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Site in French
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Historical
GAR 553 was established
on January 15, 1937, and became GAO 553 on September 2, 1939
At the time of the
German attack on May 10, 1940, GAO 553 was attached to the Fifth
Army within the Air Cooperation Forces of the ZOAE (Eastern Air
Operations Zone).
GAO 553 was disbanded
on July 1, 1940
Staff
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Commanders
of the group
GAO 553
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Captain
DE GRIVEL Jean
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March
1st, 1939
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July
1940
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Personnel
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Pilots
and crew of the Group
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Names
of crew members
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Rank
|
Function
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Informations
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Civil-statut
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Photos
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Citations
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| BACHELOT
Maurice |
Captain
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Observer
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Wounded
on May 16, 1940 aboard a Potez 63-11 hit by the Flak. |
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| CORSANINI
Charles |
Lieutenant-Colonel
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Observer
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Charles CORSANINI was
drafted for military service in 1911. He was assigned to the
Artillery and mobilized in that branch in 1914. After being
wounded in a fall from a horse, he transferred to the Air
Force and received his observer’s wings in December 1916.
Assigned to a squadron, he was wounded in 1917. After the
war, he continued his military career in the Air Force. Promoted
to Lieutenant Colonel in March 1938, he became Commander of
the 22nd Air Wing in October 1938
Upon mobilization, he was assigned to command the Air Forces
of the Cavalry Corps before taking command of the Air Forces
of the La Lauter fortified region on May 17, 1940.
On May 12, 1940, his Mureaux 115 was shot down by two Me109s.
He emerged unscathed.
After the Armistice on September 20, 1940, he was placed on
permanent leave from flying duty for five years. He was assigned
to the Local Administrative Center in Tours on July 1, 1943.
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Born on May 29, 1891,
in Marseille (13 - Bouches-du-Rhône)
Died in Saint-Junien (87 - Haute-Vienne)
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| DAVIER
Jean |
Lieutenant
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Observer
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Killed
on September 8, 1939, aboard the Mureaux 115 No. 15, which was
shot down by enemy fighters. Jean DAVIER, seriously wounded,
jumped out with a parachute but later died from his injuries.
Along with his pilot, Lieutenant PIACCENTINI, they had the sad
distinction of being the first casualties of the French Air
Force. |
Born on June 17, 1909,
in Lyon (69 - Rhône)
Killed on September 8, 1939, in Rohrbach (Germany)
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| DE
LAVERGNE DE CERVAL Pierre |
Officer
Candidate
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Pilot
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On
February 23, 1940, his aircraft, the Mureaux 115 No. 89, was
damaged by anti-aircraft fire: Cadet DE-LAVERGNE escaped unharmed |
Born on June 6, 1915,
in Agen (47 - Lot-et-Garonne)
Died on August 8, 1975, in Ville-la-Grande (74 - Haute-Savoie)
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| DE-GRIVEL
Jean - Hippolyte |
Captain
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Commander
of the Group
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Jean DE-GRIVEL was a graduate
of the Saint-Cyr Military Academy, part of the “Maréchal
GALLIENI” class of 1927–1929. Upon completing his
training, he joined the infantry.
He requested a transfer to the Air Force in 1935, after completing
an observational flight course. On March 1, 1939, he assumed
command of GAO 553 until the Group was disbanded in July 1940.
He was then assigned to the Air Force General Staff based
in Sétif until 1944, during which time he carried out
missions for the Resistance.
Promoted to commander, he joined the Air Command in the Middle
East, in Beirut, in 1945 before returning to the Air Force
General Staff.
From 1950 to 1953, he served as deputy commander and chief
of staff of the Air Command in French East Africa in Tananarive
with the rank of lieutenant colonel.
Upon returning to mainland France in 1953, he first took command
of the Creil Air Base and then became Chief of Staff of the
Center for Advanced Air Education.
Promoted to colonel, he served in the Algerian War from 1956
to 1959, before retiring in February 1959.
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Born on March 13, 1908,
in Couternon (21 - Côte-d'Or)
Died on June 20, 1985, in Clamart (92 - Hauts-de-Seine)
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| GEORGES
Victor - Charles |
Chief
Warrant Officer
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Pilot
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Killed
on September 27, 1939, aboard the Mureaux 115 No. 6, which was
shot down by three Me 109s. He managed to bail out, but died
while being transported to the hospital. |
Born on August 26, 1900,
in Maxéville (54 – Meurthe-et-Moselle)
Killed on September 28, 1939
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| HAUTIERE
Bernard - Marie |
Lieutenant
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Observer
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Bernard HAUTIERE graduated
with a degree in engineering from the École Supérieure
de Paris in 1933. He obtained his advanced military training
certificate in 1933 and was assigned to the reserve officers’
platoon at the Avord Aviation School. He was assigned to the
11th Heavy Defense Aviation Wing in late 1934 before being
transferred to the reserves with the rank of Reserve Second
Lieutenant.
