that he had encountered upon his arrival to France, men such as William Thaw, Elliot Cowdin, Frazier Curtis, Bert Hall and Didier Masson. ⁴

Prince had to come to France in early 1915 and due to his father’s influence and wealth, set about trying to act upon his idea for an aviation unit.  His efforts were at first rebuffed since the neutrality of the Americans was an issue and since the nascent aviation service of France had more than enough pilots of its own.  Eventually Prince met a Mr. Jarousse de Sillac who became enamored with the young man’s idea.  Mr. de Sillac, who was the Under-Secretary of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was in a position to make this idea known, and in February of 1915 persuaded the Ministry of War to allow Americans to enlist in French Aviation.  At the end of March 1915, pilots Thaw, Hall, Cowdin, Curtis, Prince, and James Bach were assigned to French aviation schools while details of the unit to be were worked out. ⁵

Concurrently, and independent of Prince’s and the others’ efforts, another Paris-based American named Dr. Edmund Gros, one of the men in charge of the American Ambulance Corps, had had a similar idea of organizing an American flying unit.  He had thought that many of the volunteers he had met in the ambulance corps would be excellent candidates for pilots, and so he set about using his contacts and prestige in Paris to formulate a flying unit. ⁶

Dr. Gros had met Curtis and some of the other fledgling aviators, and through them, Mr. de Sillac.  Mr. de Sillac and Gros began fomenting the enthusiasm and support necessary to realize their idea.  Finally on July 8, 1915, General Hirschauer, Chief of French Military Aeronautics, met with Dr. Gros and Mr. De Sillac.  Although at first completely opposed to the idea of a group of American flyers at the front due to diplomatic reasons, he saw the benefits of having such a unit.  He agreed to the formation of an American squadron, to be known as the “Escadrille Americaine.” ⁷

It was not until April 1916, that the unit was actually stood up and designated as “Nieuport 124” or “N-124,” an “escadrille de chasse” or pursuit squadron.  On March 21, 1916, official orders were received from the Department of Aeronautics, stating that the Commander in Chief had finally approved the formation of N-124, but it would take a while to assemble the American pilots.  The pilots who would form the nucleus of the new unit were scattered throughout schools in France at Buc, Pau, and Avord, and some of them like Thaw had already been flying with French units at the front.  The candidates were assembled at Plessis Belleville.  Captain Georges Thenault would command the squadron; his second in command was Lieutenant deLaage de Meux.  These seven men are the original pilots of the Lafayette Escadrille: William Thaw, Elliot Cowdin, Kiffin Rockwell, Norman Prince, Bert Hall, Victor Chapman and James Rogers McConnell.  Eugene Curtis, slated to join the unit, was injured in a training accident and unable to fly anymore; and James Bach crashed and became a prisoner of war. ⁸

To support the unit which had begun to attract a great deal of attention, Dr. Gros and Mr. de Sillac founded the “Franco-American Committee” (later to become the “Franco-American Flying Corps”), a committee designed to handle the finances and business of the Americans since they would need support in addition to what the French gave them for uniforms, expenses, and sundries.  It was composed of Dr. Gros, Mr. de Sillac, and various wealthy benefactors and American businessmen of high standing like William K. Vanderbilt and J. Pierpont Morgan; these men would fund, outfit, and provide for the well being of the Escadrille Americaine pilots. ⁹

The Franco-American Flying Corps also facilitated the way for potential American flying candidates.  A special form of enlistment was adopted by the French which allowed the candidate to enlist but which also unequivocally gave him the right to return to the United States without penalty or cost should he turn out to be inept as a flyer.  As to the question of citizenship, the candidate was also allowed to forego swearing allegiance to the French, although he had to promise to obey orders and to submit to discipline  — ensuring his American nationality. ¹⁰

The Germans protested the move based on America’s neutrality and demanded that the reference to America in the Escadrille Americaine be dropped.  The French shortly thereafter changed the name to the “Escadrille de volontaires.” But since the American men hated that title, they were allowed to change its name to the diplomatic, yet still very symbolic, “Lafayette Escadrille.”  It was officially accepted.  ¹¹

The Squadron in Combat 

The Lafayette Escadrille would ultimately be transferred eleven times and serve in nine different locations in its approximate twenty-three months of service at the front in order to be near the majority of the fighting.  Consequently, it would fly over every sector of the Western Front.  See Maps One and Two. ¹²

The unit was originally stationed at Luxeuil-les-Bains, an ancient spa town at the foot of the Vosges Mountains near the Swiss border from April 20 to May 19, 1916.  The squadron shared the airfield with British aviators of the Royal Naval Air Service and the units were assigned to protect Captain Felix Happe’s Farnam and Bequet bombers on raids.  The squadron flew its first official patrol on May 13 and scored its first victory by Kiffin Yates Rockwell on May 18 when he shot down a reconnaissance plane. ¹³

The unit moved to Bar-le-Duc, Verdun Sector from May 19 to September 14, 1916, in order to take part in the Verdun Battle where it became part of Groupe de Combat 12.  Raoul Lufbury, Clyde Balsley, Chouteau Johnson, Lawrence Rumsey, Dudley Hill, Didier Masson, and Paul Pavelka joined the squadron at Bar-le-Duc, increasing the total to 16 pilots.  On May 22 Bert Hall achieved the squadron’s second victory, and on May 24, William Thaw scored the third.  On June 17 Victor Chapman scored his first kill, but was killed above Haumont on June 23, the squadron’s first loss.  Two days later Elliot Cowdin transferred out of the unit due to “health reasons.” On July 23 Bert Hall scored a second kill; deLaage downed another on July 27.  On July 30 and 31, Raoul Lufbery shot down the first two of what would become a long string of kills.  Lufbery would achieve two more kills, Norman Prince one, and Bert Hall his third, during the month of August. Norman Prince and Kiffin Rockwell combined to shoot down planes on September 9.  During Verdun, the unit had fought in 146 combats, with 13 confirmed victories, and had one pilot killed and three wounded.  The squadron also turned over its old Nieuport-11’s to another escadrille and adopted the new Nieuport-17’s. ¹⁴

From September 14 to October 18, 1916, the N-124 was transferred back to Luxeuil, Vosges Sector.  Robert Rockwell, Kiffin Rockwell’s distant cousin, arrived to the unit on a squadron stopover in Paris, and the unit returned to Luxeuil on September 19, 1916.  The unit was assigned once again to protect British and French bombers.  On September 23, Kiffin Rockwell, one of the most popular members of the Escadrille, was killed in combat near Rodern; and on October 12, Norman Prince, another well-known member of the Escadrille, was mortally injured in a crash landing upon his return from a combat mission after having downed an enemy aircraft earlier in the mission.  Lufbery became an ace with his fifth kill on that very same mission with Prince.  From Luxeuil the unit was ordered to Cachy. ¹⁵

The unit received replacements William Haviland, Frederick Prince (Norman Prince’s brother) and Robert Soubiran en route to Cachy, the Somme Sector, where it was stationed from October 18, 1916, to January 26, 1917.  It was assigned to Groupe de Combat 13 and would remain part of this organization for the remainder of its existence during the war.  From mid-November to mid-January, only twelve days would be fit for flying due to weather.  Bert Hall was asked to leave the unit by his fellow squadron mates on November 1 due to personality conflicts and other issues.  On November 16, as aforementioned, the squadron was forced to change its name to the Escadrille de Volontaires due to diplomatic pressure.  On 6 December it was renamed the Escadrille Lafayette upon the suggestion of its members and it was officially recognized as such after this.  Lawrence Rumsey was forced to leave the unit after it transferred to Cachy, and Paul Pavelka left the unit of his own accord to be transferred to a flying unit on the Eastern Front in the Balkans.  Replacements Russell Hoskier, Edward Genet, and Edward Parsons joined the unit during this period as well.  Lufbery achieved the only kills during this period, shooting down aircraft on December 27 and January 24. ¹⁶

