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Americans flying with the Italians in WWI


Bob Hudson
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A member posted images from WWI era magazines and this piece caught my eye: an American killed while flying with the "American Aviation unit of the Italian Army."

 

italian pilot.jpeg

 

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Bob - There was a fairly large contingent of US aviators in Italy during WWI, including US Air Service AND US Naval aviators. Like WWII they got less publicity than those in France. The most famous Italian-based US Air Service pilot likely was Lt. Fiorello La Guardia who later became a beloved Mayor of New York City. Bobgee

F.H.LaGuardia_in_front_CaproniCa.44_bomber.jpg

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  • 4 years later...
Basic Rifleman

Fantastic article above... and an amazing look into early U.S. military aviation.

 

Just out of curiosity, does anyone know of a role call/morning report (partial or otherwise) of these pilots sent to train and fight alongside the Italians in WWII? 

 

I recently picked up a WWI U.S. Aviator medal that was given for completing flight training in Italy. It is monogrammed to a "SG" or "GS" and was wondering who this might be...

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  • 5 weeks later...
On 10/12/2022 at 2:39 PM, Basic Rifleman said:

Fantastic article above... and an amazing look into early U.S. military aviation.

 

Just out of curiosity, does anyone know of a role call/morning report (partial or otherwise) of these pilots sent to train and fight alongside the Italians in WWII? 

 

I recently picked up a WWI U.S. Aviator medal that was given for completing flight training in Italy. It is monogrammed to a "SG" or "GS" and was wondering who this might be...

Can you be more certain on those initials? I have some rosters I can check...

One 'hit' could be George Scholes who graduated his Italian training in February 1918 & was eventually assigned to the 11th Aero Squadron in October 1918.

A note about Italian aviation training...

It was considered inferior to the British & French methods. American pilots graduating training at Foggia had to undergo further training in France at one of the various aviation instruction centers (Tours, Issoudun, Clermont-Ferrand etc). 

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Basic Rifleman
12 minutes ago, cthomas said:

Can you be more certain on those initials? I have some rosters I can check...

One 'hit' could be George Scholes who graduated his Italian training in February 1918 & was eventually assigned to the 11th Aero Squadron in October 1918.

Thanks for taking the time to check your rosters. This is the engraved graduation medal.

 

 

s-l1600.png

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OK. I can see the uncertainty here. I'm not sure how to read that myself! Could be GS...or SG. I doubt one of the letters is a "C". Look how the ends on the S are sharp. Then look at the top edge of the G...it is also 'sharp'. Now look at the bottom lip of this letter. Instead of being flattened out like the S & top part of the G, it's flourished instead...which suggests to me the arm bends in to form a G. 

Maybe someone more familiar with period fonts can confirm my suspicion.

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Basic Rifleman

I think 100% the letters are "S" and "G" but I wouldn't pretend to know which order they belong in. I just tried to find Scholes on the 11th roles, but am having a hard time doing so. Do you have any further information, or a complete roster of the Italian trained aviators? You seem to know more than the average bear about the Foggia-trained pilots. 

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I'm using Wings of Honor by Sloan (see 2nd name from bottom). A complete roster? Pffft. If you ever encounter such a thing, you'd make a nice retirement nest egg. It's a given that many aviator names have slipped through the cracks despite all of the resources out there. Hence my sarcasm. I have several photos of bona fide wartime aviators w/o any affirmation they earned their RMA during the war years. The French said it best, "C'est la guerre!".

 

Not to muddy the waters, but check out my 2nd scan, 2nd column, 6th name down. There's a Foggian by the name of Schuyler Grey who may fit the bill. This is a page shared by a paisano from Italy who had yet another incomplete roster of those Americans trained in Italy.

 

As we speak, I'm still sorting through said rosters for any other hits.  