Promoted to Reserve Lieutenant in August 1938, he joined GAO
553 as an observer.
Bernard HAUTIERE was killed on October 11, 1939, aboard the
Mureaux 115 No. 12, which was shot down by a Me 109.
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Born on March 5, 1912,
in Vincennes (75)
Killed on October 11, 1939, in Neubourg (Germany)
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| JEANDEL
Jacques |
Staff-Sergeant
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Pilot
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Wounded on May 16, 1940,
aboard a Potez 63-11 that was hit by anti-aircraft fire.
Jacques JEANDEL was killed in an accident on December 22,
1945, aboard the Martinet No. 0003 of GLAM 86 in Villacoublay
(Ministerial Air Liaison Group). He held the rank of Lieutenant.
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Born on April 18, 1905,
in Eivaux (54 - Meurthe-et-Moselle)
Killed on December 22, 1945, in Boissise-la-Bertrand (77 -
Seine-et-Marne)
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| JOUANDEAU
Maurice |
Chief
Warrant Officer
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Pilot
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Wounded
on May 25, 1940, aboard Potez 63-11 No. 177, which was shot
down by two Me 109s. |
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| KAH
Léon - Paul |
Lieutenant
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Observer
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Killed
on May 25, 1940, aboard Potez 63-11 No. 177, which was shot
down by two Me 109s. |
Born on December 4,
1912, in Strasbourg (67 - Bas-Rhin)
Killed on May 25, 1940, in Sarre-Union (67 - Bas-Rhin)
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| LALVEE
Marie - Gilbert |
Sub-Lieutenant
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Pilot
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Wounded
on October 11, 1939, aboard the Mureaux 115 No. 12, which was
shot down by a Me 109; he was taken prisoner and interned at
Oflag XII B in Mainz |
Born on August 14, 1917,
in Saint-Die (88 - Vosges)
Died on March 16, 1994, in Saint-Dié-des-Vosges (88
- Vosges)
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| LAPADU-HARGUES
Bernard |
Lieutenant
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Observer
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Bernard LAPADU-HARGUES
was a graduate of the Saint-Cyr Military Academy, class of
“Alexander I,” 1934–1936.
Killed on September 27, 1939, aboard the Mureaux 115 No. 6,
which was shot down by three Me 109s.
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Born on September 11,
1912, in Angoulême (16 - Charente)
Killed on September 28, 1939, in Haguenau (67 - Bas-Rhin)
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| MELCHIOR
Maurice (Jean - Maurice?) |
Officer
Candidate
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Observer
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Wounded
on February 23, 1940, aboard the Mureaux 115 No. 89, which was
hit by anti-aircraft fire. |
Born on March 13, 1915
Died on September 9, 1957?
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| PIACCENTINI
Simon - François |
Lieutenant
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Pilot
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Killed on September
8, 1939, aboard the Mureaux 115 No. 15, which was shot down
by a fighter. The aircraft was destroyed in flight by the
German fighter, and Simon PIACCENTINI fell from the plane
without a parachute.
Along with his observer, Lieutenant Jean DAVIER, they had
the sad distinction of being the first casualties of the French
Air Force...
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Born on February 6,
1912, in Ortiporio (20 - 2A - Southern Corsica)
Killed on September 9, 1909, in Rohrbach (Germany)
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| PINGUET
Emile - Sylvain |
Lieutenant
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Pilot
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Wounded
on May 12, 1940, aboard a Mureaux 115 shot down by two Me 109s. |
Born on June 26, 1911,
in Neuves-Maisons (54 - Meurthe-et-Moselle)
Died on September 22, 2001, in Mably (42 - Loire)
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| VERCINGER |
Sergeant
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Machine
Gunner
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Wounded
on May 25, 1940, aboard Potez 63-11 No. 177, which was shot
down by two Me 109s. |
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Stories
of crews
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Crews
of Group
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Names
of crew members
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Rank
|
Function
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Informations
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Crew
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PIACCENTINI
Simon |
Lieutenant
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Pilot
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Mureaux
115 n°15 : destroyed in Air Combat September 8,
1939: the crew is killed. |
| DAVIER
Jean |
Lieutenant
|
Observer
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Crew
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GEORGES
Charles |
Chief
Warrant Officer
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Pilot
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Mureaux
115 n°6 : destroyed in Air Combat on September 27,
1939: the crew is killed. |
| LAPADU-HARGUES
Bernard |
Lieutenant
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Observer
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Crew
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LALVEE
Marie |
Sub-Lieutenant
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Pilot
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Mureaux
115 n°12 : Destroyed in air combat on October 11th,
1939. Lieutenant HAUTIERE is killed and Lieutenant LALVEE, wounded,
is taken prisoner |
| HAUTIERE
Bernard |
Lieutenant
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Observer
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Crew
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DE
LAVERGNE DE CERVAL Pierre |
Officer
Candidate
|
Pilot
|
Mureaux
115 n° 89 : Damaged by Flak on February 23, 1940:
Officer Candidate MELCHIOR is injured. |
| MELCHIOR
Maurice |
Officer
Candidate
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Observateur
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Crew
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PINGUET
Emile |
Lieutenant
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Pilot
|
Mureaux
115 n° ? :Destroyed in air combat on May 12, 1940.
