The La Fayette Escadrille (french: Escadrille de La Fayette) was the name of the French Air Force unit escadrille N 124 during the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

(1914–1918). This

escadrille A flight is a small military unit within the larger structure of an air force, naval air service, or army air corps; and is usually subservient of a larger squadron. A military aircraft flight is typically composed of four aircraft, though ...

of the ''Aéronautique Militaire'' was composed largely of American volunteer pilots flying

fighters Fighter(s) or The Fighter(s) may refer to: Combat and warfare * Combatant, an individual legally entitled to engage in hostilities during an international armed conflict * Fighter aircraft, a warplane designed to destroy or damage enemy warplan ...

. It was named in honor of the

Marquis de Lafayette Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de La Fayette (6 September 1757 – 20 May 1834), known in the United States as Lafayette (, ), was a French aristocrat, freemason and military officer who fought in the American Revoluti ...

, French hero of the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

. In September 1917, the escadrille was transferred to the

US Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

under the designation

103rd Aero Squadron The 103rd Aero Squadron was an aviation pursuit squadron of the U.S. Air Service that served in combat in France during World War I. Its original complement included pilots from the disbanded Lafayette Escadrille and Lafayette Flying Corps. One ...

. In 1921, The French Air Force recreated a N124 unit who claimed lineage from the war-time La Fayette escadrille and is now part of the escadron 2/4 La Fayette. Lafayette Escadrille Pin

History

Edmond Charles Clinton Genet circa 1915-1917

Dr. Edmund L. Gros, a founder of the

American Hospital of Paris The American Hospital of Paris (''Hôpital américain de Paris''), founded in 1906, is a private, not-for-profit hospital that is certified under the French healthcare system. Located in Neuilly-sur-Seine, in the western suburbs of Paris, France, ...

and organizer of the American Ambulance Field Service, and

Norman Prince Norman Prince (August 31, 1887 – October 15, 1916) was an American aviator and leading founder of France's Lafayette Escadrille. Biography He was born on August 31, 1887 in Beverly, Massachusetts. He was son of Frederick Henry Prince. ...

, a Harvard-educated lawyer and an American expatriate already flying for France, led the attempts to persuade the French government of the value of a volunteer American air unit fighting for France. The aim was to have their efforts recognized by the American public and thus, it was hoped, the resulting publicity would rouse interest in abandoning neutrality and joining the fight. Authorized by the French Air Department on March 21, 1916, the ''Escadrille de Chasse Nieuport 124'' (''Escadrille Américaine'') was deployed on April 20 in

Luxeuil-les-Bains Luxeuil-les-Bains () is a commune in the Haute-Saône department in the region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in eastern France. History Luxeuil (sometimes rendered Luxeu in older texts) was the Roman Luxovium and contained many fine buildings a ...

, France, near Switzerland's border. Despite the unit's weak notorious status in the United States, the Escadrille proved useful for the French and Americans, taking into consideration that before the First World War, aircraft were not considered combat units. Initially, there were seven Americans pilots: Victor E. Chapman, Elliott C. Cowdin,

Bert Hall Weston Birch "Bert" Hall (November 7, 1885 – December 6, 1948) was a military aviator and writer. Hall was one of America's first combat aviators, flying with the famed Lafayette Escadrille in France before the U.S. entered World War I. Biogra ...

James Rogers McConnell James Rogers McConnell (14 March 1887 – 19 March 1917) flew as an aviator during World War I in the Lafayette Escadrille and authored ''Flying for France''. He was the first of sixty-four University of Virginia students to die in battle durin ...

, Norman Prince,

Kiffin Rockwell Kiffin Yates Rockwell (September 20, 1892 – September 23, 1916) was an early aviator and the first American pilot to shoot down an enemy aircraft in World War I. On May 18, 1916, Rockwell attacked and shot down a German plane over the Alsace ...