The squadron was transferred to the Oises and Aisne Sector to Saint-Juste (Ravenel) from January 26 to April 7, 1917.  Edward Hinkle, Stephen Bigelow, Walter Lovell, Harold Willis, Kenneth Marr, William Dugan, and Thomas Hewitt all joined the squadron while at Ravenel, while Didier Masson and Frederick Prince left to become flight instructors.  On March 19, 1917, James Rogers McConnell was killed in combat.  The enemy during this period was in a general rearward movement to the Hindenburg Line and the Neville Offensive would take place with disastrous results.  But soon Ravenel proved too far from the front and the unit was transferred again to Ham. ¹⁷

The unit’s transfer to Ham in the Somme Sector lasted from April 7 to June 3, 1917.  On April 16, on the squadron’s one-year anniversary, Edmond Genet was killed by anti-aircraft fire.  On April 23, Ronald Hoskier was killed.  On May 23, the squadron’s second-in-command, Alfred de Laage, was killed while performing a stunt over the Ham airfield on takeoff in his new Spad VII fighter.  Andrew Courtney Campbell, Ray Bridgman, Carl Dolan, John Drexel, and Henry Jones joined the Lafayette Escadrille while at Ham.  The unit fought 66 air battles during this two-month period, officially killing seven enemy aircraft.  Lufbery killed three aircraft during this period while William Thaw, Chouteau Johnson, and Willis Haviland contributed the others. ¹⁸

After Ham, the Lafayette Escadrille was sent to Chaudun, the Aisne Sector from June 3 to July 17, 1917.  During this period only Lufbery scored a kill.  James Norman Hall, Douglas MacMonagle, David Peterson, and James Ralph Doolittle joined the unit while at Chaudun.  Didier Masson returned to the unit from flight school instructor duty as well. ¹⁹

The unit was ordered to Dunkerque (St. Pol sur Mer) in the Flanders Sector from July 17 to August 11, 1917.  The Flanders Offensive was launched on July 31,1917, but the squadron’s participation was kept to a minimum due to bad weather in the sector and no kills were achieved.  James Doolittle was wounded severely and invalided from the unit during this period. ²⁰

The unit returned to the Verdun Sector to support the Verdun Offensive from August 11 to September 28, 1917.  The squadron would fight 150 combats over Verdun, and Douglas MacMonagle and Victor Campbell would be killed in combat.  Harold Willis was shot down by the enemy and made a prisoner of war, and Stephen Bigelow was wounded severely and left the unit.  The unit would rack up seven more kills during this period. ²¹

From September 29 to December 3, 1917, the unit returned to the Aisne Sector to take part in the Malmaison Offensive.  Raoul Lufbury downed six enemy aircraft during this period, getting four aircraft in one day.  Kenneth Marr, Walter Lovell, and Chouteau Johnson left the unit during this period, and Christopher Ford showed up as a new pilot on November 8, as the unit’s last replacement. ²²

The squadron was transferred one more time to Chalons and La Ferme la Noblette in the Champagne Sector from December 3, 1917, to February 18, 1918, its official last day of existence.  Only James Norman Hall would get one kill during this period, downing an aircraft on January 1, 1918.  Upon their arrival to Chalons, the American pilots were released from the French Service Aeronautique in order to receive US commissions.  All pilots were released except for Edward Parsons who was home on leave in the United States.  From December 1, 1917, until their paperwork would go through, the American pilots would fly as civilians.  On January 16, Captain Georges Thenault left the unit and William Thaw took over command.  By February 18, 1918, all of the commissions had come through.  On that date, the Lafayette Escadrille passed over to U. S. jurisdiction and became the U. S. 103^rd Aero Pursuit Squadron. ²³

The Lafayette Escadrille’s Accomplishments 

The accomplishments of the Lafayette Escadrille during one year, ten months, and 28 days of action were not prodigious, but would contribute to the war effort.  During this time the 42 pilots of the Escadrille flew over 3,000 combat sorties, and achieved 40 official kills.  Nine men were killed in action; one was killed in an accident, while five were wounded, causing two of them to be invalided.  Three became prisoners of war. American pilots made thirty-five of these 40 kills, and the French officers made the remaining five.  The famous Charles Nungesser, as a visiting pilot who flew only one flight with the Lafayette Escadrille, made one of these kills.  Raoul Lufbery made seventeen of the 40 kills. ²⁴

The total number of aircraft shot down by the Lafayette Escadrille probably exceeds 40, and the estimates of “probables” run as high as 100 aircraft total.  But the French Air Service was very strict with its confirmation policy; therefore, a lot of possible additional kills by the unit could not be claimed.  According to the rules, in order for an airplane, a dirigible, or an observation balloon to be counted as a kill, it had to fall within French lines and its destruction had to be witnessed either from the air or from the ground by someone other than the pilot himself or his squadron mates. 

The Lafayette Escadrille saw action in every sector and it took part in most of the major offensives from 1916 to early 1918. 

 The greatest contribution that the Lafayette Escadrille offered was by its mere participation, an immeasurable quality.  The squadron’s presence, representing the Americans, gave those who fought a glimmer of hope that their cause was just, and the hope that one day America would join the fighting.

The Lafayette Escadrille versus the Lafayette Flying Corps 

There has been a great deal of confusion over the years attributed to the two names the Lafayette Escadrille and the Lafayette Flying Corps.  The Lafayette Escadrille is the unit itself, originally established on April 16, 1916, and disestablished on February 18, 1918.  Its members are made up solely of the 38 Americans and the 4 French who flew with the Escadrille during this period.  The Escadrille was disbanded and reestablished as the U. S. 103^rd Aero Pursuit Squadron. 

The Lafayette Flying Corps (also known as the Franco-American Flying Corps) was never a unit per se, instead it is a name used to describe all of the American pilots, to include the Lafayette Escadrille pilots, who flew for the French during World War I.  The exact number of actual pilots who flew for the French is open to question and many different numbers exist depending on who is counting.  The numbers range from as low as 180 to over 300.  The generally accepted, most oft-quoted number of men who were recognized as having successfully completed French flight training or received their “brevets,” is 209.  Of this 209, 180 would actually serve at the Front in combat.  With this number in mind then, 180 American pilots flew in 66 French pursuit escadrilles and 27 bomber/observer escadrilles.  

The reasons that the Americans flew with the French instead of the USAS after America’s entrance into the war are as varied as the pilots themselves.  Some, like Lafayette Escadrille pilot Edward Parsons, preferred to remain with the French instead of pursuing an American commission.  There are some who were rejected by the USAS in the United States for various  reasons and found it easier to join the French ranks.  There are also those who had fought with the French in the Foreign Legion or on the ground, and who found it easier to just remain in the French system as opposed to returning all the way to America. 

As a whole, the Lafayette Flying Corps achieved 199 confirmed victories.  Thirteen men would become aces.  Fifty-nine would die in combat and six from training accidents.  Nineteen would be wounded and fifteen became prisoners of war. ²⁵

* * *

For the purpose of this dissertation, when the author mentions the Lafayette Escadrille, he is specifically referring to the original unit and the 42 men who flew for it during the period April 16, 1916, to February 18, 1918.  This is important because a large majority of the discussion will focus on the Lafayette Escadrille.  When the author speaks of the Lafayette Flying Corps, he is specifically referring to all of the Americans who flew for the French during the war.  If the author refers to the two names in the same sentence, than his purpose is to address both Lafayette Escadrille and the Lafayette Flying Corps for a specific reason or intent. 

The Appendices One and Two, listing the rosters of the Lafayette Escadrille and the Lafayette Flying Corps are provided for those who are interested.                        

