War Letters Of Edmond Genet : The First American Aviator Killed Flying The Stars And Stripes

Edmond Charles Clinton Genet

• Publisher: Lucknow Books
• Year: 2014
• eBook ISBN: 9781782891864
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Military Biographies
• Index: History

"Edmond Genet from Ossining, New York, was the first American flier to die in the First World War after the United States declared war against Germany, shot down by anti-aircraft artillery on April 17, 1917. Genet was the great great grandson of Edmond-Charles Genêt, also known as Citizen Genêt, the French Ambassador to the United States shortly before the French Revolution who is mostly remembered for being the cause of an international incident known as the Citizen Genêt Affair.
Edmond Genet sailed for France at the end of January, 1915, to join the French Foreign Legion while still technically on leave from the US Navy. He never arranged to be formally relieved of his responsibility to the Navy before joining the Lafayette Escadrille on January 22, 1917. This decision weighed heavily on him as time wore on since he could be classified as a deserter because the US was not yet formally in the war and his involvement in the Escadrille was therefore not an official assignment by the US military...He was particularly celebrated since it was known that he was the descendant of Citizen Genet. As the prospect of American Involvement in the war grew he became both increasingly worried and hopeful that his participation in the Escadrille would not be affected by the American entry into the war and sought the help of prominent Americans in France to help him straighten out his status. Ironically he died shortly after the formal entry of the US into the war before the issue of his status could be dealt with. Although other Americans had died as part of the Escadrille, he was the first one to do so after the US formally declared war on the Central powers. This made him the first official American casualty of the war despite the fact that the US had not yet had time to organize or send any actual troops to Europe...He was 20 years old at the time of his death."—Wiki

FRANCE — AVIATION — THE ESCADRILLE, LAFAYETTE

1916-1917

Roosevelt Hotel, Paris,

May 31st, 1916, A. M.

DEAR LITTLE MOTHER,

Stopped here overnight and part of to-day on my route to Dijon where I join the French Aviation Corps as pilot (élève-pilote). I haven’t time now to go into particulars. I’m out of the Legion for good after a long long struggle to get this transfer through—ever since last summer. I’ll write particulars from Dijon and send you my new address as I don’t know it yet. I may be at Dijon only a few days.

... All love and best wishes.

Your loving son,

EDMOND.

Roosevelt Hotel, Paris,

May 31st, 1916.

DEAR STAR,

Stopped off here last night on my way to the French Aviation Corps at Dijon. Have just transferred from the glorious Legion to the Aviation Corps. I go on to Dijon this afternoon.

Wish me all good luck, Jeannette. I’m in the best branch of the service now and going to “make good.”

Faithfully yours,

EDMOND.

Camp d’Aviation, Bue,

June 5th, 1916.

MY DEAR LITTLE MOTHER,

My letter from the Roosevelt at Paris on May 81st should be a big surprise for you for that will be the first news you will receive that I have even been trying to enter the French aviation corps, let alone being actually in it. I had been trying, through every possible source, ever since last October and have only kept it to myself and the few good friends over here who have helped me do it because I wanted to surprise you all if I did succeed and I hardly expected to succeed anyway, which, had that happened, would only have disappointed you as well as myself. Well, I’m in now and to-day arrived at the camp here to begin studying to fly. That ought to take me from three to five months of good, earnest, steady work and I’m in to “do or die.”

I officially entered the aviation corps the 22nd of May but the papers were delayed, etc., so that I didn’t even know of my success until the 29th, when the orders came to the Legion for me to leave for the aviation depot at Dijon the next morning. My happiness at that news I can’t describe. It seemed all like a dream—too good and sudden to possibly be true but it was, dear Mother, and my long hard service in the Legion came to an end the next day. Another fellow from N. Y. by the name of Chatkoff who has been in the Legion since the start of the war was changed at the same time and we met and have been together ever since. We stopped off at Paris, as you know from my letter, on our way to Dijon and I saw Dave and Mrs. Wheeler and some of the others. We left for Dijon that afternoon getting there early the following morning. I would have written from there but we were too busy getting fixed out the thirty hours we were there. Last Sat. noon we were sent away to come here to Buc (only a short distance from Paris) and we had to go through Paris to get here so stayed over Sat. night with Mr. and Mrs. Guerquin and yesterday was with the fellows. Sun. night I stayed at Truchet’s hotel.

Dave and Mrs. Wheeler sailed on Saturday, so of course I couldn’t see them yesterday. I hope you see them some time somehow after they arrive.