, and

William Thaw II Lieutenant Colonel William Thaw II () was an American combat aviator who served in World War I and became a flying ace. Credited with five confirmed and two unconfirmed aerial victories, he is believed to be the first American to engage in aerial ...

. The full roster included 38 pilots. The unit's aircraft, mechanics, and uniforms were French, as was the commander,

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

Georges Thénault. Five French pilots were also on the roster, serving at various times in command positions.

Raoul Lufbery Gervais Raoul Victor Lufbery (March 14, 1885 – May 19, 1918) was a French and American fighter pilot and flying ace in World War I. Because he served in both the French Air Force, and later the United States Army Air Service in World War I, ...

, a French-born American citizen, became the squadron's first, and ultimately their highest scoring

flying ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ace is varied, but is usually co ...

, with 16 confirmed victories. Two unofficial members of the Escadrille Américaine, lion cubs named Whiskey and Soda, provided countless moments of relief from battle stress to fliers. A German objection filed with the U.S. government, over the actions of a supposed neutral nation, led to the name change to ''La Fayette Escadrille'' in December 1916, as the original name implied that the U.S. was allied to France rather than neutral.Duffy, Michael
"Lafayette Escadrille."
''firstworldwar.com.'' Retrieved: 20 May 2013. The Escadrille was disbanded on 18 February 1918. The American personnel transferred to the

United States Army Air Service The United States Army Air Service (USAAS)Craven and Cate Vol. 1, p. 9 (also known as the ''"Air Service"'', ''"U.S. Air Service"'' and before its legislative establishment in 1920, the ''"Air Service, United States Army"'') was the aerial war ...

as the

103d Aero Squadron The 103rd Aero Squadron was an aviation pursuit squadron of the U.S. Air Service that served in combat in France during World War I. Its original complement included pilots from the disbanded Lafayette Escadrille and Lafayette Flying Corps. One ...

, while the French formed the Escadrille SPA.124 ''Jeanne d'Arc''. A total of 224 Americans served in the unit. Of those, 51 died in combat, while another 11 died of other causes. Fifteen became

prisoners of war A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held Captivity, captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold priso ...

. Eleven pilots became aces. Not all American pilots were in the Lafayette Escadrille; over 200 fought for France as part of the La Fayette Flying Corps. On 3 April 1918, eleven American pilots from the Air Service of the

American Expeditionary Force The American Expeditionary Forces (A. E. F.) was a formation of the United States Army on the Western Front of World War I. The A. E. F. was established on July 5, 1917, in France under the command of General John J. Pershing. It fought alon ...

were assigned to Escadrille N.471, an air defense squadron stationed near Paris. American flyers served with this French unit until 18 July 1918, and it is sometimes referred to as the ''Second Escadrille Américaine.'' Later, the Escadron de Chasse 2/4 La Fayette retook the unit designation of "La Fayette", this time however in the

French Air Force The French Air and Space Force (AAE) (french: Armée de l'air et de l'espace, ) is the air and space force of the French Armed Forces. It was the first military aviation force in history, formed in 1909 as the , a service arm of the French Army; ...

Combat

The first major action seen by the squadron was 13 May 1916 at the

Battle of Verdun The Battle of Verdun (french: Bataille de Verdun ; german: Schlacht um Verdun ) was fought from 21 February to 18 December 1916 on the Western Front in France. The battle was the longest of the First World War and took place on the hills north ...

and five days later,

recorded the unit's first aerial victory. On 23 June, the Escadrille suffered its first fatality when

Victor Chapman Victor Emmanuel Chapman (April 17, 1890 – June 24, 1916) was a French-American pilot remembered for his exploits during World War I. He was the first American pilot to die in the war. Growing up Chapman was born in New York City to essayist Jo ...