 IMG_7427.jpeg.4d6e8aa1041a2066aa5ac82cb1f3a026.jpeg

DSCN5685.JPG

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Here's an American who trained at Foggia & chose to serve with the Italians in 13 Squadriglia:

 

“Watchorn was a devoted family man.  He married Alma Jessica Simpson in Ohio in 1891.  They had two sons, Robert Jr., who died in infancy, and Emory Ewart, who was born in New York City in 1895.  Emory Ewart graduated from Hollywood High School in Hollywood, CA in 1913.  Watchorn shared his admiration for Lincoln with his only surviving child.  A frequent visitor with his parents to Europe, Emory was trapped in Germany for a brief period of time in 1914 when the conflict that would become known as the Great War broke out. Sharing his father’s affinity for Great Britain, the young Watchorn looked forward to American involvement in the war.  In the summer of 1916, he completed officers training at Monterey, CA.  When President Woodrow Wilson convinced Congress to declare war on Germany in April of 1917 in order to make the world safe for democracy, Emory Ewart volunteered for the US Army Air Service.   After completing ground training at Berkeley, CA, he sailed aboard the SS Aquitania for Europe. Before entraining for his final destination in Italy, he was able to enjoy a ten-day leave in Paris.  In a letter later published in the LA Times, he wrote, Paris is like the smile on the face of the badly wounded.

 

The Italian Front in World War I witnessed incredible suffering.  After three years of bloody trench warfare with Germany and Austria, Italy was on the verge of suing for peace. Italyís allies, Great Britain, 

France, and the United States, rushed in reinforcements to bolster Italian morale.  Included among these reinforcements was a contingent of several hundred American pilot trainees, under the command of then congressman, later New York mayor, Fiorello La Guardia. Although her army was not enjoying much success, Italy’s strategic aviation was widely regarded as being the best in the world in 1917.  In particular, the tri-motor Caproni biplane bomber was highly respected.  The United States, by comparison, had no military aviation and despite expending millions of dollars, not a single American-produced aircraft would see service in the war. What America did have was tens of thousands of eager volunteers, including twenty-one year-old Emory Ewart Watchorn.

 

After months of flight training in Foggia, Lt. Watchorn received his gold Royal Italian Air Force wings in the summer of 1918 and was assigned to the 13th Aero Squadron.  Based in Padua, Lt. Watchorn and his Italian comrades flew day and night bombing missions against Austrian airfields, railroad yards, and troop concentrations.  On a night mission, Lt. Watchorn’s center engine was hit by anti-aircraft fire.  He w2051441250_CT_EmoryWatchornIDBracelet1.4.jpeg.5ca2cbd2253ebc09d4769bfbc180fbba.jpegould receive a commendation for coolly executing a perfect emergency landing, saving his crew and the plane. The arduous flying conditions, open cockpits, and extreme cold took a toll on his health.  Soon after Armistice Day, he contracted a severe case of pneumonia.  He recovered, however, and returned to California in triumph.  Two years later, a recurrence of his health problems developed into blood-poisoning.  After a two month struggle, Emory Ewart died at the age of 25 on July 10, 1921.  Robert and Alma were devastated by the loss of their only surviving child and always felt that his death was a direct result of his service to his country.”

 

[excerpt from http://roadstothegreatwar-ww1.blogspot.com/2016/05/inspired-by-great-war-lincoln-shrine-of.html]

Roads_Emory-Ewart-Watchorn-.jpg

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Basic Rifleman

Amazing info. I cannot tell you how appreciative I am you would take time out of your day and share your resource materials with me. I suppose getting an exact match based on two initials was wishful thinking.

 

I just noticed a USMC pilot was listed on page 31 of your second scan. I was not aware any USMC aviators were a part of these Italian-trained men. The write-up on Lt. Watchorn is fantastic, as is the bracelet. This was an incredible read....

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  • 3 months later...

If you picked up your medal locally, you could cross reference the 2 names to see if either of the men was from your area.  That could possibly eliminate one or both from the running. 

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Basic Rifleman
On 3/9/2023 at 9:53 AM, AustinO said:

If you picked up your medal locally, you could cross reference the 2 names to see if either of the men was from your area.  That could possibly eliminate one or both from the running. 

 

Unfortunately I bought this from a seller in Italy.... I appreciate the tip though:)

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