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James R. McConnell earned the French Croix de Guerre for his heroic service in 1915 in the American Ambulance Field Service in World War I. Not content as an official non-combatant, McConnell joined the French Air Force to become a pilot.
McConnell became a founding member of the legendary Lafayette Escadrille—American pilots flying for France under French commanders.
McConnell wrote Flying for France in 1916 mostly while recuperating from injuries incurred in an accident during a combat sortie in a Nieuport avion de chasse. Despite debilitating pain, he soon returned to the Escadrille to fly and fight.
Flying for France provides a unique glimpse into the lives of the America’s first fighter pilots. Its 1917 publication helped Americans understand the war in Europe and may have proven instrumental in coalescing support for America’s entry into the first global war.
To place his story in historical context, this edition includes historical notes about the Lafayette Escadrille and James McConnell himself.
For aviation history buffs and students—or practitioners—of modern aerial combat, Flying for France confirms the French adage le plus c’est change, le plus c’est la même chose.
The more things change, the more they remain the same.
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