American "Riff War" pilot uniform

[WRANGEL]

Hi Chris,

The French unit pin is the "Escadrille 7B" badge, this bombing squadron did not belonged to the French Air Force but to the "Aeronautique Navale" (= French Navy), the usual maker of this badge is R. Malan. Marseille.

The French Pilot badge is a replacement type, the one on the tunic seems to be the official issued one (it should be numbered on the back).

Do you have the Eagle badge that appears on 2 photos (the portrait in bust and when he his decorated with the Legion of Honor by General Gouraud), I have never seen this one and I am wondering what it is.

Best regards

Bill

[rathbonemuseum]

That is a wonderful, historic and rare group. Fills in elements not found in most histories of the period.

[Adso]

Chris,

Thanks so much for this post. Fascinating stuff. I have been doing some research into that squadron myself, and I found this material very interesting. There is a very good article published in Aviation Quarterly which is basically a summary of the memoir written by a member of the Escadrille Cherifienne, Col. Paul Ayres Rockwell.

Dale L. Walker “Paul Ayres Rockwell, Moroccan Bomber: American Fighters in the Rif War.” Aviation Quarterly vol.5, 2 (1979).

Rockwell in the memoir speaks highly of Sussan. I don't know if you already knew that the commander of the squadron, Col. Charles Sweeny (also sometimes spelled Sweeney) was one of Hemingway's closest friends. I am precisely doing research for an article I am trying to write on the subject. I would be happy to send you a scanned copy of the memoir summary article if you are interested.

Edited April 24, 2016 by Adso

[Stuka f]

Amazing!

Thanks for sharing.

[Chris Liontas]

Hi guys!!

 

    I wish I was able to own this group.  I saw it right after it was sold to Dennis Gordon.  He is a big collector of WW1 American Lafayette stuff, and I guess he always wanted a Riff War group.  I keep trying to tease it out of him, but what do you offer for the man who has everything???

 

   Adso, thank you for the information.  I'd love to read it.  I will see if I can find that article.  What little I have found on the Riff war is sketchy and mostly third hand stuff.  I'd love to read more of Sussan's adventures.  When you read Sussan's biography, and look at the medal bar, you just think "there is no way".  But as far as I have found, it was all true. 

 

[Suz]

Dear Chris

I was very interested in your collection of Walter J Sussans. He was my husbands Great Uncle.

We are trying to collate his flying history. 

We would be very grateful to hear from yourself about your collection.