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Site in French
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Historical
On the date of the outbreak
of the German attack of May 10, 1940, the GAO I / 514 is attached
to the Air Cooperation Forces of the ZOAA (Zone of Air Operations
Alps) and is assigned to the General Reserve.
Staff
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Commanders
of the group
GAO I/514
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| Commander
LESCHI |
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| Commander
CHRETIEN |
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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
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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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| CHRETIEN |
Commander
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Commander
of Group
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| GAZZANO
Humbert - Emile |
Lieutenant
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Pilot
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Humbert GAZZANO entered
the École Militaire de Versailles in 1936. He was posted
to the 55th squadron in Lyon and then to GAO 514, with which
he took part in the French campaign. In June 1940, he was
withdrawn to AFN and then AOF. Assigned to the GB II/52 in
Casablanca and then Agadir, he took part with this group in
the Provence landings and the Ardennes offensive.
After the war, Humbert GAZZANO was posted to Algeria in 1945
and then to Indochina with BG II/62 from August 1949 to June
1950. He was appointed to the Moroccan Air and Schools Command
in Rabat, to the GMMTA in 1951, then Commander of the CIET
in Toulouse in 1953. He was assigned to the Air Command in
the French West Indies in 1957 and seconded to Mauritania.
After completing his military service with the French Air
Force, he was a trainee at the CHEM (Centre des Hautes Etudes
Militaires) and the IHEDN (Institut des Hautes Etudes de Défense
Nationale), before returning to the French West Indies in
Dakar as Air Commander of Zone 1. In 1966, he was appointed
Deputy Commander of Air Defence, before being appointed Commander
of Air Transport in 1967. Humbert GAZZANO, then Air Division
General, was placed on aircrew leave in 1969.
Note: Humbert GAZZANO was certainly assigned to GAO 514, but
I am not sure of his precise assignment: was it GAO I/514
or II/514, this remains to be confirmed.
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Born
on 31 October 1915 in Menton (Alpes-maritimes). Died in Paris
(75) on 26 May 1998 |
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| JACQUET
Julien |
Sub-Lieutenant
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Observer
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Killed
on May 22, 1940 aboard Potez 63-11 No.315 shot down by 5 Me109.
The aircraft crashes into flames. |
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| LAURENT |
Sergeant
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Machine
Gunner
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On
June 10, 1940, his aircraft, the Potez 63-11 No.333 is damaged
by the Flak and, damaged engine, must land in the countryside.
It can be repaired later. Sergeant LAURENT is unharmed. |
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| LESCHI |
Commander
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Commander
of Group
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| MARSEILLE
Jean |
Sub-Lieutenant
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Pilot
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Killed
on May 22, 1940 aboard Potez 63-11 No.315 shot down by 5 Me109.
The aircraft crashes into flames. |
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| MAZERON |
Staff-Sergeant
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Pilot
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On
June 10, 1940, his aircraft, the Potez 63-11 No.333 is damaged
by the Flak and, damaged engine, must land in the countryside.
It can be repaired later. Staff-Sergeant MAZERON is unscathed. |
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| PINATEL
Roger |
Sergeant
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Machine
Gunner
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Killed
on May 22, 1940 aboard Potez 63-11 No.315 shot down by 5 Me109.
The aircraft crashes into flames. |
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| RIX |
Lieutenant
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Observer
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On
June 10, 1940, his aircraft, the Potez 63-11 No.333 is damaged
by the Flak and, damaged engine, must land in the countryside.
It can be repaired later. Lieutenant RIX is injured. |
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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
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Function
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Informations
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Crew
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MARSEILLE
Jean |
Sub-Lieutenant
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Pilot
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Potez
63-11 n° 315 : Shot down by German Fighters on May
22, 1940. The crew is killed. |
| JACQUET
Julien |
Sub-Lieutenant
|
Observer
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| PINATEL
Roger |
Sergeant
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Machine
Gunner
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Crew
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MAZERON |
Staff-Sergeant
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Pilot
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Potez
63-11 n° 333 : Damaged by the Flak on June 10, 1940,
he lands in the countryside. Re-prepared, he will join his group
on June 12th. Lieutenant RIX is injured. |
| RIX |
Lieutenant
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Observer
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| LAURENT |
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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Gap
- Tallard
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05
- Hautes-Alpes
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September
3, 1939
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Delme
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57
- Moselle
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October
15, 1939
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Touillon-lès-Montbard
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21
- Côté d'Or
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May
1, 1940
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La
Perthe
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51
- Marne
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May
18, 1940
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Plancy
l'Abbaye
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10
- Aube
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May
19, 1940
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Ecury-sur-Coole
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51
- Marne
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Juny
3, 1940
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Pouans
Les Vallées
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10
- Aube
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Juny
12, 1940
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Pinnelle
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?
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Juny
13, 1940
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Osmery
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18
- Cher
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Juny
15, 1940
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Avord
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18
- Cher
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Juny
16, 1940
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Châteauroux
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36
- Indre
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Juny
17, 1940
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Bordeaux
- Mérignac
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33
- Gironde
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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
19, 1940
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Click
on the map to enlarge :
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Itinerary
of the GAO I/514
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Aircrafts
The GAO I/514 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 :
Casualties
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Crewmen
killed
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3
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| Sub-Lieutenant
JACQUET (Combat) |
May 22,
1940
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| Sub-Lieutenant
MARSEILLE (Combat) |
May 22,
1940
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| Sergeant
PINATEL (Combat) |
May 22,
1940
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Crewmen
injured
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1
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| Lieutenant
RIX (Combat) |
Juny
10, 1940
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- Book : "Ils étaient
là" by Mr Jacqueline and Paul MARTIN - Editions Aéro-Editions
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