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NOTE: There are many editions of this important World War I
book available on the Internet from various retailers. Almost all are
nothing more than scans of the original book, with consequent poor
quality. This reprint has been typeset according to modern standards,
resulting a more readable text. The historical notes added by editor
Walt Shiel add to the value of this edition.
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.
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 Americas first fighter pilots. Its 1917 publication helped
Americans understand the war in Europe and may have proven instrumental
in coalescing support for Americas 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 cest change, le plus cest la même chose.
The more things change, the more they remain the same.
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