 

1. Link, Arthur S., The Papers of Woodrow Wilson, 1856-1924, Volumes 40 (Princeton University Press, 1982), p. vi. 
2. Flammer, Philip M., The Vivid Air (University of Georgia Press, 1981), p. 13, et Robins, Benjamin S., American Angels (University of Nebraska, 2000), p. 2.
3. Hall, Bert W., One Man’s War (The New Library, NY, 1980), p. 24. 
4. Gros, Dr. Edmund, A Brief History of the Lafayette Escadrille (Unpublished manuscript, National Archives II, Maryland), p. 2.
5. Ibid., p. 3.
6. Ibid., p. 3.
7. Ibid., p. 4.
8. Ibid., p. 4 et 5.
9. Ibid., p. 6.
10. Ibid., p. 7.
11. Ibid., p. 9.
12. Gordon, Pilot Biographies, p. 27.
13. Ibid., p. 27 ; et Journal des Marches et Opérations : Escadrille N° 124 (National Air and Space Museum Archives (NASMA), Washington, D. C.) ; et Bailey, Frank W. et Christophe Cony, The French Air Service War Chronology (London, Grub Street Press, 2002).  L’auteur a fait la comparaison entre les trois sources pour vérifié les faits. 
14. Ibid.
15. Ibid.
16. Ibid., p. 28 ; et Journal : Escadrille N° 124 ; et The French Air Service War Chronology. 
17. Ibid., p. 29 ; et Journal : Escadrille N° 124 ; et The French Air Service War Chronology.   
18. Ibid.
19. Gordon, Pilot Biographies, p. 30.
20. Ibid., et Journal: Escadrille N° 124 ; et The French Air Service War Chronology.
21. Ibid.
22. Ibid.
23. Ibid.
24. Gordon, Pilot Biographies, p. 52. 
25. Hudson, James J., Hostile Skies (Syracuse University Press, 1968), p. 236. 

Has America forgotten the men of the Lafayette Escadrille and Lafayette Flying Corps? Some aviation historians would not agree.  They would perhaps point to the variety of books written by them and about them.  They would also cite Raoul Lufbery, the Lafayette Escadrille’s greatest hero, and point to the Memorial dedicated in their honor.  However, the truth is that Lafayette aviators have faded from the American historical landscape.

America’s History of Volunteer Unit

America has a long, rich tradition of volunteer fighting units.  The notion of the “citizen soldier” has been an important part of American military history since the American Revolution when a group of colonies fought for its freedom from the British.  Afterwards, the newborn states did not want large standing armies and so volunteers remained an important part of the American armed forces in its early history.  This tradition would continue, with Americans volunteering as necessary to fight its country’s wars and assist others in defense of freedom.  The volunteer spirit has proven to be a huge influence throughout American history.

From the turn of the century to the beginning of World War II, many Americans volunteered to fight abroad; indeed, this period may be considered the heyday of the American volunteer fighting unit.  Special volunteer units were created to fight the Spanish in Cuba during the Spanish-American War.  Many left neutral America in droves to drive ambulances as volunteers or to fight under the flags of other countries in 1914, 1915, and 1916, before it would officially enter the Great War in 1917.  American men flew for the Polish in 1919 against the Russians.  They went off to fight in Spain in the 1930’s against the Fascists during that country’s civil war.  American men flew and fought against the Japanese long before Pearl Harbor.  They flew for the Royal Air Force against the Germans during the Battle of Britain.  And of course, the men of the Lafayette Escadrille flew and fought for the French a full year before America entered World War I. 

Many of these volunteer units have a glorified tradition in America.  The 1^st Volunteer Cavalry Unit, also known as the “Rough Riders,” led by the future President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt, attacked San Juan Hill in Cuba in one of the most famous charges in American history.  The American Volunteer Motor Corps founded by Richard Norton, and its World War I sister units, the American Field Service and the American Ambulance Corps, included famous American volunteers like Earnest Hemingway, Ford Maddox Ford, and other soon-to-be famous authors.  The American Volunteer Group, also known as the Flying Tigers, enchanted America with its exploits against the Japanese, and General Chennault and fighter ace “Pappy” Boyington, became household names.  The Abraham Lincoln Brigade, which fought in the Spanish Civil War, would be made famous by Earnest Hemingway and other writers who reported what they saw to the world.                         

The Lafayette Escadrille has never captured the American imagination and spirit as has its cohorts.  Why has the story of the Lafayette Escadrille not held up over time? Why are they not as formidable a part of America’s volunteer tradition and memory? What has been lost in the translation of the story of these noble men’s lives? Why are they not as well known as the other volunteer units from the 20^th Century? — units that in some cases achieved no more or less than the Lafayette Escadrille? Why has America failed to keep its promise to remember these men and their noble contributions? Why has their Memorial been allowed to decline into such a state of neglect?

One in Five

Are the Lafayette aviators being forgotten? To test the legitimacy of this premise, the author approached the question through a simple survey.

Three groups totaling 500 Americans were chosen as a target audience.  The majority of the 500 people were military and had a college education or higher.  The purpose was to prove that even with a predominantly educated and military background, the results would show that the Lafayette Escadrille and Lafayette Flying Corps are noticeably less well known than other volunteer organizations. 

All attempts were made to maintain the utmost impartiality and to remain completely faithful to proper survey taking techniques.  The first group of surveyed personnel had no direct contact with the surveyor.  People chosen from a general population received surveys in the mail, which were to be immediately completed and promptly returned to the author.  The other two groups surveyed consisted of military cadets.  These groups were surveyed by military officers using a similar process; the author is confident that the same fidelity was used. 

The survey itself was composed of five “YES or NO”-type questions; either the survey taker would know or not know the answer, and he or she was to reflect that accordingly.  Five American volunteer units of various acclaim and historical significance were chosen as subjects for the survey.  The Lafayette Escadrille was of course one of them; the 1^st Volunteer Cavalry Regiment of Spanish American War fame, the American Field Service and the American Ambulance Corps of World War I fame, the Abraham Lincoln Brigade from the Spanish Civil War, and the American Volunteer Group of pre-World War II fame were chosen as additional volunteer units.  The survey simply asked whether the surveyed person had ever heard of the volunteer unit – a simple “Yes” or “No” was all that was needed to successfully answer the question.  The survey is presented below in Figure 1.

Survey/Questionnaire on U.S. Volunteer Organizations

Please answer the following questions by simply circling ‘Yes’ or ‘No’.  It is important to the research being conducted that you answer as honestly as possible, so please mark ‘Yes’ only on those that you really know.    

1. Have you ever heard of the 1^st U.S. Volunteer Regiment, “The Rough Riders,” which participated in the Spanish-American War? Yes No
2. Have you ever heard of the American Field Service of the American Ambulance Corps, which participated in World War I? Yes No
3. Have you ever heard of the Lafayette Escadrille or the Lafayette Flying Corps, which participated in World War I? Yes No
4. Have you ever heard of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, which participated in the Spanish Civil War? Yes No
5. Have you ever heard of the American Volunteer Group, “The Flying Tigers,” which participated in the war against Japan? Yes No

 

The first group represented the general population; it consisted of 100 people of various backgrounds, sex, race, and education, ranging in age from 17 to 70.  This group was surveyed by mailed questionnaire.  The second group, composed of 233 cadets from the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) in Colorado Springs, Colorado, ranging in age from 18 to 22, were surveyed in May of 2002, by an individually appointed testing officer, a lieutenant colonel stationed at the Academy.  This group represented a captive military audience geared toward the study of aviation history and USAF tradition.  The last group of 167 polled, were cadets from the United States Military Academy (USMA) in West Point, New York.  This group also ranged in age from 18 to 22, and represented a captive military audience that is geared toward the study of military history and U. S. Army tradition.  The cadets were surveyed by an individually appointed testing officer, a major on the USMA faculty staff.  The poll was also conducted in May of 2002.  This group was chosen as a counterbalance control group of military personnel, to offset the USAFA group.

Of the overall population of 500 persons polled, only 18% recognized the Lafayette Escadrille or Lafayette Flying Corps name.  This compares to 86% who recognized the Rough Riders; 76% who recognized the Flying Tigers; and 43% who recognized the American Field Service or the American Ambulance Corps from World War I.  Only the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, a relatively obscure organization in the United States, and unpopular due to its Communist leanings, fared worse, at 15%.

Of the general population group of 100 people that were surveyed, only one in four, or 25 % recognized the name of the Lafayette Escadrille.  In this population, 81% recognized the Flying Tigers; 77% recognized the Rough Riders, 47% recognized the name of the ambulance organizations, and 23% recognized the name of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade.  Of this population, a couple of additional trends were perceived: of the population that went to the University of Virginia, where two of the members of the Lafayette Escadrille had attended school – James Rogers McConnell and Andrew Courtney Campbell – and who have statues and plaques erected to them on campus — 13 of the 15 personnel polled had never heard of the Lafayette aviators.  Of 18 military aviators polled, representing the USAF, the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps, eight of the 18 personnel polled had not heard of them. 