was shot down over

Douaumont Douaumont () is a former commune in the Meuse department in Grand Est in north-eastern France. On 1 January 2019, it was merged into the new commune Douaumont-Vaux. The unit was posted to the front until September 1916, when the unit was moved back to Luxeuil-les-Bains in 7 Army area. On 23 September, Rockwell was killed when his Nieuport was downed by the gunner in a German Albatros observation plane and in October,

was fatally injured after crashing on final approach to his airfield. The squadron, flying Nieuport, later Spad, scouts, suffered heavy losses, but it received replacements until a total of 38 American pilots eventually served with the squadron. So many Americans volunteered to fly for France that they were eventually farmed out to other French squadrons. As a group, the Americans who flew in the war for France's air service, the ''Aéronautique militaire'', are collectively known as the La Fayette Flying Corps. Altogether, 265 American volunteers served in the corps. On 8 February 1918, the squadron was disbanded, and 12 of its American members inducted into the U.S. Air Service as members of the

. For a brief period, it retained its French aircraft and mechanics. Most of its veteran members were set to work training newly arrived American pilots. The 103rd was credited with a further 45 kills before the Armistice went into effect on 11 November. The French Escadrille SPA.124, also known as the Jeanne d'Arc Escadrille, continued Lafayette Escadrille's traditions in the Service Aéronautique. Nieuport 17 fighter 1A1182101XXXVII017 (15204900430)

Nieuport 17 fighter 1A1182101XXXVII017 (15204900430)

Casualties

Nine pilots died in the Lafayette Escadrille while others perished after leaving the unit. More sustained non-fatal injuries. The planes flown were flimsy, and not as safe as those of later years. Engines and other parts failed, and machine-guns often jammed when they were needed. One man asked to be moved back to his infantry unit, where "he could be safe." The first pilot to be killed in action was Victor Chapman. Edmond Genet became the first American casualty of World War I following the U.S. entry into the war. Other Americans had died previous to the U.S. declaration of war, but since Genet had been active in the Escadrille since before the U.S. entry into the war, his death only a few days after the U.S. declaration of war made him the first official U.S. casualty.

Members

After the Great War, membership in the Escadrille Lafayette was claimed by over 4,000 people, "including a dozen well-known Hollywood personalities and several high government officials.'' Also, from the beginning there was a great deal of confusion between American pilots who were members of the Lafayette Escadrille, a designated all-American aviation squadron of the French Service Aeronautique; and the

Lafayette Flying Corps The Lafayette Flying Corps is a name given to the American volunteer pilots who flew in the French Air Force (Armée de l'Air) during World War I. It includes the pilots who flew with the bona fide Lafayette Escadrille squadron. Numbers The ...

, an unofficial ''paper'' organization highlighting in its roster published during the war the names of approximately 231 American volunteer aviators who flew with more than 90 French operational escadrilles. Already existing confusion was exacerbated after a screening of the film '' Flyboys'' in 2006. Five French officers and 38 American pilots, also known as "The Valiant 38", were members of the Lafayette Escadrille.

French officers

* Col. Philippe FequantMay 1, 1928 directory published by Memorial De L'Escadille Lafayette * Lieut-Col. Antonin Brocard * Capt.

Georges Thenault Lieutenant Colonel Georges Thenault () (15 December 1887 – 19 December 1948) was the commander of the Lafayette Escadrille – the famed branch of the French air force in World War I composed of American volunteer pilots. The Lafayette Escadri ...

* Lt. Alfred de Laage de Meux * Lt. Charles Nungesser * Lt. Antoine Arnoux de Maison-Rouge * Lt. Louis Verdier-Fauvety

American pilots

A † symbol indicates that the individual was killed in action, including those who subsequently entered the Air Service, or died of wounds received. # 1Lt. Stuart Emmet Edgar # 1Lt. Frank Luke Jr. † # Horace Clyde Balsley # Stephen Sohier Bigelow # Ray Claflin Bridgman # Andrew Courtney Campbell Jr.† # Victor Emmanuel Chapman† # Elliott Christopher Cowdin II # Charles Heave Dolan # James Ralph Doolittle† #

John Armstrong Drexel John Armstrong Drexel (October 24, 1891 – March 4, 1958) was an American aviation pioneer who was a member of the prominent Drexel family of Philadelphia. Early life Drexel was a son of Anthony Joseph Drexel Jr. (1864–1934) and Margarita Arm ...