It was an under-secretary in the French office of Foreign Affairs, a Mon. de Sillac, Dr. Gros, head of the American Ambulance, Dave, and various others who helped push me through to this. I saw Dr. Gros when I was on leave in April and he was extremely amiable, said he had heard about me, and helped me make my 2nd demand to the Minister of War for my transfer. It needed a big effort and plenty of high influence to get out of the Legion. That was our chief obstacle but, thanks to Dr. Gros and de Sillac, it was overcome.

Now I’m at the aviation school at Buc and expect to begin, earnestly and whole-heartedly, within a day or so.

My address is, until further notice,—

Edmond C. C. Genêt, Élève-pilote,

Franco-American Escadrille,

le Groupe d’Aviation.

Camp d’Aviation, Bue

France.

Probably I’ll be sent around to several different aviation camps before I’ll get through training and get my brevet (pilot’s certificate) but letters will always be forwarded to me no matter where I am. I expect to be here for at least three months anyway.

I sent a cable yesterday through Mr. Grundy, of the N. Y. Sun, to Uncle Clair for him to please cable me fifty dollars I simply must have that much to get fixed out with a uniform, shoes and other necessities of wear and use. We get fitted out with everything necessary for flying, but we have to buy our own uniforms, shoes, etc. I also need to get some sort of a suitcase or bag to carry my things in.

There are ten of us here in Buc. Actually at the front with their brevets are about twenty, with five or six others at other training camps so we’re 85 in all. Lots of fellows have come in from the Amer. Ambulance, a few from civil life, and about half are, like myself from the Legion or the 170th Reg. There’s one mighty fine young fellow by the name of Beal from Pa. and Washington, D. C., who got into the French cavalry early last year. He is, next to Dave, the best one I’ve met over here of the Amer. fighters.

I’ve got to pay for all letters I write to the States now—five cents apiece so that’s going to be a nuisance as well as an asset to my expenses. I do get paid a franc more a day here at the school than I got in the regular service but that isn’t much. Please don’t believe though, dear Mother, that I’m going to hit up any pace now as I’m not. I’ve just got to have some money to get decently installed and the returns later ‘should far more than pay for the outlay now.

This is the most dangerous branch of the service, Mother, but it’s the best as far as future is concerned and if anything does happen to me you all surely can feel better satisfied with the end than if I was sent to pieces by a shell or put out by a bullet in the infantry where there are 75 out of a 100 possibilities of your never hearing of it. The glory is well worth the loss. I’d far rather die as an aviator over the enemy’s lines than find a nameless, shallow grave in the infantry, and I’m certain you’d all feel better satisfied too. We won’t look for trouble though, dear little Mother, yet.

If you can circulate my address among some of the friends I’ll be much obliged as I’ll not be able to write as many letters now as I did in the infantry service. A little notice in the Ossining Citizen or the Register, if Rivers can put one in, might be good to show my friends there where I am now so they won’t write to me to the Legion.

There’s lots of possibility that all we Americans serving here in France will get 48 hours off over the 4th of July and be given a big banquet by the Amer. Chamber of Commerce at Paris. We’re all looking forward to it and the American newspapers there are planning to help us get it. There ought to be. a mighty big lot of us—many more than there were last year. Last year, as it was, we of the 1st Regiment got there 2 days too late to attend the banquet on the night of the 4th. It will be far better planned this time so that shouldn’t occur.

We have very comfortable barracks here and I guess we’ll be O. K. for the rest of the time—here or anywhere—in the aero service. One meets the best class of fellows in this branch and we’re appreciated for being what we are, gentlemen, Americans, and aviators.

Wish me all luck, dear little Mother, in my new work. It means lots to me—perhaps my whole future and I’m in to win.

École d’Aviation Militaire de Buc,

June 8th, 1916.

MY DEAR RIVERS,

You will learn either from Mom or Uncle Clair of my change to the aviation—before you get this. That memorable date was, by strange coincidence, on Memorial Day (May 30th). I could scarcely believe the good news for, though I had been trying to get transferred ever since last Fall, I hardly expected it was possible on account of the difficulty in getting out of the Legion on any pretext. That is one reason I’ve never said anything to you all in my letters. The other is because I wanted to surprise you if I did change which I rather guess I have succeeded in doing,—surprise you, I mean. Well, I’m at last where I’ve wanted to be and I ought to be a full-fledged pilot aviator, if all goes well and good luck keeps with me, within four months.

