"The writer will never forget one occasion when he was waiting at 23 avenue du Bois to see Dr. Gros. Suddenly the door opened to admit a vision of military splendor such as one does not see twice in a lifetime. It was Eugene Bullard.
His jolly black face shone with a grin of greeting and justifiable vanity. He wore a pair of tan aviator’s boots which gleamed with a mirror-like luster, and above them his breeches smote the eye with a dash of vivid scarlet. His black tunic, excellently cut and set off by a fine figure, was decorated with a pilot’s badge, a Croix de Guerre, the fourragere of the Foreign Legion, and a pair of enormous wings, which left no possible doubt, even at a distance of fifty feet, as to which arm of the Service he adorned. The eleves-pilotes gasped, the eyes of the neophytes stood out from their heads, and I repressed a strong instinct to stand at attention.
Here is a video introducing Corporal Bullard from the recent "FlyBoys" movie:
 Windows version
 Quicktime version
There was scarcely an American at Avord who did not know and like Bullard. He was a brave, loyal, and thoroughly likable fellow, and when a quarrel with one of his superiors caused his withdrawal from the Aviation corps, there was scarcely an American who did not regret the fact. He was sent to the 170th French Infantry Regiment in January, 1918 from which date all trace of him has been lost."
SERVICE RECORD
Eugene Bullard, Columbus, Georgia
Previous Service: 1915-16, Foreign Legion (Infantry).
Service in French Aviation:
Date of enlistment: November 15, 1916
Aviation Schools: November 30, 1916, to August 20, 1917, Cazeaux, Tours, Avord, G.D.E.
At the Front:Escadrille Spad 93, August 27, 1917 to September 13, 1917.
Escadrille Spad 85, September 13 to November 11, 1917.
Final Rank: Corporal
Returned to duty with 170th (French) Infantry Regiment, January 11, 1918.
Decorations: Croix de Guerre, with Star.
The Lafayette Flying Corps, Hall and Nordhoff
James Norman Hall wrote the above regarding Eugene Bullard for the history of The Lafayette Flying Corps. Eugene Bullard was officially credited with two victory’s both against Fokker Triplanes and would go on to fight in the French resistance in World War II wining Frances highest medal; The Legion of Honor. In truth, Eugene Bullard was America’s first black pilot, a hero to France, and a forgotten man to his native country of America. |