# William Edward Dugan Jr. # Christopher William Ford # Edmond Charles Clinton Genet† #

James Norman Hall James Norman Hall (22 April 1887 – 5 July 1951) was an American writer best known for '' The Bounty Trilogy'', three historical novels he wrote with Charles Nordhoff: ''Mutiny on the Bounty'' (1932), '' Men Against the Sea'' (1934) and '' Pitca ...

# Willis Bradley Haviland # Thomas Moses Hewitt Jr. # Dudley Lawrence Hill # Edward Foote Hinkle # Ronald Wood Hoskier† # Charles Chouteau Johnson # Henry Sweet Jones # Walter Lovell #

† #

† # Douglas MacMonagle † # Kenneth Archibald Marr #

Didier Masson Didier Masson (23 February 1886 – 2 June 1950) was a pioneering French aviator. He was born in Asnières, France. He died and was buried in Mérida, Yucatan, Mexico. Among his adventures was his life as a pioneering barnstormer, bein ...

# Joseph P Murphy # Edwin C. "Ted" Parsons # Paul Pavelka† # David M. Peterson # Frederick Henry Prince Jr. #

† # Kiffin Yates Rockwell† # Robert Lockerbie Rockwell # Laurence Dana Rumsey Jr. # Robert Soubiran # William Thaw # Harold Buckley Willis # Frank E. Starrett

Citations

The Group La Fayette totalized eight citations at the orders of Air Army, bearing the right to wear the Fourragere with ribbon colors of the

Croix de guerre 1914–1918 (France) The ''Croix de guerre 1914–1918'' ( en, War Cross) is a French military decoration, the first version of the '' Croix de Guerre''. It was created to recognize French and allied soldiers who were cited for valorous service during World War I, s ...

, as well as the Fourragere with ribbon colors of the

Médaille Militaire The ''Médaille militaire'' ( en, Military Medal) is a military decoration of the French Republic for other ranks for meritorious service and acts of bravery in action against an enemy force. It is the third highest award of the French Republic, ...

Summary

At the decommission of the unit on January 1, 1918, the following registry noted: * 267 Americans volunteered in French aviation; * 255 received their pilot brevet; * 108 served at the

front Front may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''The Front'' (1943 film), a 1943 Soviet drama film * ''The Front'', 1976 film Music * The Front (band), an American rock band signed to Columbia Records and active in the 1980s and e ...

; * 66 were killed, out of which 51 killed in action; * 19 were wounded; * 15 were made

; * 199 victories were known to be officially recognized.

Honorary members

Amelia Earhart Amelia Mary Earhart ( , born July 24, 1897; disappeared July 2, 1937; declared dead January 5, 1939) was an American aviation pioneer and writer. Earhart was the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. She set many oth ...

on June 6, 1932, a couple of days after becoming the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic, was made an honorary member of the Escadrille La Fayette. Thomas M

World War II

La Fayette Escadrille became the third flight unit (Escadrille) of the Groupe de Chasse 2/5 La Fayette.

Tributes

* La Fayette Escadrille Memorial Cemetery, Villeneuve-l'Étang Imperial Estate, in

Marnes-la-Coquette Marnes-la-Coquette () is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. Located from the centre of Paris, the town is situated in the Hauts-de-Seine department on the departmental border with Yvelines between the Parc de Saint-Cloud and the ...

Hauts-de-Seine Hauts-de-Seine (; ) is a Departments of France, département in the Île-de-France Regions of France, region, Northern France. It covers Paris's western inner Banlieue, suburbs. It is bordered by Paris, Seine-Saint-Denis and Val-de-Marne to the e ...

, outside of

Paris, France Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...