I certainly am mighty well contented to be out of the Legion. I can’t say much against it but compared with aviation it’s decidedly back in the shade. Aviation is far more dangerous and all that, but it’s well worth the risks and, as I wrote to Mom, I’d far rather be killed as an aviator than as an infantry soldier and you all would feel far better satisfied too. Besides that if I am killed you’ll be certain to know about it very soon if not immediately afterward, whereas were I killed in the line service there are lots of chances you’d never hear a thing about it.

This is by far the best branch of the service. The rewards are great and we’re treated with respect and plenty of consideration. Besides, the best class of men are to be found here and that means a great deal.

All the Americans are together in what is known as the Franco-American escadrille d’aviation. Of course there are many now at the front but they are all together. There are about twenty doing actual service at the front and about fifteen still training. Ten of the latter are still here. I’m one of those. Six of us all began last Monday. The other four have been here a few weeks. We’re treated finely here, have excellent quarters, the food is good and, except for the uniform and other personal clothes which we buy ourselves, we’re fitted out extremely well.

The Americans are pushed along as rapidly as possible. We’re sent direct here to begin actual flying instead of being held at the aviation school in Dijon to learn more thoroughly about the motors. I was there only a day and a half to get fitted out and photographed, etc. The course here ought not to take more than four months and then we’ll take the test for our pilot’s license after which we’ll be sent to another school—probably at Pau to finish up with target shooting with the mitrailleuse on the aeroplane, etc., after which we’ll join the others at the front. I don’t think the war will be over by the time or before we have a chance to get a crack at the Boches from aloft. Now that I’m in aviation I don’t care much when the old scrap ends. I want the experience now before I have to quit and return to the old U. S. A. This may mean my future, Rivers, and anyway it means further to me than the duration of this war.

We have to turn out at 3.30 every morning as flying hours are from 4 to 8 A. M. and 4 to 8 P. M. All other hours we have to ourselves. Of course the weather counts mostly on the work, for no flying is attempted here at the school on too windy or rainy days. Accidents are too frequent, as it is, on good days.

What will, or rather how will any of us ever get along in the service of the States after the war, with Germans and Germans as officers over us? That’s some proposition, isn’t it, Rivers?

Dave and Mrs. Wheeler sailed for the States last Saturday. I sure hope they meet no “U”-boats. ‘Twould be miserable luck to Dave if, after going through all he did over here in the bloody Legion, to be pulled under on his way back by a German submarine.

École d’Aviation Militaire de Buc,

France, June 9th, 1916.

MY DEAR ROD.,

I’m as happy as a lark and mighty well contented to be out of the famous Legion though I haven’t much to say against it. The Legion was fine,—it’s the best regiment in France and one finds fine companions there (rough, of course, on the surface, with the exception of the Americans and English, but true just the same), particularly Dave W., but infantry life is away in the shade alongside of the best service going,—aviation. This is what one can call the real thing This is sport with all the fascination and excitement and sporting chances any live fellow could ever wish for. This brightens up the future, it means something after the war and, as I’ve told Mom and Rivers, if I don’t get through then at least you’ll all know about it at the time and you’ll be better contented with the result and I’ll earn a far more glorious end than I ever would in the line service. Of course there are lots of chances of being shot or hanged in Germany if any of us American daredevils ever are so unfortunate as to fall into their hands alive, but even that is a glorious death. The Boches certainly have it in for us and particularly the American volunteer flying corps. The fellows in it who are at the front have done too splendid service against them for them to feel amiable toward any of us. I’ll bet anything that the Kaiser has issued an order for a special form of death to be doled out to us if we’re caught.

My official farewell was taken of the Legion on May 22nd but I didn’t know anything about it until the order came on the 29th and I hiked out early the next A. M. (some Memorial Day for me) with a merry heart, met Chatkoff, another Amer. from N. Y. who has been in the Legion since the beginning of the scrap and who got his order to change the same time as I did, and we left for Dijon but managed to stop over most of the 31st at Paris, and then we continued our journey to Dijon that night. We only stayed there until noon of the 3rd to get signed up, etc., and then we came back with two other Americans, Dowd (Legion man and later in the 170th but wounded at Champagne and just over his convalescence when he changed to the aviation) and Beal, from Pa. and in the French cavalry for 11 months (one of the best chaps I’ve met ove...

Table of contents

• Title page
• TABLE OF CONTENTS
• DEDICATION
• PREFATORY NOTE BY JOHN JAY CHAPMAN
• INTRODUCTION
• AMERICA - IN THE NAVY - VERA CRUZ AND HAYTI
• FRANCE - IN THE FOREIGN LEGION
• FRANCE - AVIATION - THE ESCADRILLE, LAFAYETTE
• CONCLUSION