Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-02-14
Maj. Thenault Brings
American Bride to
the French Embassy
Former Head of Lafayette
Escadrille Follows Old En-
voys From His Country.

Ever since Citizen Genet married
that charming belle Of New York
Miss Mary Schuyler, French enyoys
and lesser diplomats have formed the
habit of marrying American girls
Edmund G. Genet had rather a stormy
career IN the regime of President
Washington, and he was recalled at
the request of that rigid disciplinarian
but that did not prevent the American
brlde from sharing his fortunes and
temporary exile. Mai Georges The.
ndult. first commander of the LafaY-
cite tSCadrllIe, and since 1922 the air
attache of the French Embassy. now
acting military attache in the absence
OF Gen. Dumont. has revived this ira
utlon and at present his bride for
lnerly Miss Sara Spencer of st. Jn-
Seph, Mo, Is the only American in this
embassy which in former years has
boasted of SO many.
NJ. jules Patrenotre. first Ambassa-
dor appointed by the French Republic
10 this Capital. married Miss ElVerSon
or Philadelphia, and NJ. Jules .juSSe-
rand had an American wife, Miss Elise
richards, daughter OF the Boston and
Paris banker. Since Genet in 1898,
there have been few French legation
o. embassy StdftS that did not have
one American Chatelaine.
The marriage of Mai. Thenault and
Miss sara Spencer. which occurred
il the brides home on December ;,
1919, WAS the result OF a romance
which began in Washington two years
ago when, as Miss Spencer. Nine. The
nauit was the guest of Mrs. Pembroke
Thorn. Mrs. Thorn is a close friend
Of the Spencer family, ana during her
EchOolGayS in Washington Miss Sara
had frequently been entertained in the
Thum home. Her father. the late
Judge Oliver NJ. Spencer. had been for
years counsel Tor the Burlington Rail
road. and III later years he removed
10 Chicago, and here his daughter.
after finishing 1T Miss Halls school in
fittstIeld. Mass. was presented to SO
Clety- she was entertained here dur
ing her debut year, and two years
later returned To Washington as a
bride. having many good friends in So
Getty in general, as well as IL the dip
IomatiC corps.
Maj. Thenault as first commander of
the Lafayette EscadrilIe as it is better
known. has thousands Of friends in
the Army, Navy and Air Service of
this country. lie is a native of the old
Norman City Of PoitierS. scene OF the
famous battle between the French and
English, and is the son Of NJ. Louis
Thcnault of that city. He entered
St. Cyr and took the regular military
course but as flying was then attract
ing the attention Of the world, he was
assigned to this branch of The service.
lie uad much experience and was
deemed one OF the most accomplished
flyers of France when the Great War
broke upon his country. Many Of the
fearless Americans who sought en-
trance into the air service of France
We're in 1914, entirely without proper
training and it became the duty of
Ma j. Theraulr TO train them. This he
did most efficiently and when his
pupils were ready, he was elected com
mander Of the escadrilie or air squad
ron. Maj. Thenault has recently pub
liShed a most fascinating and valuable
book of memories called The Story
OF the Lafayette ESCadrille." Ii was
told in narrative form TO Walter
Duranty who translated il into Eng
liSh and there is a lengthy introduce
ton by NJ. Andre Tardieu. 50 long a
resident in Washington during the
World War.
Mai. Thenauit has dedicated his
book OF memories to those who fell in
the struggle and he lists them in the
order in which they answered the
grim summons on the battlefield,
Chapman, Rockwell. Prince, Mac
Council Genet. Il lineal descendant of
that first Edmund Genet, French min
lister: Dressy Hoskier MacMonagle,
Campbell and Lufrery. The story is
simply told and with the precision of
the Latin scholar and none of the
many volumes called forth by the
World War possesses a more poignant
interest for thousands Of Americans
than by the commander of the Lafay
etc EScadrilie.
Mai. and Nine. Thenault spent
almost a month in Hot SPRINGS after