, the final work of French architect

Alexandre Marcel Alexandre Marcel (11 September 1860 - 30 June 1928) was a French architect, best known for his Belle Époque interpretations of "exotic" international architectural styles. Marcel studied at the Parisian École des Beaux-Arts in the atelier of ...

, 1928. The memorial commemorates the birthplace of American combat aviation, and serves as a symbol of the Franco-American comradeship during World War I. This site honors the American volunteer pilots who flew with French squadrons during the Great War, and is the final resting place for some of America's first combat aviators and their French officers. Dedicated in 1928, the memorial cemetery consists of an ornate central arch, half the size of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, with a French inscription on the facade, and an English translation on the rear. The central arch is flanked by wings on either side that include open hallways terminating in end pavilions. A reflecting pool runs the length of the structure. Behind the memorial is a semi-circular terrace that forms the roof of the crypt below. Stained-glass windows in the crypt depict the major battles of the Western Front. In the memorial crypt are 68 sarcophagi, one for each of the aviators of the Lafayette Flying Corps who lost their lives during World War I. Forty-nine of these aviators are entombed in the crypt along with two of their French commanding officers. The remainder rest in other locations, or their remains were never recovered. By the early 21st century, decades of delayed maintenance to the memorial had led to structural damage, water intrusion and corrosion that required large-scale repair. Understanding its significance in the history of American military aviation, the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC), through an agreement with the Lafayette Escadrille Memorial Foundation and the French government that included financial support, led restoration efforts in 2015 and 2016, in time for the 100th anniversary of the formation of the squadron. In January 2017, ABMC officially assumed ownership and responsibility for the Lafayette Escadrille Memorial Cemetery, making it the 9th commemorative World War I cemetery administered by this federal agency. * Memorial to the American Volunteers. On 4 July 1923, the President of the French Council of State,

Raymond Poincaré Raymond Nicolas Landry Poincaré (, ; 20 August 1860 – 15 October 1934) was a French statesman who served as President of France from 1913 to 1920, and three times as Prime Minister of France. Trained in law, Poincaré was elected deputy in 1 ...

, dedicated a monument in the

Place des États-Unis The Place des États-Unis (; "United States Square") is a public space in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, France, about 500 m south of the Place de l'Étoile and the Arc de Triomphe. It consists of a plaza, approximately long and wide, tre ...

, Paris, to the Americans who had volunteered to fight in

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

in the service of France. * A statue by the sculptor

Gutzon Borglum John Gutzon de la Mothe Borglum (March 25, 1867 – March 6, 1941) was an American sculptor best known for his work on Mount Rushmore. He is also associated with various other public works of art across the U.S., including Stone Mountain in Georg ...

titled ''Aviator'' (1919) was erected on the grounds of the

University of Virginia The University of Virginia (UVA) is a Public university#United States, public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United S ...

Charlottesville Charlottesville, colloquially known as C'ville, is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is the county seat of Albemarle County, which surrounds the city, though the two are separate legal entities. It is named after Queen Cha ...

in the memory of James R. McConnell, who was killed during the war. * Two other memorials are dedicated to McConnell and located in

Carthage, North Carolina Carthage is the county seat of Moore County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 2,635 at the 2020 Census. Geography Carthage is located at (35.329441, -79.408475). According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a t ...

. The first is a granite column flanked by two cannon, the other is a granite stone inscribed in French at the community house. CommHouse Monument

* Norman Prince tomb,

Washington National Cathedral The Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in the City and Diocese of Washington, commonly known as Washington National Cathedral, is an American cathedral of the Episcopal Church. The cathedral is located in Washington, D.C., the cap ...

, Washington, D.C. * There is a plaque in the memory of Kiffen Yates Rockwell in

Lee Chapel University Chapel (formerly Lee Chapel) of Washington and Lee University is a National Historic Landmark in Lexington, Virginia. It was constructed during 1867–68 at the request of Robert E. Lee, who was president of the school (then known as Wa ...

