THE MONUMENT

 

The Lafayette Escadrille Memorial stands as a tribute to the American pilots of the Escadrille La Fayette and the Lafayette Flying Corps who gave their lives during the First World War to assist the Allies.

The Memorial stands in a park outside of Paris, not far from Versailles.

The Memorial may be reached by train from the Gare St-Lazare to the station of Garches - Marnes-la-Coquette (twenty minutes from Paris). A walk of 500 yards brings the visitor to the entrance of the Parc de Villeneuve-l'Etang, just beyond the institut Pasteur where the great man died. By automobile, the route lies across the Seine, by the St-Cloud bridge and then direct to Garches and the Memorial. The Park is open every day morning and afternoon.

The monument is composed of a central Arch of Triumph, one-half size of the Arch of Thiumph in Paris. Upon the stone are inscribed the names of the dead American pilots of the Escadrille La Fayette and the Lafayette Flying Corps during the first World War 1914 / 1918. Are also inscribed the names of the French towns and provinces where these pilots were involved for fighting Germans. All the other inscriptions are in French on one side and in English on the other side of the monument. Under the monument, a sanctuary crypt including 68 sarcophagi. Some are empty because of the impossibility in locating or removing the pilots' remains. Thirteen stained-glass windows, signed Mauméjean, depicting various battles, give light to the Cryt.

 

The American Eagle, surrounded by fighters, flies to assist France

Dégâts  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The American Eagle returns home

 

The inspiration for the monument came from a former pilot, Edgard Guerard Hamilton while assisting the Allies in locating the boddies of these American pilots. He convinced numerous American and French sponsors that a memorial should be created for these heroes to perpetuate their sacrifice for France.


In 1923, an association "Memorial de l'Escadrille La Fayette" was formed to realize Hamilton's wish. William Nelson Cromwell, a Paris-based American lawyer took care of the financing and building of the monument. The Prince, Chapman, Vanderbilt, Hoskier families made important gifts, but there was wide support for the project.

 

On July 4 1928, thousand of people attended the dedication of the monument. Former pilots and relatives of dead boys came especially from America. Marshal Foch, The French Minister of War Painleve, The U.S Ambassador Myron T. Herrick were the guests of honour at the ceremony. Doctor Edmund L. Gros, President of the Board of the Memorial Association formally presented the monument to France. Georges Thenault, Escadrille La Fayette's former commander, France's Air Attache to Washington, related the history of this so particular squadron . Then, the U.S Ambassador - who played a deciding role in 1914 by suggesting to all these enthousiastic young American that the only way not to lose their nationality was to enrol in the French Foreign Legion - made an outstanding speech :
" During three terrible years, when the sting of criticism cut into every American Soul, these pilots were showing the world how their countrymen could fight if they were only allowed the opportunity. To many of us they seemed to be the saviors of our national honor, giving the lie to current sneers upon the courage of the nation." Such a declaration was due to the United States' late entrance in the war (1917).

William Nelson Cromwell formed the Lafayette Escadrille Fondation and made a one million dollars gift to assure the maintenanceof the Memorial with the yearly income of his gift. In 1932, the Foundation took possession of the monument and the park. At the occasion of a board meeting, shortly before his death, M. Crowmwell expressed the wish that the monument should be a place of rest for the young heroes who died under the French uniform to defend the honor of America,as the symbolic temple of their sacrifice and, at the same time, a close link of affection between France and United-States, and a source of inspiration for future generations of both countries.

The Foundation wishes to express its gratitude to the Ministry of Culture, and the Congress of the United States as well as the Conseil General of the Hauts de Seine, the Ministry of Defence, the Souvenir Français, Les Ailes Brisées, Les Geules Cassées, The American Legion, numerous French and American charities, and individual donors.

_

 

 

LIST OF BURIALS
1 ASH, Alan Newton
2 Sgt BARCLAY, Leif N.
3 Sgt BAUGHAM, James H.
4 Sgt. BAYLIES, Frank L.
5 1st Lt. BAYNE, James Alexander
6 Corp BENNEY, Philip P
7 Corp BIDDLE, Julian C.
8 Sgt BLUETHENTHAL, Arthur
9 Sgt BOOTH, Veron Jr.
10 Sgt CAMPBELL, AC Jr
11 Corp CHADWICK, Oliver
12 Sgt CHAMBERLAIN, Cyrus F
13 1st Lt. CHAPMAN, CW Jr
14 Sgt CHAPMAN, Victor
15 2d Lt CLAPP, Roger Harvey
16 Capt COLLINS, Phelps
17 2nd Lt COOKSON, Linn P
18 2d Lt DAVIS, Philip Washburn
19 2d Lt De KRUIJFF, Theodore
20 Corp DOOLITTLE James R
21 DOWD, Dennis
22 2d Lt DOWD, Meredith L
23 Corp DREW, Sidney Rankin Jr
24 1st Lt. EDGAR, Stuart Emmet
25 2d Lt ELY, Dinsmore
26 Pilot Av FOWLER Eric A.
27 Sgt GENET, Edmond C
28 Sold. 2d cl GRIEB, Norman
29 1st Lt. GUNDELACH, Andre
30 Sold. 2d cl HANFORD, Robert M
31 1st Lt. HOBBS, Warren Tucker
32 Sgt HOSKIER, Ronald W
33 1st Lt. JOHNSON, Harry F
34 Corp LEE, Schuyler
35 Corp LEHR, Manderson
36 Sgt LOUGHRAN, Edward J
37 Maj LUFBERY, G R
38 Sgt MacMONAGLE, D
39 Sgt McCONNELL, James R
40 Sgt McKERNESS, William
41 Corp MEEKER, Wiliam Henry
42 2d Lt MILLER, Walter B
43 Sgt NICHOLS, Alan H
44 Sgt OVINGTON, Carter L
45 Corp PALMER, Henry B
46 Sgt PAVELKA, Paul
47 Sgt PELTON, Alfred D
48 Sgt PETERSON, David M
49 2nd Lt PRINCE, Norman
50 1st Lt. PUTNAM, D E
51 Sgt RHENO, Walter D.
52 Adjutant ROCKWELL, Kiffin Y

53 Sgt SCANLAN, Lawrence
54 Corp SKINNER, Samuel W
55 Corp SPENCER, Dumaresq
56 Sold. 2d cl STARRETT, Frank Elmer
57 Corp STONE, Donald E
58 Sgt TAILER, William Hallet
59 Ens TAYLOR, Elmer B
60 Ens TERRES, Hugh
61 Corp TRINKARD, Charles
62 Sgt TUCKER, Dudley G
63 Sgt TYSON, Stephen M
64 1st Lt. WALCOTT, B S
65 Corp WILSON, Joseph V
66 Corp WINTER, Wallace C
67 Corp WOODWARD, Houston
68 Sous Lt YORK, Walter R.

French Officers

1 Gen BROCARD,
2 Lt Col THENAULT, George