Very surprising results came from the USAFA.  Of the 233 cadets polled, 47 had heard of the Lafayette Escadrille, meaning that 186 responded that they had never heard of the Lafayette men — a mere 20 % from the institution that teaches the traditions of the USAF.  This compares with 100% who had heard of the Flying Tigers, and 98% having heard of the Rough Riders.  Forty-six percent had heard of the ambulance units, and only 11% had heard of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade.

The USMA followed the pattern of the others polled, only this time the Lafayette Escadrille fared the worst.  Only 9% had heard of the Lafayette aviators.  This compares with 75% of the 167 who had heard of the Rough Riders; 45% of the Flying Tigers; 36% of the ambulance units; and 16% of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade.

The chart below shows the results of the survey.

             Name of Organization               General Population (100)  USAFA(233)  USMA(167)  

1) 1^st Volunteer Cavalry Regiment           77%                             98%                 75%

2) WWI Ambulance services                    47%                             46%                 36%

3) Lafayette Escadrille                              25%                             20%                    9%

4) Abraham Lincoln Brigade                    23%                             11%                   16%

5) American Volunteer Group                   81%                            100%                 45%   

1. a) General population: 100 of 187 surveys returned.
2. b) USAFA: 233 of 300 surveys returned.
3. c) USMA: 167 of 200 surveys returned. 

The author was not able to commission an independent, professional organization to conduct his surveys although he tried; the cost was prohibitive.  The author was, however, able to consult an independent source about the validity of the survey.  It was estimated by the independent reviewer that the survey contained a 3- to 5-percent error margin. ¹   Nonetheless, it is believed that the data speaks for itself.  Three different control groups, constituted of 500 people, reached the same proportional and overall conclusion.  The one in five, or 20%, testimony supports the suspicion that the Lafayette Escadrille is being forgotten.

Possible Reasons

No fiction could be written that could top the story of the members of the Lafayette Escadrille.  It is the tale of a colorful unit of men, almost alone as Americans on the Western Front, fighting for the French without the consent of its nation. They led the way in a fight against a common foe, all in the name of liberty.  These men were fighting in a new arena, the air.  The United States Air Service (USAS) did not even technically exist at the time these men were strapping on their machines and taking to the air to fight the enemy.  They were truly American pioneers in this new domain.

That the illustrious deeds of a few gallant men in a unique unit be forgotten by a nation is not truly indicative of the grander scheme of things.  All nations have units, men, or wars that have been forgotten with the passage of time.  Perhaps the Lafayette Escadrille is just one of these units, destined to be forgotten.  There are other, more definitive reasons that have made them less memorable.   

First, the historical context of the unit must be considered.  The Great War was not a popular war; indeed it created a great aversion of all things pertaining unto war for a generation afterwards.  The interwar periods would produce some of the greatest anti- war and counter-cultural movements in the 20^th century.  The war and its costs were something many people would just as soon forget.  And aviation, as glorious a new combat arm as it was, had played a relatively small part in the total conflict.  When compared to the massive overall efforts demonstrated on the ground, the aviators were just a tiny percentage of the whole.  Strategists would not understand aviation’s role for years to come, and it would continue to be treated as a novelty and a second rate, supporting arms service. 

There are more tangible reasons that have influenced the Lafayette men’s historical standing.  The original Lafayette Escadrille was small; only 38 men would fly in it during its approximate 23 months of existence.  The number slightly increases to 42 if you count the French commanders that flew for the Escadrille as well during this period.  Only 209 men would fly for the Lafayette Flying Corps during the entire war.  Meanwhile, hundreds of divisions comprising millions of men fought throughout the conflict.  What could this small number of men possibly accomplish that would reverberate through history? Unless they were able to single handedly influence the outcome of the war, or achieve a number of kills that no other aviation unit on the Front could match, they were destined to be forgotten.  Their combat record was not remarkable.          

Some of the unit’s decline in recognition can be attributed to events during the war and after America had entered it.  Despite being the first true American combat aviators, the Lafayette Escadrille would suffer an ignominious fate when the United States Air Service (USAS) finally arrived in Europe.  The USAS was intent on doing things its own way, as was the American Expeditionary Force (AEF).  The Lafayette Escadrille unit would be disbanded, the men integrated into different units, and although the 103^rd Aero Pursuit Squadron (APS) would allegedly carry on its colors, traditions, and history, the Lafayette Escadrille would be lost in the shuffle.  It was almost if the Lafayette Escadrille was an oddity, destined to be treated like an unwanted orphan or stepchild by the USAS.  This failure by the USAS to honor and integrate the Lafayette Escadrille by including it in its ranks, would cement the unit’s historical fate.    

The lack of historical significance rendered to the Lafayette Escadrille would continue long after the war.  No unit properly carries on the tradition and colors of the Lafayette Escadrille, nor of its successor, the 103^rd Aero Pursuit Squadron.  No collective monument has ever been erected in the United States to honor these men.  Only privately funded statues, monuments, and plaques exist, and these are dedicated to individuals and not to the unit.  No museum is dedicated to their memory.  No central facility or institution tells their story or recounts their exploits.  American aviation museums offer little to nothing as a tribute to these men and their legacy.  What exists in research institutions is small, incomplete, and often unorganized.  Most official USAS and USAF histories and records treat the Lafayette Escadrille as an afterthought, though the USAF’s top personnel often tout it as the pioneer combat American aviation unit.  As the results of the USAF Academy surveys might suggest, the USAFA is not even teaching its young officers at its premiere institution about its first pioneers. 

And, sadly, the overall legacy of the squadron members is not a happy one.  As in all units dissension and discord existed, yet the Lafayette Escadrille had a problem with egos, jealousy, and the sharing of glory that would taint its legacy.  The squadron was split into cliques, and the men were petty and distrustful of each other.  Some of the men became disenchanted with the Escadrille, and some even hated flying and were considered shirkers that avoided combat.  Unfortunately, the bad blood would spill over into the later years and affected the unit’s morale and unity.  There was even a row over the construction of the Lafayette Escadrille Memorial and the list of men it was supposed to honor.  Many of the members of the original 38 would die young, as recluses or as alcoholics, often in trouble with the law.  Those who did succeed to lead normal lives, did not do enough to promote their legacy from detractors and scam artists.  When a few of the survivors did come together to save their reputation and name, it was too little and too late.  

These factors contributed to the demise of the Lafayette Escadrille’s and the Lafayette Flying Corps’ memory.  Alone, any of these factors might not have detracted; but together these problems constituted obstacles too formidable for the aviators to overcome.         

A Note about this Dissertation

The researcher’s purpose in this dissertation is by no means to castigate or criticize what he believes to be a truly inspirational unit of men.  It is one of the most original and compelling stories in the history of American volunteerism.  However, it is important to examine why the Lafayette Escadrille has not captured the same amount of support and admiration from Americans as some of the other volunteer units in her history.  Only by understanding what transpired to detract from these men’s glory can one begin to rectify the Lafayette’s history.     

It is not the purpose of this dissertation to reach any definite conclusions; it is impossible for the author to speak on behalf of America as a whole.  Instead, the author intends to lay out the evidence to those few readers who know the Lafayette Escadrille and the Lafayette Flying Corps, to allow them to understand perhaps why these men have failed to find the place in history they assuredly deserve.  Although the material extensively pored over by the researcher has appeared in some places before, this same material, to this author’s knowledge, has never in America or France been scrutinized with such an objective in mind.  The author believes he has seen almost all of the primary sources available in museums, archives, and special collections (exceptions include some private collections unavailable to the author).  The author, therefore, has attempted to tie the available material from all of these collections to generate a trail for the reader to follow. 

A great deal of interest has been expressed in this author’s research from those who have helped him.  It is only hoped that he will be able to provide some valuable insight into this perplexing question.  It is hoped that all will understand the men of the Lafayette so much the better in the end.             

 

1. La source indépendante : Le Major Brandi S. Barham USAF, diplomé d’un « Bachelor of Science Degree in Behavioral Sciences » de l’U. S. Air Force Academy, 1992.

