Black Buffalos, US Squadron

rammjaeger · 14 March 2006, 10:10 PM

So, did Avery ever cross the frontline before his fight with Menckhoff or not?

Is the claim in the papers that he did not only poor information?

vb136 · 15 March 2006, 12:42 PM

According to the French unit & insignia book, published by the French SHAA, the unit was created on 10 May 1918, and dissolved on 18 July 1918.

pvernon · 15 March 2006, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vb136

According to the French unit & insignia book, published by the French SHAA, the unit was created on 10 May 1918, and dissolved on 18 July 1918.

Thats interesting that is close to when my info says they got their SPAD 13s.

Cigogne · 16 March 2006, 10:18 PM

Walter Avery, Kellogg, Lansing Holden, and the other American's assigned to the Defense of Paris Group squadrons were not very happy to be there. They all were longing to be assigned to frontline units (94th, 95th etc.) and saw this as a "ambusque" or slack assignment, but, it was better than nothing (like remaining at Tours, Romorantin, or the other schools). They saw it as killing time until they could be reassigned to the front. They were trying to have strings pulled by pals already in those units to be reassigned.

However, there was an attitude towards some of the French veteran airmen who were assigned to these rear area units, where they were looked on as shirkers who wanted to save their own necks. This was stated in some of the accounts published in OTF, etc. (Avery, Holden, Heinrichs, etc.)