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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 548 is attached
to the 5th Army within the Air Cooperation Forces of the ZOAE (East
Air Operations Area).
Staff
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Commanders
of the group
GAO 548
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| Commander
ROBERT |
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Commander
THIBON
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Personnel
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Pilotes
et Membres d'Equipages du Groupe
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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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| ROBERT |
Commander
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Commander
of Group
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| ROUSSEL
Jean |
Lieutenant
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Observer
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Killed
on April 24, 1940 aboard the Mureaux 115 No.83 hit by the Flak. |
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| TARASCON
Paul - Alban |
Lieutenant
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Liaison
Officer
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Paul TARASCON was
an ace of the 1914-18 War. He did his military service in
the colonial infantry in 1902. On his return to civilian
life, he bought a second-hand Blériot and made his
first flights at Miramas. Then, on 26 June 1912, just as
he was about to take the French Aeroclub pilot's licence
exams, he crashed in flight after his mechanic forgot to
pin the stabiliser to his aircraft. Seriously injured, he
had to be amputated below the knee, and had to spend long
periods in hospital and undergo rehabilitation to learn
to walk again with a prosthesis. His only wish was to fly
again.
In 1914, he enlisted voluntarily and was posted to the Buc
aviation centre in September 1914. He attended the Pau aviation
school before joining the 2nd aviation group, then No. 3
and finally No. 62 squadrons. He ended the war with 12 victories.
After the war, he was transferred to the colonial infantry
reserve.
Mobilised in 1939, he was posted to GAO 548 as a liaison
officer and then to the Chartres training centre in January
1940.
Paul TARASCON joined the Resistance in 1940. He was retired
in December 1941.
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Born
8 November 1882 in Le Thor (84 - Vaucluse).
Died in Levallois-Perret (92 - Hauts de Seine) on 11 June 1977. |
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| THIBON |
Commander
|
Commander
of Group
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| WIBAUX |
Sergeant
|
Pilot
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Injured
April 24, 1940 aboard the Mureaux 115 No.83 hit by the Flak. |
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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
|
WIBAUX |
Sergeant
|
Pilot
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Mureaux
115 n°83 : Destroyed by the Flak on April 24, 1940.
Lieutenant ROUSSEL is killed, and Sergeant WIBAUX is wounded. |
| ROUSSEL
Jean |
Lieutenant
|
Observer
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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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Fayence
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83
- Var
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September
3, 1939
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Epinal
Dogneville
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88
- Vosges
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October
17, 1939
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Le
Luc
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83
- Var
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May
17, 1940
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Click
on the map to enlarge :
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Aircrafts
The GAO 548 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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1
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| Lieutenant
ROUSSEL (Combat) |
April
24, 1940
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Crewmen
injured
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1
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| Sergeant
WIBAUX (Combat) |
April
24, 1940
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- Book : "Ils étaient
là" by Mr Jacqueline and Paul MARTIN - Editions Aéro-Editions
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