 

The Lafayette Escadrille Memorial is located less than eight miles from downtown Paris.  If one starts from the Arc de Triomphe and drives through the Bois de Boulogne, crossing the Seine River at the Suresne or St. Cloud bridges, it is but a short distance through the beautiful, lazy districts of St.Cloud and Garches to the Memorial located at Marnes-la-Coquette.  After one passes the Garches train station, which forms part of the Paris-St. Nom-la-Breteche railway, there is but 400 meters to go on the Boulevard Raymond Poincare (formerly Boulevard Michel Brezin).  One must keep an eye out on the left for ‘Number 5’ – the entrance to the memorial park; formerly a majestic entrance, and be alert to spot the faded Indian Head insignia – the telltale mark of the Lafayette Escadrille — on the gate’s columns, for it has blended into the lush foliage. (See figures 1 and 2).

 

After turning in, one must park immediately on the right, since traffic is forbidden in the park except on formal or ceremonial occasions.  The few acres of land the park sits on is idyllic, the foliage dense and beautiful, which one can enjoy in the hundred-meter walk to the Memorial.  One must cross the bridge that spans Marche Pond and Villeneuve Lake, and then follow the path to the right.  As one rounds the corner, a sign in French relays the following :

 

Passant

Ici reposent cote a cote unis

dans la mort comme ils furent

dans l’action, les plus valeureux pilotes

americaines et leurs chefs francais.

Passant

Respecte leur sommeil, n’entre dans

ces lieux que pour te recueillir,

medites leur exemple et pries.

L’armee de l’air francaise

 

Then, as one walks past the sign and across the manicured, plush, open lawn that spans the distance to the Memorial, one is struck by the monument’s size and majesty.  This Memorial, built to honor the American aviators who flew and fought for France before and after America entered the Great War, stands as a powerful testimony to the spirit and courage of the men of the Lafayette Escadrille and the Lafayette Flying Corps.  The Lafayette Escadrille Memorial is surprisingly large, considering that it is so close to major thoroughfares and yet so completely hidden from all passers-by. 

 

The Memorial is of a very characteristic 1920’s style.  It sits on an incline and over looks a reflecting pool.  It is composed of a triumphal arch flanked to its right and left by colonnaded gantries, which are in turn buttressed by smaller arches.  The triumphal, or center arch, which is exactly one half the size of the Arc de Triomphe, dominates the construct, towering over the Memorial’s two bookend arches and gantries. ¹     

 

The dominating center arch dwarfs anyone approaching, allowing one to truly appreciate the grandeur of the monument.  The sheer amount of ornate detail, and the great number of inscriptions and engravings that densely cover the monument’s facades is impressive.  The triumphal arch has the following large worded inscription on the front and back,

 

In memory of the men

of the Escadrille Lafayette

who died in defense

or right and liberty

 

The “Screaming Sioux Warrior Indian Heads” are easily identifiable on each bookend arch and are the largest figures on the Memorial.  Another immense Indian Head mosaic is located on the floor of the Memorial directly under the center arch.

 

All of the battles that the Lafayette aviators flew in are engraved on the Memorial, and run the length of the gantries on both sides and encircle the bookend arches.  They read like an encyclopedic reference to World War I.  Even those who know nothing of the Lafayette Escadrille and the Lafayette Flying Corps, will certainly recognize, and shudder, at the names that still haunt the world’s collective memory: Dunkerque, Soissons, Reims, St. Mihiel, Arras, Verdun, Noyons, St. Quentin, Flandres, Somme, Aisne, Marne, Vosges, Oise, Alsace, Argonne, Champagne, and Mont Didier.  According to this long list of names, one would know that the men had participated in almost every major battle in the Great War after 1915, and that they had served in every sector on the Western Front.  This is something only a few men could claim. 

 

As one gazes upward from under the triumphal arch, he will see the names of the 209 men that fought and, in many cases, died for France.  Some of the names, like Raoul Lufbery, are hallowed and represent America’s first aces.  Some of the names represent America’s elite families, like Rockwell and Prince.  Some of the names are very American: Hall, Johnson, Jones; in other cases, names like Genet and Masson are as French as these aviators’ ancestors were.  And still other names, like Hoskier, Soubiran, and Pavelka, reflect the melting pot that is America.                  

 

From underneath this same central arch, as one looks to the right and left, he will see the descending steps covered by the colonnaded gantries that lead downward to the entrances of the crypt.  This monument also houses a large subterranean burial vault, home to 68 sarcophagi honoring the members of the Lafayette Escadrille and the Lafayette Flying Corps.  Above the descending steps the following biblical verse is engraved:

 

Ils n’ont pas ete separes dans la mort,

Ils etaient plus legers que les aigles,

Plus forts que les lions.

 

II Samuel 1.23

 

Descend either set of steps and one arrives at the entrances to the crypt.  The plaques at the entrances read,

 

Aux morts de

L’Escadrille Lafayette

cette crypte est consacree

Ils allerent au trepas de leur plein gre

pour la cause qu’ils

avaient embrassee

Ils reposent dans le sol

qu’ils ont defendu.

 

Inside the crypt, it is rather stark and subdued, a contrast to the ornate decorations that are characteristic of the Memorial above.  The coffins are placed side-by-side in groups of four, the American aviators and their French commanders lying together in death as close as they once were in life.  The coffins are marked with a simple plaque.  The lighting on a sunny day is beautiful and very soothing since on the opposite wall of the crypt, away from the sarcophagi, are thirteen, small, rectangular, wonderfully crafted, stained-glass windows.   Each window recreates a battle scene of which the Lafayette Escadrille participated in, detailed with aircraft and signature landmarks from each particular battle region.  The light from the stained-glass windows highlight in resplendent color the names of the aviators honored there.  Only 49 men are actually entombed in the 68 sarcophagi, but the ones that repose there are some of the most famous: Raoul Lufbery, Douglas MacMonagle, Victor Chapman, Edmond Genet, James Rogers McConnell, Paul Pavelka, Andrew Courtney Campbell, and the French commanding officer, Georges Thenault.  

 

If one climbs back up the steps and stands back from the Memorial on a beautiful day, one can take in the full aesthetic beauty of the monument.  The Lafayette Escadrille Memorial’s size and design are breathtaking.  It is definitely impressive in its grandeur, nestled majestically in this serene, peaceful park.

 

All is not Right

   

However, all is not right with the Memorial to these valiant men.  The monument’s condition is a disgrace; it is falling apart.  Its exterior and interior are not only both suffering from the ravages of time, but are succumbing to water damage, neglect, and pollution.

 

The once pristine ‘Euville’ and ‘Rocheret’ white granite surfaces that form the face of the monument have been blackened by air pollution (An apt comparison would be to consider the once blackened Notre Dame Cathedral before it was recently restored in 2000).  The Memorial is unfortunately encircled and bordered by two roads — Boulevard Raymond Poincare and State Road 407; a major highway – Autoroute13; and a dual-bed railroad track that marks the Paris-St. Nom-la-Breteche line.  The traffic on these heavily traveled roads has generated a thick, black grime that has obscured the majority of the white granite on the surfaces of the Memorial, even though it is surrounded by the park’s natural, lush vegetation.

 

A close inspection of the Memorial reveals that it is in a very poor state.  The steps that lead up to the Memorial are cracked, and the masonry is crumbling.  Floor tiles on the back terrace of the Memorial are broken in numerous places, leaving gaping holes that are unsightly. The Memorial’s huge blocks of granite are not only black from pollution, but also have severe cracks that run their length.  Fungi and growth also nastily scar the huge blocks of granite, which have a barnacle-like appearance.  This further mars the aesthetic beauty of the already damaged granite.  The interior of the arches and the gantries have remained white, but the ceilings are chipped; bits and pieces have fallen from them leaving the reinforcing, rusty structural iron showing through; which has in turn discolored the surrounding surfaces. 

 

The crypt is a disaster.  There are no words to accurately describe how the damage robs the sanctity of the resting place of these heroes.  The entrances to the crypt are rife with cracks.  The crypt ceiling is literally a hazard to visitors.  The whitewashed arches that form the interior of the crypt have huge sections that have sloughed away like a cancerous skin, revealing the bricks and unsightly mortar-work used as foundation material.  Large puddles of water, even on a dry day, accumulate on the crypt floor, and the impression is that one is standing in a large subterranean sewer system or water conduit.  The sarcophagi are endangered by the water damage; efforts have been made to shore up the damage and to arrest the seepage, but the attempts are slapdash and unprofessional.  The rich mosaic flooring of the crypt, a priceless artwork, has been ruined by the drainage; the damage is irreversible.  To add to the crypt’s woes, the alcoves that were ostensibly designed to house chapels and reflecting sanctuaries stand empty since water would damage anything placed in their recesses.