Washington and Lee University , mottoeng = "Not Unmindful of the Future" , established = , type = Private liberal arts university , academic_affiliations = , endowment = $2.092 billion (2021) , president = William C. Dudley , provost = Lena Hill , city = Lexingto ...

Lexington, Virginia Lexington is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. At the 2020 census, the population was 7,320. It is the county seat of Rockbridge County, although the two are separate jurisdictions. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines ...

, the college Rockwell attended before the war.

Fictional accounts

The story of the Lafayette Escadrille has been depicted in three feature films: * ''

The Legion of the Condemned ''The Legion of the Condemned'' (aka ''Legion of the Condemned'') is a 1928 American silent film directed by William A. Wellman and produced by Jesse L. Lasky, Wellman, and Adolph Zukor and distributed by Paramount Pictures.Wynne 1987, p. 62. ...

'' (1928), a

William A. Wellman William Augustus Wellman (February 29, 1896 – December 9, 1975) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, actor and military pilot. He was known for his work in crime, adventure, and action genre films, often focusing on avi ...

film; * ''

Lafayette Escadrille The La Fayette Escadrille (french: Escadrille de La Fayette) was the name of the French Air Force unit escadrille N 124 during the First World War (1914–1918). This escadrille of the ''Aéronautique Militaire'' was composed largely of Ameri ...

'' (1958), a Wellman film starring

Tab Hunter Tab Hunter (born Arthur Andrew Kelm; July 11, 1931 – July 8, 2018) was an American actor, singer, film producer, and author. Known for his blond, clean-cut good looks, Hunter starred in more than forty films. He was a Hollywood heartthrob of t ...

, and * '' Flyboys'' (2006), directed by

Tony Bill Gerard Anthony Bill (born August 23, 1940) is an American actor, producer, and director. He produced the 1973 movie ''The Sting'', for which he shared the Academy Award for Best Picture with Michael Phillips and Julia Phillips. As an actor, Bi ...

and starring

James Franco James Edward Franco (born April 19, 1978) is an American actor and filmmaker. For his role in '' 127 Hours'' (2010), he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor. Franco is known for his roles in films, such as Sam Raimi's ''Spider-Ma ...

. The Lafayette Escadrille also appears in "Attack of the Hawkmen", an episode of ''

The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles ''The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles'' is an American television series that aired on ABC from March 4, 1992, to July 24, 1993. Filming took place in various locations around the world, with "Old Indy" bookend segments filmed in Wilmington, North ...

'' in which Indy is temporarily assigned to the group as an aerial reconnaissance photographer. The exploits of the Lafayette Escadrille are also captured in several works of historical fiction including: '' Falcons of France'' by

Charles Nordhoff Charles Bernard Nordhoff (February 1, 1887 – April 10, 1947) was an American novelist and traveler, born in England. Nordhoff is perhaps best known for ''The Bounty Trilogy'', three historical novels he wrote with James Norman Hall: ''Mutiny o ...

and

(1929) and '' To the Last Man'' by Jeffrey Shaara .

Legacy

The Lafayette Escadrille is part of the 2018 short documentar
''Raoul Lufbery: Fighter Ace''
The film subject is fighter ace

, it was directed by Alexander Zane Irwin and produced by

Daniel Bernardi Daniel Leonard Bernardi (born June 16, 1964) is a professor of Cinema at San Francisco State University, founder and President oEl Dorado Filmsand Commander in the United States Navy Reserve. Bernardi earned a Bachelor of Arts in Radio-TV (1984) ...

with the collaboration of El Dorado Films and the Veteran Documentary Corps.

