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 Summary

This collection consists of correspondence, newspaper articles, and a photograph album documenting James Rogers McConnell's life, especially his World War I service in the Lafayette Escadrille.

 Biographical / Historical

James Rogers McConnell (1887-1917) was a member of the Lafayette Escadrille. Born in Chicago, McConnell attended two years of schooling at the University of Virginia before leaving the law school in 1910 to join his family in Carthage, North Carolina. There, he served as a land and industrial agent of the Seaboard Airline Railway and as secretary of the Carthage Board of Trade. After war broke out in Europe, McConnell arrived in France to enlist with the American Ambulance Corps. McConnell withdrew from the Ambulance Corps and entered the aviation training program, becoming one of the first members of the Lafayette Escadrille. McConnell first flight was on May 13, 1916, in which he flew a Nieuport biplane. McConnell was shot down and killed on March 19, 1917 above the Somme Battlefields. He was the author of the book Flying for France.

 Identifier

NASM.XXXX.0232

Creator

McConnell, James Rogers, 1887-1917

Date

1890-1928

Provenance

James M. Truitt, gift, 1963, NASM.XXXX.0232

Extent

0.33 Cubic feet (2 boxes)

Archival Repository

National Air and Space Museum Archives

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of correspondence, newspaper articles, and a photograph album documenting James Rogers McConnell's life, especially his World War I service in the Lafayette Escadrille. This collection contains material pertaining to both McConnell's service as well as the service of his fellow Lafayette Escadrille members, including Kiffin Rockwell, Victor Chapman, and Raoul Lufbery. The correspondence includes letters from McConnell to his family and friends, as well as condolence letters from McConnell's friends to his family after his death. The photographs include images of McConnell, his friends--both ambulance drivers and pilots, aircraft, his grave, his crypt in the Lafayette Memorial, and also his memorial in Carthage, North Carolina. The newspaper articles include ones written by McConnell about his war service.

Arrangement note

This collection is arranged by type of material.

Rights

Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests

Restrictions

No restrictions on access

Citation

James Rogers McConnell Collection [Truitt], NASM.XXXX.0232, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Topics

Aeronautics, Military

Aeronautics

Ambulances

World War, 1914-1918 -- Aerial operations

World War, 1914-1918

Periodicals

Type

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Correspondence

Photographs