 

The wonderful stained-glass windows are cobwebbed and filthy.  An attempt in the past was made to recolor them but the job was done unprofessionally and the panes appear worse for the effort.  The original stunning beauty has been muted by the slipshod job. 

 

On the outside of the monument, in the back, where the crypt has an exterior moat designed to catch and funnel water away, the moat is an ugly eyesore and an architectural nightmare, and it will be a major undertaking to alleviate the deleterious effect it has on the monument.

 

The Lafayette Escadrille Memorial’s condition is a disgrace.  The park is empty year round, the number of visitors totals less than a hundred or so. ² The Memorial has been forgotten. 

 

The Suresne Memorial: A Brief Comparison

 

 

A little closer to Paris, but still in the same region as the Lafayette Escadrille Memorial, is the American Cemetery of Suresne, located in the Paris suburb of the same name (see figure 1).  This 7.5-acre cemetery is also across the Seine from Paris, set distinctly on a dominating hill that overlooks the city.  This cemetery contains the graves of 1,541 Americans who died in World War I and twenty-four unknown American war dead from World War II.  Bronze tablets on the walls of the chapel record the names of the 974 missing, lost or buried at sea from both wars.  This cemetery is also surrounded by roads and is exposed to the elements, lacking the dense vegetation that hides the Lafayette Escadrille Memorial. ³     

 

Yet this cemetery is pristine.  The tombstones are chalk white and look as if they were erected not long ago.  The rows of graves repose in finely manicured lawns, very militaristic in their exact rows and columns.  The memorial and the chapel are in similarly pristine conditions.  The ravages of time and the elements are held at bay here, and only under the closest scrutiny would one know whether time has done any damage to the grounds and its contents. 

 

The Suresne Cemetery site stands in stark contrast to the Lafayette Escadrille Memorial at Marnes-La-Coquette, and it is the most direct and telling example that something is amiss or forgotten at the Memorial for the gallant aviators of the Escadrille.

    

The Lafayette Escadrille Memorial Foundation

 

The dedication of the Lafayette Escadrille Memorial, designed by Mr. Alexandre Marcel, Chief Architect of the French Government, took place on July 4, 1928.  The “Lafayette Escadrille Memorial Foundation” was established shortly thereafter in 1930 by William Nelson Cromwell, a distinguished, Paris-based, New York attorney, as “Fondateur”, and has for its mission:

• To assure the retention and permanent upkeep of the monument erected by the Lafayette Escadrille Memorial Association in the park of St. Cloud on the land granted by the French Government to the same association, for the purpose of keeping alive in the hearts of men the spirit which inspired the members of the Lafayette Escadrille and the Lafayette Flying Corps, all Americans, all volunteers for the universal cause of liberty under the flag of France before their country’s entrance into the Great War.
• To provide for suitable and appropriate religious observance in this place.
• To educate the youth of France, of America and other nations in the history of their respective countries and of each other’s country, by means of public addresses, publications, and otherwise. ⁴

 

 

The initial idea for a monument to the Lafayette Flying Corps was brought about by one of its former members, pilot Edgar Guerard Hamilton, who had aided in the search of his fallen Lafayette Flying Corps brethren’s bodies after the armistice.  This painstaking search for bodies that were buried all over the French front, and in some cases behind former enemy lines, gave him an idea.  He wanted to bring together the bodies of this unique group of men in a single, unified resting place, and to this end he enlisted the help of important American and French officials.  In March of 1923 an association called the “Lafayette Escadrille Memorial Association” was founded to bring this idea to life. ⁵

 

The monument was constructed during the years 1927 and 1928.  The French Government had donated the 4-hectare park, and funds for the construction were raised by public subscription in France and the United States.  William Nelson Cromwell donated most of the funds for construction.  After his death he left an additional trust fund of 1.5 million dollars for maintenance of the monument to the “Lafayette Escadrille Memorial Foundation” that he had founded. ⁶

 

The Memorial is still administered by the very same Foundation, which has a tax-free status, and its French counterpart, “La Fondation du Memorial de L’Escadrille Lafayette,” is a tax-free association as well.  The boards of the foundations are entirely the same and are comprised of French and American trustees.  The Foundation employs a gardener and a caretaker, who lives on the property for below market-value rent and manages the grounds.  Routine maintenance of the park and the Memorial costs about $50,000 per year in 2002 dollars. ⁷

     The capital in the original trust fund set up by Cromwell has steadily dwindled over the years.  As reported by an American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) study, the major repairs to stop the infiltration of water into the crypt; the repairs already effected over the years to the structure; some disappointing investments; and the rising cost of basic maintenance, have caused the funds to completely dry up.  The original construction was 3 million dollars over budget, so various economies were made at the time to cut back in expenditures; in the long run this has cost the Memorial structurally.  Almost immediately after its dedication, rework had to be done from 1928 to 1936, to restore and upgrade imperfections and the beginnings of water damage.  Restorations were again made in 1980 and 1986, and a few of the original design features had to be altered. ⁸

 

Without the proper funds, the Lafayette Escadrille Memorial has been allowed to slowly crumble and wear away.

 

The Difference at Suresne: The American Battle Monuments Commission

   

The American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) is a small, independent agency of the Executive Branch of the Federal United States (U.S.) Government.  This commission is charged with the upkeep and maintenance of American cemeteries, monuments, memorials, and plaques that span the globe.  The Commission fulfills its mission by:

• Designing, constructing, operating and maintaining permanent American military burial grounds in foreign countries.
• Establishing monuments within the U.S. when directed by public law, and outside the US where American armed forces have served since 1917.
• Controlling the construction and changes on foreign soil of U.S. military memorials, monuments and markers by other U.S. citizens and organizations, both public and private.
• Encouraging sponsors to properly maintain their memorials, monuments, and markers. ⁹

 

The European Region of the ABMC has its main office near Paris in Garches, just outside of Paris.  It is responsible for seventeen cemeteries and fifteen memorials, monuments, and markers from Normandy to Tunisia.  Included are the World War I cemeteries at Aisne-Marne, Ardennes, Oise-Aisne, the Somme, St. Mihiel, Suresne, and the Meuse-Argonne, which also have impressive monuments, and in total, house over 44,331 war dead.  The number of visitors to these cemeteries exceeded 207,000 in 2000, nearly 30,000 a year per site.  (Suresne had 14,662 visitors in 2002). ¹⁰

 

These cemeteries and the other monuments that make up the European Region of the ABMC are not problem-free however.  These sites suffer from extreme exposure and corrosive problems, but as evidenced in the “Operations and Facilities Management” section of the “ABMC 2000 Annual Report,” they are aggressively addressed.  The state of disrepair never approaches that of the Lafayette Escadrille Memorial. Supported by the U.S. Government, these installations on French soil are not allowed to become forgotten.

 

This is impressive considering the distances involved from the United States.  ABMC operates and maintains twenty-four permanent U.S. military cemeteries and twenty-seven memorials, monuments, and markers in fifteen countries around the world that hosted 3,998,312 visitors in 2000 with a budget of 128,323,000 dollars.  This is a considerable feat since just 369 employees worldwide handle all of this responsibility. ¹¹

* * *

So, how can it be that the Lafayette Escadrille Memorial stands in such a state of disrepair compared to the cemetery at Suresne and the other U.S. cemeteries and monuments in France? The fundamental difference is that the memorial, though dedicated to Americans, is run privately by a Foundation that has no more funds. 

An Analogy: A Forgotten Monument and the Forgotten Lafayette Escadrille

 

That the Memorial has been neglected is a fact.  What is much more compelling and disturbing, is that the fate of the Memorial is an apt analogy of the fate of the Lafayette Escadrille and the Lafayette Flying Corps men, their history and legacy.  It is true that the Lafayette Escadrille Foundation has no funds, but this is in turn due to an American public and government that have lost interest in the Lafayette aviator’s history.  The memory of the Lafayette men, like the Memorial, is all but forgotten and neglected in the United States.          