References

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

* Azzou, El-Mostafa. "L'Escadrille Lafayette: Des aviateurs Americains dans la Guerre du Rif (1921–1926) ". ''Guerres Mondiales et Conflits Contemporains'', Volume 53, Issue 209, January 2003, pp. 57–63. * Bowen, Ezra. ''Knights of the Air''. New York: Time Life Books Aviation Series, 1980. . * Brown, Walt, Jr. ''An American for Lafayette: The Diaries of E.C.C. Genet, Lafayette Escadrille.'' Charlottesville Virginia: University Press of Virginia, 1981. .
"Lafayette Escadrille."
''firstworldwar.com'', 2009. Encyclopedia Software, 1 March 2011. * Flammer, Philip M. ''The Vivid Air: The Lafayette Escadrille'' (University of Georgia Press, 1981). * Flood, Charles Bracelen. ''First to Fly: The Story of the Lafayette Escadrille, the American Heroes who Flew for France in World War I'' (Grove/Atlantic, Inc., 2015). * Hall, Bert. ''En L'air.'' New York: The New Library, Inc, 1918. * Hall, Bert. ''One Man's War: The Story of the Lafayette Escadrille.'' London: J. Hamilton, 1929. * Hennessy, Juliette A. "Men and planes of World War I and a history of the Lafayette Escadrille" ''Air Power History'' 61.2 (2014): 14–27. * Hynes, Samuel. ''The Unsubstantial Air: American Fliers in the First World War'' (2014). * Mason, Herbert Molloy. ''The Lafayette Escadrille''. New York: Smithmark Publishers, 1995. * McConnell, James R
"Flying For France: Further Experiences Of An Aviator In The American Escadrille In France".
''The World's Work: A History of Our Time''XXXIII, March 1917, pp. 497–509. Retrieved: 4 August 2009. * McConnell, James
"Flying For France: With The American Escadrille At Verdun".
''The World's Work: A History of Our Time'' XXXIII, November 1916, pp. 41–53. Retrieved: 4 August 2009. * Miller, Roger G. ''Like a Thunderbolt: The Lafayette Escadrille and the Advent of American Pursuit in World War I''. Washington, D.C.: Air Force History and Museums Program, 2007. * Morse, Edwin W. ''America in the War: The Vanguard of American Volunteers in the Fighting Lines and in Humanitarian Service, August, 1914–April, 1917.'' New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1919. * Murphy, T. B. ''Kiffin Rockwell, the Lafayette Escadrille and the Birth of the United States Air Force'' (McFarland, 2016). * Nasuti, Guy
"Motivations of the Lafayette Escadrille Pilots."
''militaryhistoryonline.com'', 2006. Article Software, 1 March 2011. * Nordhoff, Charles and James Norman Hall. ''The Lafayette Flying Corps''. Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1920. * Parsons, Edwin C. ''I Flew with the Lafayette Escadrille''. Indianapolis, Indiana: E. C. Seale and Company, Inc., 1930 first edition, reprint 1953. * Shaara, Jeff. ''To the Last Man: A Novel of the First World War''. New York: The Random House Publishing Group, 2004. . * Thenault, Georges.
The Story of the LaFayette Escadrille – Told By its Commander Captain Georges Thenault
' (Translated by Walter Duranty, with An Introduction By Andre Tardieu; High Commissioner of Franco–American Affairs). Boston: Small, Maynard & Company, 1921. * Veil Charles H, "Adventure's A Wench" – The Autobiography of Charles Herbert Veil as told to Howard Marsh, Grosset & Dunlap Publishers, New York, 1934 * Wilson, Thomas. ''Kickapoo''. Thomaston, Maine: Dan River Press, 2006. .

External links

''New England Air Museum Online Exhibit''
Lafayette Escadrille
''American Aviators of World War I''

''Les escadrilles françaises de la guerre 1914–1918''
The Lafayette Escadrille Memorial
{{Authority control French Air and Space Force squadrons Military history of France Aviation in World War I French expatriate units and formations Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette Military units and formations established in 1916

History

Combat

Casualties

Members

French officers

American pilots

Citations

Summary

Honorary members

World War II

Tributes

Fictional accounts

Legacy

See also

References

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

External links