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Air Observation Group GAO 581


Historical

On the date of the outbreak of the German attack of May 10, 1940, the GAO 581, undergoing transformation and training, is attached to the Air Cooperation Forces of the ZOAA (Zone d'Aériennes Alpes).


Staff

Commanders of the group GAO 581
Commander DUPOND
     

 


Personnel

Pilots and crew of the Group
Names of crew members
Rank
Function
Informations
Civil-statut
Photos
Citations
DUPOND
Commander
Commander of the Group
     
DUVAL
Master-Corporal
Machine gunner
On June 13, 1940, his Potez 63-11 is damaged by the Flak: he is unscathed.      
GAUTRON Jean
Staff-Sergeant
Pilot
Seriously injured on June 14, 1940 aboard Potez 63-11 No. 837 shot down by 9 Me109. He will be taken prisoner.      
GIROUD Pierre
Adjutant
Machine gunner
Seriously injured on June 14, 1940 aboard Potez 63-11 No. 837 shot down by 9 Me109. He will be taken prisoner.      
MERMET Fran�ois
Captain
Observer
Killed on June 13, 1940 aboard a Potez 63-11 hit by the Flak.      
VARET Baptiste
Sergeant
Pilot
On June 13, 1940, his Potez 63-11 is damaged by the Flak : he is unscathed.      
VENARD Robert
Captain
Observer
Seriously injured on June 14, 1940 aboard Potez 63-11 No. 837 shot down by 9 Me109. He will be taken prisoner.      

 

 

Stories of crews

Crews of Group
Names of crew members
Rank
Function
Informations
Crew
VARET
Sergeant
Pilot
Potez 63-11 n° ? : Damaged by Flak on June 13, 1940: Captain MERMET is killed
MERMET François
Captain
Observer
DUVAL
Master-Corporal
Machine gunner
Crew
GAUTRON
Staff-Sergent
Pilot
Potez 63-11 n° 837 :Shot down by German Fighters on June 14, 1940: The crew, seriously wounded, is taken prisoner.
VENARD
Captain
Observer
GIROUD
Adjutant
Machine Gunner

 


Airfield

Airfields
Period of use of airfields
Names
County
Marrakech
Morocco
September 3, 1939
Ksar El-souk
Morocco
December 2, 1939
Marignane
13 - Bouches du Rhône
February 6, 1940
Rabat
Morocco
April 5, 1940
Denain Prouvy
59 - Nord
May 23, 1940
Clermont-Ferrand
63 - Puy-de-Dôme
May 29, 1940
Avord
18 - Cher
Juny 11, 1940
Romilly-sur-Seine
10 - Aube
Juny 12, 1940
Montargis
45 - Loiret
Juny 14, 1940
Bourges
18 - Cher
Juny 15, 1940
Cognac Segonzac
16 - Charente
Juny 17, 1940
Dax
40 - Landes
Juny 19, 1940
Mont-De-Marsan
40 - Landes
Juny 20, 1940
Bordeaux Mérignac
33 - Gironde
Juny 21, 1940
Limoges
87 - Haute-Vienne
Juny 22, 1940
Moissac
82 - Tarn et Garonne
Juny 23, 1940

Click on the map to enlarge :

Itinerary of the GAO 581

 


Aircrafts

The GAO 581 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 :

  • 1 Potez 63-11

 


Casualties

Crewmen killed
1
Captain MERMET (Combat)
Juny 13, 1940
Crewmen injured
3
Captain VENARD (Combat)
Juny 14, 1940
Staff-Sergeant GAUTRON (Combat)
Juny 14, 1940
Adjutant GIROUD (Combat)
Juny 14, 1940
Crewmen Prisoner
3
Captain VENARD
Juny 14, 1940
Staff-Sergeant GAUTRON
Juny 14, 1940
Adjutant GIROUD
Juny 14, 1940

 


Sources

- The citations or decorations listed are extracted from the Official Journals archived in « Source gallica.bnf.fr / Bibliothèque nationale de France »
- The dates and places of birth of the Group's personnel are taken mainly from the site : "Mémoires des Hommes"
- Book : "Ils étaient là" by Mr Jacqueline and Paul MARTIN - Editions Aéro-Editions