Lieutenant PINGUET is wounded |
| CORSANINI
Charles |
Lieutenant-Colonel
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Observer
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Crew
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JEANDEL
Jacques |
Staff-Sergeant
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Pilot
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Potez
63-11 n° ? : Destroyed by the Flak on May 16, 1940.
The crew is wounded |
| BACHELOT
Maurice |
Captain
|
Observateur
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Crew
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JOUANDEAU
Maurice |
Chief
Warrant Officer
|
Pilot
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Potez
63-11 n° 177 : Destroyed by German Fighters on May
25, 1940. Lieutenant KAH is killed. Chief Warrant Officer JOUANDEAU
and Sergeant VERCINGER are injured. |
| KAH
Léon |
Lieutenant
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Observer
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| VERCINGER |
Sergeant
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Machine
Gunner
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Airfields
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Period
of use of airfields
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Names
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County
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Sarrebourg
Buhl
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57
- Moselle
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September
3, 1939
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Niedernai
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67
- Bas-Rhin
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September
22, 1939
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Epinal
Dogneville
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88
- Vosges
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September
26, 1939
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Trois-Maisons
(Phlasbourg) Haguenau
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57
- Moselle
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October
21, 1939
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Nancy
Azelot
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54
- Meurthe et Poselle
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April
19, 1940
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Epinal
Dogneville
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88
- Vosges
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May
18, 1940
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Bourcheid
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57
- Moselle
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May
20, 1940
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Luxeuil-Saint
Sauveur
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70
- Haute Saône
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Juny 13, 1940
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Lons-Le-Saulnier
Courlaoux
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39
- Jura
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Juny
14, 1940
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Saint-Rambert
d'Albon
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26
- Drôme
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Juny
15, 1940
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Béziers
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34
- Hérault
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Juny
17, 1940
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Marignane
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13
- Bouches du Rhône
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Juny
18, 1940
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Perpignan
La Salanque
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66
- Pyrénées Orientales
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Juny
23, 1940
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Click
on the map to enlarge :
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Aircrafts
The GAO 553 was equipped
since its creation, following aircrafts :
The used aircrafts
are described in the accessible file by the link below. You will find
N ° of series, Registration, date of affectation to the group, and
fate of the plane there.
In
this list are identified :
- 5 Mureaux 115
- 1 Potez 63-11
Casualties
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Crewmen
killed
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6
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| Lieutenant
DAVIER (Combat) |
September
8, 1939
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| Staff-Sergeant
PIACCENTINI (Combat) |
September
8, 1939
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| Lieutenant
LAMBERT (Combat) |
September
28, 1939
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| Chief
Warrant Officer GEORGES (Combat) |
September
28, 1939
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| Lieutenant
HAUTIERE (Combat) |
October
6, 1939
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| Lieutenant
KAH (Combat) |
May 25,
1940
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Crewmen
injured
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7
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| Sub-Lieutenant
LALVEE (Combat) |
October
6, 1939
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| Officer
Candidate MELCHIOR (Combat) |
February
23, 1940
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| Lieutenant
PINGUET (Combat) |
May 12,
1940
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| Captain
BACHELOT (Combat) |
May 16,
1940
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| Staff-Sergeant
JEANDEL (Combat) |
May 16,
1940
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| Chief
Warrant Officer JOUANDEAU (Combat) |
May 25,
1940
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| Sergeant
VERCINGER (Combat) |
May 25,
1940
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Crewmen
Prisoner
|
1
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| Sub-Lieutenant
LALVEE |
October
11, 1939
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- Book : "Ils étaient
là" by Mr Jacqueline and Paul MARTIN - Editions Aéro-Editions
|