 

 

1. Etude préalable à la restauration générale du Mémorial de l’Escadrille Lafayette, p. 6.
2. Le chiffre de visiteurs cité par Secrétaire de la Fondation du Mémorial, 3 septembre 2002.
3. Visite d’auteur, et l’ABMC Visitor’s Guidebook.  (American Battlefields Monuments Commission ou Commission Américain des Monuments de Batailles en francais)  
4. Brochure de la Fondation du Mémorial de l’Escadrille Lafayette.
5. Gordon, Dennis, Lafayette Escadrille Pilot Biographies (Missoula, Montana, 1991), p. 140.
6. « ABMC Talking Paper » par Mme. Lillian Fluke.
7. Ibid.
8. Etude préalable, p. 28.
9. ABMC Mission and Organization Statement, ABMC 2000 Annual Report. 
10. Les chiffres viennent d’ABMC 2000 Annual Report.
11. Ibid.

Le 17 juin 2001, le Mémorial de l’Escadrille Lafayette grouillait de centaines de personnes. Lors de cette belle journée lumineuse, l’ambiance festive était pleine de bavardages, d’activité et de fanfare. Le site habituellement désert du Mémorial était rempli d’un grand nombre de visiteurs : américains, Français, dignitaires, touristes, personnel militaire et civils. ¹

C’était un jour spécial pour le Mémorial de Escadrille Lafayette. Plus de 40 membre du Congrès et Sénateurs américains et un grand nombre d’hommes d’affaires français et américains se sont rendus au mémorial pour prendre part à une cérémonie spéciale de dépôt de gerbe et pour assister à  un défilé aérien pour célébrer le 85^ème anniversaire de Escadrille Lafayette.

Pourquoi toute cette attention 85 ans après leur inauguration ? Comment le Mémorial de Escadrille Lafayette a-t-il enregistré une telle affluence ce jour là, alors que quelques années auparavant, les cérémonies ne comptaient que « seulement trois personnes eu un clairon » ?

 

* * *

Il y a quelques années, un Général de l’Armée de l’Air américain du nom de Michael Moseley s’est rendu au Mémorial de Escadrille Lafayette, alors qu’il visitait la France. Subjugué par sa beauté et sa signification historique, il était consterné par la condition dans laquelle il se trouvait. Le Général Moseley n’en revenait pas qu’un symbole important de l’unité américaine ayant une telle histoire soit tombé dans un tel état de délabrement et il a décidé de réagir. Il a considéré que c’était sa mission personnelle de faire quelque chose au sujet du monument pour restaurer l’honneur des hommes qu’il représentait.  Sous son impulsion, et grâce aux efforts d’autres, le Mémorial devait finalement recevoir une attention bien nécessaire. ²

Les événements qui se sont  passés ce 17 juin 2001 sont le témoignage des efforts du Général. Cependant, en ce jour particulier, le Général Gregory S. Martin, Commandant en Chef la section Europe de l’USAS était l’invité d’honneur militaire et en charge des festivités visant à promouvoir l’honneur des hommes de Lafayette. Son discours s’est fait l’écho des sentiments du Général Moseley :

 

« Franchement, la condition du monument n’est pas à la hauteur de ce qu’on peut attendre. Ces pilotes méritent notre respect et notre attention. Le problème est que, au fil du temps, les fonds du trust et les personnes dévouées commencent à disparaître. C’est ce que l’on constate au mémorial de Escadrille Lafayette. »³

 

Le Général Martin a ensuite fait part de l’essence des hommes de Lafayette et de leur importance pour l’USAF.

 

« Ces hommes étaient nos pionniers. Ils n’étaient pas seulement les précurseurs du Corps d’aviation de la seconde Guerre Mondiale, mais de l’aviation actuelle. C’est là que l’Amérique a appris à voler en combat aérien ; ils nous ont donné notre aviation de guerre. En résumé, nous voulons que les gens qui visitent le Mémorial de Escadrille Lafayette se sentent aussi fiers de la contribution des pilotes qui reposent ici que de celle des pilotes qui reposent aux Etats Unis. » ⁴

 

Les discours et les célébrations de la journée ont été un succès. Les cérémonies comprenaient un défilé aérien d’avions français et américains et une visite organisée du Mémorial et de sa crypte pour les membres du Congrès et les Sénateurs. Ces efforts ont généré un grand intérêt. Le Gouvernement français a par la suite fait une donation de $ 485.000 à la Fondation de Escadrille Lafayette. ⁵ La Légion Américaine, groupe de vétérans volontaires d’Amérique a ajouté $ 25.000. ⁶

Mais plus important, les résultats de la cérémonie du 17 juin ont servi de catalyseur au Gouvernement américain. Le membre du Congrès Russell Stearns de Floride, a mené l’assaut au Congrès et promis la loi et la législation nécessaires pour collecter des fonds pour le Mémorial de l’Escadrille Lafayette. Il a présenté une loi le 19 septembre 2001 pour attribuer au Mémorial de l’Escadrille Lafayette une somme de 2 millions de dollars. Dans un compte rendu détaillé aux membres du Congrès, Stearns a parlé des hommes de l’Escadrille Lafayette, faisant part de leur histoire et présentant des clichés des hommes.  Il a raconté l’histoire du mémorial, y compris les problèmes rencontrés au fil de années et il a présenté des photos des dommages affectant la crypte et le Mémorial lui-même. En décembre 2001, le Congrès a approuvé la loi et 2 millions de dollars ont été attribués au mémorial. La loi était assortie du commentaire suivant :

 

« le Congrès des Etats Unis pense qu’il devrait continuer à honorer les aviateurs américains qui ont perdu la vie en volant pour la France durant la 1^ère Guerre Mondiale en garantissant des fonds pour réparer le Mémorial de l’Escadrille Lafayette qui se trouve à Marnes La Coquette en France. » ⁷

 

Cette allocation s’est avérée fondamentale pour la survie du mémorial car les réparations étaient estimées à $ 2.000.000 (après l’aide de la France à hauteur de $ 485.000). Un million sera destiné à la restauration du mémorial et un autre million sera déposé sur le trust pour assurer la maintenant du mémorial et de son site. ⁸

Une campagne promotionnelle pour le Mémorial de l’Escadrille Lafayette a été initiée par l’USAF. Des posters et des brochures fournis par le Programme du Musée d’Histoire de l’Aviation font la promotion de la remise en état du monument. Dans une section de la brochure intitulée « Tenir les promesses envers les aviateurs américains : L’effort international pour restaurer  le mémorial », il est indiqué que « la restauration du Mémorial pour lui permettre de retrouver sa grandeur, serait un tribut à payer aux premiers hommes de combat de l’Amérique ».⁹

* * *

Qu’est-ce qui est exactement prévu pour le Mémorial de l’Escadrille Lafayette ? Selon l’ Etude Préalable à la Restauration Générale » présentée en février 1989 par Pierre-Antoine Gaiter, Architecte en Chef des Monuments Historiques, Ministre de la Culture du Gouvernement français, qui sera l’architecte en chef en charge de la re-conception, la restauration se fera en trois phases de travaux.

 

Phase un : imperméabiliser la crypte, installer des égouts, restaurer et imperméabiliser la terrasse et le toit, effectuer des réparations structurelles dans la crypte et installer un double vitrage pour les vitraux.

Phase deux : restaurer et nettoyer la façade, nettoyer et enlever les dépôts accumulés derrière les cercueils dans la crypte, restaurer le stuc dans la crypte.

Phase trois : refaire les dallages, améliorer le terrain et le paysage. ¹⁰

 

En résumé, les réparations suivantes sont nécessaires pour améliorer la condition du Mémorial.

 

¨      Réaliser une étude hydrographique des environs et développer un plan d’évacuation des eaux.

¨      Dérouter et canaliser le cours d’eau adjacent.

¨      Installer un réseau d’égout avec un système d’arrêt et imperméabiliser les murs en amont pour empêcher les infiltrations dans la structure.

¨      Analyser la qualité de l’eau de la nappe phréatique et de l’eau de pluie pour déterminer comme elle détériore le béton et les barres d’acier et développer des méthodes pour ralentir ladite détérioration.

