The Story of the Lafayette Escadrille

by Georges Thenault

This is a pre-1923 historical reproduction that was curated for quality. Quality assurance was conducted on each of these books in an attempt to remove books with imperfections introduced by the digitization process. Though we have made best efforts - the books may have occasional errors that do not impede the reading experience. We believe this work is culturally important and have elected to bring the book back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, World War I

240 pages, Hardcover

Published March 19, 2009

About the author

Lieutenant Colonel Georges Thenault (pronounced "Ten-o") 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 Escadrille was created before the United States gave up its neutrality, and joined France and Britain in the war against Germany. Once the United States formally entered the war, the Lafayette Escadrille was absorbed into the U.S. Army.

(From Wikipedia biography, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georges_...)

Reviews

[Billy Leon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was not a bad read. The book was decent enough, but I expected a little more. I gave the author a little bit of slack considering he was a soldier and not a professional writer. Still the grammatical errors, and there are more than a few of them, interrupt the flow of the read. Details of the combat accounts of the escadrille are pretty uninformative. The individual aircraft are described as just enemy machines. One doesn't know if we are engaged with Fokkers, Albatri or Pfalz aircraft, single or two-seaters. The book is a bit flowery at times. Especially when the author attempts to pay tribute to the fallen. All that said, the book is still a decent read, it's just for more detail one needs to look elsewhere.

[David Dennington · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting book, telling the story of Americans who went to fight for France even before the United States got into WW1. The author praises those men and shows appreciation for them, telling of their valor. Another view of the war.

[Al Lock · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fundamentally, this is a book praising the American who loved France and loved liberty and the brave and honorable men who risked or gave their lives for their love of such. And it tells you that over and over and over.

There is information to be gleaned from this, but first you have to get past the Frenchman gushing.

One of the points that I found very interesting is the name changes that the Escadrille went through - going from the American Escadrille to the Volunteer Escadrille to the Lafayette Escadrille to 103 Aero Squadron, United States Army Air Corps

[Paul Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read for those interested in the Lafayette Escadrille

As commander, he had a unique perspective. I think he is trying to be very honest yet never saying anything derogatory about any of his pilots. Written in 1919 only a year after the war, you get a good factual presentation of time places and his memory of very recent events. He didn't have to do ANY research. He lived these experiences only A year or two previously. A very good read.

[Gregg C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good account of the units history

Who flew, how they did. Where and what they flew are all here. A good history of the escadrille and its formation.

[Bhall · Rating 3 out of 5]

For years i thought my Grandfather, William Thomas Ponder had been a member of this elite group of American pilots fighting for the French prior to America's involvement in WWI...
Realized he did fly for the French in other squadrons and then on to the 103rd Aero Squadron U.S. with the rest of the LE boys...
Good read by the man who formed the famous group...Great slice of history..movie FlyBoys captures some of this story...and micmics my grandfather's story...marrying a french bride...thus my quarter percentage french blood :-)

[Jerry Mercer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Document of the Air War

Thenault tells a careful and accurate review of the American fliers who joined the French air force in WWI. It gives us a definitive look at the brave individuals and their evolving equipment. While these men are long gone, this book helps us remember them and what they did.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great supplement to "Open Cockpit" and "Horses don't fly". Worth reading!