  the lafayette escadrille (from the french escadrille de lafayette) was an escadrille of the french air service, the aÃ©ronautique militaire, during world war i composed largely of american volunteer pilots flying fighters. ==history== 140px|thumb|left|dr. edmund gros 250px|thumb|right| kiffin rockwell, capt. georges thenault, norman prince, lt. alfred de laage de meux, elliot cowdin, bert hall, james mcconnell and victor chapman (left to right) 250px|thumb|right|the mascots of the lafayette escadrille were two lion cubs whiskey and soda dr. edmund l. gros, medical director of the american field service (afc), and norman prince, an american expatriate already flying for france, led the efforts to persuade the french government of the value of a volunteer american air unit fighting for france. the aim was to have their efforts recognized by the american public and thus, it was hoped, the resulting publicity would rouse interest in abandoning neutrality and joining the fight. authorized by the french air department on march 21, 1916, the escadrille amÃ©ricaine (escadrille n.124) was deployed on april 20 in luxeuil-les-bains, france.guttman, jon. spa124 lafayette escadrille: american volunteer airmen in world war i. oxford: osprey, 2004. despite their slow progress with public popularity in america, the squadron proved the benefits of aerial combat to both sides. before world war i, planes were not considered instruments of combat. not all american pilots were in lafayette escadrille; other american pilots fought for france as
Aviation_in_World_War_I French_Air_Force_squadrons Lafayette_Escadrille Military_history_of_France