¨      Etudier l’impact qu’aurait un abaissement du niveau de la nappe phréatique est particulièrement son impact sur les conditions hydrostatiques spécifiques auxquelles la fondation de la structure est confrontée.

¨      Examiner plus avant l’intégrité de la structure de tout le bâtiment et particulièrement des fondations.

¨      Réparer ou remplacer les dallages.

¨      Aménager le paysage, réparer les allées et planter les arbres et arbustes nécessaires pour améliorer le look et le bien être du site. ¹¹

 

 

Une Fondation Revigorée

 

La Fondation de l’Escadrille Lafayette a son siège 34, avenue de New York dans le 16ème arrondissement de Paris. Ensuite à ces récents événements, la Fondation semble connaître un regain d’esprit et de vie. M. Russell Porter, le Président américain de la Fondation, homme pittoresque qui semble directement échappé des années 20 ou 30, est absolument ravi de l’influx d’argent, de l’intérêt comme de l’assistance nouveaux. Pendant plus de trente ans, il s’est battu pour attirer l’attention sur les hommes de Lafayette. Il est ravi de constater un regain d’intérêt. De même, le Colonel Jean P. Gillet est en extase ; français plein de panache avec une voix grave, c’est le Président français de la Fondation et un ancien commandant de l’Escadrille Lafayette 2/4. Sa voix tremble d’émotion à l’idée de la reconstruction envisagée. Les réunions de la Fondation sont vivantes, un esprit nouveau est perceptible et un sens de l’action accompagne ce nouvel enthousiasme. ¹² La Fondation est en train de construire son propre site Internet, chose qui n’existait pas jusqu’à présent. Le site doit attirer l’attention non   seulement sur le Mémorial, mais servira de site éducatif contenant des informations biographies et historiques au sujet des hommes et de l’unité. Une nouvelle vidéo promotionnelle a été tournée et sera disponible sur le site. L’approche multimédia amène la Fondation dans les temps modernes et on espère que cela va intéresser les jeunes de France et des Etats Unis au sujet de l’Escadrille Lafayette. ¹³

Le Général William Leszczynski, homme américain distingué actuellement en charge de la Commission des Monuments de Batailles Américains, Région Europe, est également impressionné par les efforts et le soutien récents apportés à l’Escadrille Lafayette. Il indique qu’on dénombre que plus de 700 monuments, mémoriaux et plaques – parmi lesquels 170 financés par des privés – au travers de la seule France. Nombre d’entre eux sont oubliés et ont besoin de réparations. Récemment, l’ABMC était tentée de reprendre le Mémorial de l’Escadrille Lafayette, si nécessaire, à raison de son état de décrépitude, mais ces jours sont loin à présent. Cependant, il sait que même si une victoire importante a été remportée, il reste encore une longue bataille avant de rectifier la situation. La remise à neuf du mémorial sera difficile. ¹⁴

Cependant, tous d’accordent à penser que c’est un début prometteur.

 

La Résurrection de la Mémoire de l’Escadrille Lafayette et du Corps d’Aviation Lafayette

 

L’auteur a présenté la preuve de ce qu’il considère comme ayant entraîné l’oubli de l’Escadrille Lafayette du Corps d’Aviation Lafayette au fil des années. Parler au nom de la conscience américaine est quasiment impossible ; l’auteur ne peut que faire son mieux pour expliquer pourquoi il pense que la nation ne s’est pas souvenue de l’Escadrille Lafayette et pourquoi l’unité n’a pas eu le même impact sur la culture américaine que les autres unités de volontaires. Certains prétendront que l’unité n’a pas été oubliée ; l’auteur a en effet croisé certaines personnes qui le pensent. Mais la majorité des gens que l’auteur a rencontrés s’accordent à penser que quelque chose ne va pas. De nombreux bibliothécaires, chercheurs et historiens étaient intrigués par le sujet.

La preuve ici rapportée peut être résumée comme suit. Le nombre total de victoires de l’Escadrille Lafayette n’était en aucune façon remarquable ; le record de 40 victoires en 23 mois de vol a été éclipsé par de nombreuses unités contemporaines françaises, américaines et anglaises. De plus, si l’on ne tient pas compte des efforts monumentaux de Lufbery, le tableau de l’unité est encore plus insignifiant. Le nombre total de victoires par le Corps d’Aviation Lafayette, 199, n’était pas un nombre important non plus comparé au nombre total de victoires revendiquées par les Alliés.

L’USAS a complètement manqué l’intégration de l’unité Lafayette dans ses rangs. La dispersion abrupte de l’unité et des hommes et la défaillance totale pour transmettre son histoire ont causé plus de tort à l’héritage de l’unité que toute autre chose.

Pour ajouter aux peines de l’unité démantelée, les discordes, les dissensions et la méfiance parmi ses membres ont aigri les hommes de l’Escadrille Lafayette et ces hommes qui n’ont pas transmis l’héritage de l’unité dans la période après-guerre n’ont pas transmis ses traditions avant qu’il soit trop tard ; ils n’ont pas fait suffisamment d’efforts pour soutenir et défendre le nom de l’unité. Bien que des livres aient été écrits et un film tourné, d’autres forces comme les « prétendants », ont porté atteinte à la gloire de Lafayette et ont ruiné son image. Aucun de ses membres n’a connu la gloire d’un Eddie Rickenbacker, d’un Billy Mitchell ou Teddy Roosevelt.  Sans un nom connu, le flambeau des hommes s’est éteint.

L’USAS a également été défaillante car elle n’a pas gardé vivant l’esprit de l’Escadrille Lafayette. La lignée de l’escadron s’est éteinte. Aucun monument n’existe aux Etats Unis pour célébrer et honorer ces hommes. Il n’y a pas de collection centrale des informations sur Lafayette, non plus que de musées dédiés à leur cause. Leur plus grand as et héros, Lufbery, n’a pas de plaque, de monument ou mémorial aux Etats Unis.

Tous ces facteurs ont contribué à ce que les aviateurs Lafayette sombrent dans l’oubli.

* * *

L’intérêt renouvelé témoigné par le Gouvernement des Etats Unis et par l’USAS au sujet du sort de l’Escadrille Lafayette est prometteur. Le premier pas important pour restaurer le Mémorial de l’Escadrille Lafayette dans sa gloire antérieure a été entrepris. Une campagne promotionnelle agressive par l’USAS aux Etats Unis est nécessaire pour se souvenir dignement de ces hommes.

Et il n’est jamais trop tard pour que l’USAS accepte une fois pour toutes les aviateurs Lafayette comme étant des vrais pionniers de l’aviation de combat américaine. Leur histoire devrait être officiellement et soigneusement documentée et un seul lieu dédié à leur mémoire devrait être établi aux Etats Unis où tous pourraient apprendre et rendre hommage à ces grands hommes. Comme Paul Rockwell l’a dit un jour « je pense que la jeunesse de notre pays [Amérique] pourrait tirer une grande inspiration de l’étude de l’Escadrille Lafayette ». ¹⁵ Les hommes Lafayette ont été incapables de sauvegarder leur héritage quand ils étaient vivants. A présent qu’ils sont morts, c’est à l’Amérique de faire en sorte que leur histoire ne meure jamais.

1. Participation d’auteur
2. Entrevue avec l’Etat-major du Général le 16 mai 2001
3. Air Force Times, 17 juin 01.
4. Ibid.
5. Air Force Times, 18 juin 01.
6. Site d’Internet de l’ « American Legion ».
7. “Restoring the Lafayette Escadrille Memorial.” House Resolution 3004, 6 December 2001.
8. Budak, David, USAF Lafayette Escadrille Memorial Assessment Point Paper, 2001
9. Air Force History and Museums Program Brochure, 2001.
10. Budak, USAF Assessment Point Paper.
11. Ibid.
12. L’auteur a été invite aux plusieurs réunions de la Fondation du Mémorial de l’Escadrille Lafayette.
13. L’auteur a eu la chance de regarder le vidéo de la Fondation. Il a aussi vu le site Internet proposé.
14. Entrevue avec le Général.
15. Rockwell, Interview : Paul Rockwell, p. 2.