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Lt. Jerome Keith, Observer, AEF, Issoudun, France - WWI


IMPERIAL QUEST
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First, I would like to offer my heartfelt thanks to the forum member who graciously mailed this, along with a lot of other great printed material relating to WWI - WWII aviation. You know who you are, and I thank you with sincerest gratefulness my friend.

 

I lightened the photos a bit to make them easily readable on screen

 

Here is the mailing envelope:

 

 

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I mentioned the darkened ares on the letter because it has some significance. Here is the piece that darkened the areas on the letter:

 

 

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Lt. Keith's wings are featured in both Major Morris' book, as well as Duncan Campbell's. This letter is a fantastic addition to my Issoudun-related Pilot groupings, and again, I thank the member who passed this onto me. I hope you all enjoyed reading the content.

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Very cool stuff Steve! I like how he ends the letter with the thought that the Americans will keep coming "until the Hun's cry quit!". I know who sent you these items and his benevolence to serious collectors is to be commended! :thumbsup:

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This very morning , Sunday 28th June 2009, the French Air force and the USAF celebrated together the 90th anniversary os the presence of the US army air force in Issoudun, France.

 

you can hereunder find a link of a newly created fernch AEF Forum

 

Comments are in french, but u dont need to speak french to understand what happened

 

http://aefcollections.forumactif.net/les-p...n-t851.htm#5173

 

teufelhund

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IMPERIAL QUEST

Thanks for the replies fellas. I also have a Cadet Minstrel from April 4, 1918 that has "3rd Aviation Instruction Center" nicely printed on the front and inside cover. It has the names of the cast inside as well. I'll post for show and tell a little later...

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John Cooper

Steve - now you are going to have to get those wings!

 

BTW do you recall our conversation about fate? Can I say I told you so..?

 

John

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BTW do you recall our conversation about fate? Can I say I told you so..?

 

John

 

Yep, I hate to give you credit... :lol: ...but I am definitely a believer!

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John Cooper

Steve - maybe you can ask one of our French members to translate and transcribe this and post the information here. I for one would like to read it.

 

Cheers

John

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Steve - maybe you can ask one of our French members to translate and transcribe this and post the information here. I for one would like to read it.

 

Cheers

John

 

I just want to quote from the french member of the above mentionned forum, that the US flag to be seen folded in front of the speaker's post, has been presented by former members of the 3rd aviation instruction center in the years circa 1960 by former pilots trainees to Mr André Laignet, who has organised the ceremony.

The article of the french paper speaks about the 7500 trainees, 7 camps, 11 aifields and 2 hospitals in the région of Issoudun.

Also mention is done about the 171 american trainees killed by accident to whom this ceremony was dedicated.

Mr Andre Laignel is the author of a very interesting researched book about the subject

 

 

Teufelhund ( not Darrel)

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IMPERIAL QUEST
Mr Andre Laignel is the author of a very interesting researched book about the subject

 

I need to check in to getting that book, thanks for the photos as well.

 

Teufelhund ( not Darrel)

 

:blushing: Sorry...

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OK, I'm not a French member, but the translation is pretty close...hope this helps:

 

The Star Spangled Banner Flies over Volvault

The ceremony in honor of US aviators at the 3d Aviation Instruction Center, between 1917-1919, was a hymn to French-American friendship

 

The monument, in the form of an obelisk of Volvault, between Issoudun and Vatan, was revealed yesterday, on the occasion of the commemoration of the 3rd Aviation Instruction Center, where approximately 7,500 young Americans were garrisoned, formed and trained for combat aviation. The Center, forgotten until recently, was the largest airbase of the period, with seven camps, 11 airfields and two hospitals, the largest airbase of the period.

 

It was also the commitment of the United States, on the banks of France in the First World War. It is this symbol and the memory of the 171 young Americans who died here, without ever seeing their country again, who the authorities wanted to honor, yesterday, with a ceremony which governed as sheet music [must be an idiom I don’t understand] great popular success. Because never, except perhaps before its unveiling, the monument of Volvault was never so well surrounded: music from a French Air Force band from Bordeaux, numerous French and American flag-carriers, military and civilian, elected and private citizens, everybody was there to celebrate the French-American friendship, which debuted with Lafayette, proceeded on two occasions, in 1917 and 1944 when the old continent was fighting and today living again when its acts, like that, revealed Andre Laignel “to defend liberty and democracy.”

 

In assistance, a Franco-American developed this double ideal: Mickael Gagne, son of Joseph Gagne, more known at Chateauroux under the name of “Joe from Maine,” veteran of Omaha Beach and lately deceased. Joe was certainly loved, yesterday, to be our [and in our memory? again, the idiom].

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teufelhunde.ret
I need to check in to getting that book, thanks for the photos as well.

:blushing: Sorry...

 

Great stuff Steve! The letter speaks volumes...

 

Teufelhunde.ret = Darrell :thumbsup:

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Great stuff Steve! The letter speaks volumes...

 

Teufelhunde.ret = Darrell :thumbsup:

 

Thanks Darrell :lol: ...at least I don't feel like a complete fool any more. :lol:

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[

 

It was also the commitment of the United States, on the banks of France in the First World War. It is this symbol and the memory of the 171 young Americans who died here, without ever seeing their country again, who the authorities wanted to honor, yesterday, with a ceremony which governed as sheet music [must be an idiom I don’t understand] great popular success. Because never, except perhaps before its unveiling, the monument of Volvault was never so well surrounded: music from a French Air Force band from Bordeaux, numerous French and American flag-carriers, military and civilian, elected and private citizens, everybody was there to celebrate the French-American friendship, which debuted with Lafayette, proceeded on two occasions, in 1917 and 1944 when the old continent was fighting and today living again when its acts, like that, revealed Andre Laignel “to defend liberty and democracy.”

 

In assistance, a Franco-American developed this double ideal: Mickael Gagne, son of Joseph Gagne, more known at Chateauroux under the name of “Joe from Maine,” veteran of Omaha Beach and lately deceased. Joe was certainly loved, yesterday, to be our [and in our memory? again, the idiom].

 

The french term " MUSIQUE" or MUSIC in English is the equivalent of the english term " BAND"

BTW, the book has been written by Mr GAGNEPAIN, not by Mr LAIGNET who in fact is the real organiser of this event.

I will try to have the references of the book, but I'm affraid, it is probably written in French.

Teufelhund

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Belleauwood

Steve,

 

Ain't this stuff fun? - At the end of the day, you will most likely be the 3rd Air Park resident expert. I have a feeling some more will come out of the basement, er......................woodwork later.

 

Good on ya"

 

Dennis

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