World War I American Aviator. Following his graduation from Harvard in 1913, he became a student of architecture at the college of Beaux Arts in Paris, France. With the outbreak of World War I, he enlisted into the Foreign Legion and was fighting in the trenches of the Somme, by the end of 1914. In August 1915, he transferred to the French Aviation Service, entered the school of military aviation at Avold and was brevetted a pilot in January 1916. He then was assigned to the Escadrille Lafayette at Luxeuil, promoted to Sergeant and saw his first aerial combat over Verdun, a short time later. He was wounded by a machine-gun bullet to the head during aerial combat with four German air machines on June 17, 1916 and after being treated he continued to fly with a heavily bandaged head. On June 23, 1916, he engaged in attacking a numerically superior German force over the Meuse-Argonne, France and due to damage to his aircraft, he crashed into the ground at full speed behind the German lines. He was killed instantly and was officially classified as being the first American aviator to die in action.
World War I American Aviator. Following his graduation from Harvard in 1913, he became a student of architecture at the college of Beaux Arts in Paris, France. With the outbreak of World War I, he enlisted into the Foreign Legion and was fighting in the trenches of the Somme, by the end of 1914. In August 1915, he transferred to the French Aviation Service, entered the school of military aviation at Avold and was brevetted a pilot in January 1916. He then was assigned to the Escadrille Lafayette at Luxeuil, promoted to Sergeant and saw his first aerial combat over Verdun, a short time later. He was wounded by a machine-gun bullet to the head during aerial combat with four German air machines on June 17, 1916 and after being treated he continued to fly with a heavily bandaged head. On June 23, 1916, he engaged in attacking a numerically superior German force over the Meuse-Argonne, France and due to damage to his aircraft, he crashed into the ground at full speed behind the German lines. He was killed instantly and was officially classified as being the first American aviator to die in action.
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
Inscription
SERGT. ESCADRILLE LAFAYETTE
NEW YORK JUNE 23, 1916
Fr. MED. MIL.
Fr. C. de. G.
Family Members
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