Title: The First World War in the Air documentary Source:
YouTube URL Source:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6W355JPsjk&t=1s Published:Nov 11, 2018 Author:History Of Wars Post Date:2018-11-11 21:41:17 by GreyLmist Keywords:WWI, Lafayette, Escadrille, Squadron Views:76 Comments:1
47.5 minutes - graphic war footage warning
Notes: 1:32 pretext for war ; 12:05 Nieuport 28, first fighter plane used in combat by American units after the U.S. entered the war in 1917 ; 18:01 Wilbur Wright, 1909 demonstrations in Europe - Military Recon potential ; 18:34 1916 - group of American pilots volunteer for France 1 year before U.S. declared war on Germany - Lafayette Escadrille/Air Squadron ; 19:33 Escadrille pilots Rockwell, Thaw, Victor Chapman (great-great-grandson of John J. Chapman who signed America's Declaration of Independence) ; 25:10 Verdun and Somme ; 27:46-28:30 American Lafayette Squadron ; 33:44 April 6, 1917 U.S. Congress declared war on the Central Powers - Lafayette Squadron > American Air Arm ; 35:02 Britain's Sopwith Camel - ability to turn on a dime with 9 cents change ; 35:56 April 21, 1918 Red Baron shot down - 2 versions ; 42:31 1918 America's first joint air and ground offensive was launched on one of the last German strongholds on the Western Front, southeast of Verdun. 1,500 British, French and American aircraft streamed over the lines in early September against half as many German planes - 15,000 German Infantrymen captured ; 34:33 November 11, 1918 Armistice declared.
a U.S. unit constituted in 1916 under French command, made up of volunteers [who] came forward to fight for France during World War I [a year before the U.S. declaration of war].
Authorized by the French Air Department on March 21, 1916 [as] the Escadrille de Chasse Nieuport 124 (Escadrille Américaine) [the American Squadron/Air Squadron] ... [the unit at that point] was composed largely of American volunteer pilots flying fighters. ... A German objection filed with the U.S. government, over the actions of a supposed neutral nation, led to the name [being] change[d] to La Fayette Escadrille in December 1916, as the original name implied that the U.S. was allied to France rather than neutral. ... It was [renamed] in honor of the Marquis de La Fayette, French hero of the American Revolutionary War.
Initially, there were seven Americans pilots: Victor E. Chapman, Elliot C. Cowdin, Weston (Bert) Hall, James R. McConnell, Norman Prince, Kiffin Rockwell, and William Thaw ... a total of 38 American pilots eventually served with the squadron. ... Not all American pilots were in Lafayette Escadrille; over 200 American fliers fought for France as part of the La Fayette Flying Corps. ... As a group, the Americans who flew in WWI for France's air service [are] collectively known as the La Fayette Flying Corps. Altogether, 265 American volunteers served in the [La Fayette Flying] Corps. ... American members of the La Fayette Escadrille transferred into the United States Army Air Service on 18 February 1918, as the 103d Aero Squadron. [A registry is said to have recorded on January 1, 1918 that 199 La Fayette Escadrille victories were known to be officially recognized.]
During the existence of the Escadrille, 224 Americans served in the unit. Of those, fifty-one died in combat, an additional eleven died in non-combat. ... Nine pilots died in the Lafayette Escadrille while others perished after leaving the unit. More sustained non-fatal injuries. ... 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. ... Fifteen became prisoners of war. A total of eleven pliots became aces.
12:0511:57 ) Nieuport 28, first fighter plane used in combat by American units after the U.S. entered the war in 1917
Insert: 13:28 + 13:58 ) Rickenbacker
18:0117:40 ) Wilbur Wright, 1909 demonstrations in Europe - Military Recon potential
18:3418:11 ) 1916 - group of American pilots volunteer for France 1 year before U.S. declared war on Germany - Lafayette Escadrille/Air Squadron
19:3319:10 ) Escadrille pilots Rockwell, Thaw, Victor Chapman (great-great-grandson of John J. Chapman who signed America's Declaration of Independence)
25:1024:41 ) Verdun and Somme
27:46-28:3026:48-27:57 ) American Lafayette Squadron
Insert: 32:05 ) Richthofen/Red Baron
33:4433:04-33:55 ) April 6, 1917 U.S. Congress declared war on the Central Powers - Lafayette Squadron > American Air Arm
35:0234:18 ) Britain's Sopwith Camel - ability to turn on a dime with 9 cents change
Insert: 35:09 ) Red Baron
35:5635:39 ) April 21, 1918 Red Baron shot down - 2 versions
42:3141:40 ) 1918 America's first joint air and ground offensive was launched on one of the last German strongholds on the Western Front, southeast of Verdun. 1,500 British, French and American aircraft streamed over the lines in early September against half as many German planes - 15,000 German Infantrymen captured
Insert: 44:26 ) With the mutiny of the German Navy and food riots in a dozen German cities, the Kaiser abdicated and went to Holland || + 4um Ref. re: blockade issues, etc.
34:3344:40 ) November 11, 1918 Armistice declared.
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"They're on our left, they're on our right, they're in front of us, they're behind us...they can't get away this time." -- Col. Puller, USMC