One of the informational panels that will line the commemorative path in Corcieux, France to honor Lafayette Escadrille aviators who flew out of the Corcieux aviation field in WWI.

New Commemorative Pathway in Corcieux, France to Honor Lafayette Escadrille Airmen 

By Daniel Bastien
Special to the United States World War One Centennial Commission web site

Christian Cael, the Mayor of Corcieux, France, has been impressed by what had been done recently in the nearby town of Gerardmer, to honor the memory of WWI Aviation Hero Norman Prince.

Christian CaelAs a result, the mayor had in mind to create some form of commemorative plaques in Corcieux, near where the famous former Corcieux aviation field was located during World War I. 

The project is finally coming true, and will consist of a commemorative path, with a series of informational panels to tell the story of the Escadrille, of Norman Prince, and of the AEF aviation activity in the area.

Specifically -- along this commemorative path, 10 panels, with text and pictures, will summarize the activity of that former airfield from 1915 to 1919. Among all the many pilots of flew from that airfield, 4 of them will have their own panel:

• Rene Fonck, the French Ace of Aces (75 aerial victories - just after he got his pilot wings, he started his operational life in Corcieux as an reconnaissance pilot ; and he was born ten miles from there )
• Joseph Ferry, who was a famous aeronautical doctor and pilot
• De Lareinty Tholozan, who was a flight commander who crashed and died there
• Norman Prince, to remind the tourists his role as co founder of the LaFayette Escadrille.

There will be a small ceremony set to inaugurate this memory path on June 15 and 16. Local historians, including myself and Christian Marchal, helped to research the panels, and they are also in the process of creating a small companion book, to tell the story of Corcieux's special role in aviation, and in World War I. The book will be published sometime in the coming months.

 Local news story about the new commemorative pathway in Corcieux, France honoring Lafayette Escadrille airmen.

One of the informational panels that will line the commemorative path in Corcieux, France to honor Lafayette Escadrille aviators who flew out of the Corcieux aviation field in WWI.