American Eagles

I recently received this story. If you can help us identify the father at all, we would be delighted. E-Mail Us

Dear Sir, I have a request for you. Perhaps you could help me.

It concerns my mother. She is an old woman. She was born at the end of May 1920.

She would like to have information about the identity of her biological father, since she knows her father was not her biological father. It has always been a shameful secret in her family.

All her family was from Issoudun (ed. home of the 3rd AIC Issoudun - the largest USAS training base in the world). My grandmother’s husband (Mr. Berthelot) married my grandmother Eugénie Riffault (born in 1885). They were parents of 7 children: 4 boys and 3 girls. The last daughter was my mother, but she was not Mr. Berthelot’s biological child. The only information she has obtained in 1959 (!) from her aunt was that her biological father was an American soldier (maybe a Canadian?) whose last name was William.

Each summer, my grandmother’s husband was an agricultural worker in farms, and he left grandmother alone. In summer 1919, she met a soldier. Life and “love”(?) passed on their ways.

When my grand father knew his wife was pregnant, he quickly understood he was not the father! He was furious. He looked for the soldier. It seems that they fight together with knives. We got some information that newspapers of Issoudun wrote about this story. Considering the local scandal, we know with assurance that the American HQ transferred William to another town.

Berthelot repudiated my grand mother before they divorced. He kept with him his four boys. My grand mother went away from Issoudun to Paris in autumn 1919. There, she was received by her elder sister, and there she delivered my mother.

Finally, as my grandparents were not divorced on time of my mother’s birth, her grandmother’s husband had to acknowledge her as his daughter. As a result, her name is Berthelot as are her brothers and sisters.

As my grandmother did not want my mother, and she had to work to live, my grandmother came back to Issoudun when my mother was 2 months old. My mother was left with my grandmother’s youngest sister to be raised. She never knew Mr. Berthelot. Her brothers never talked with my mother, even if they lived in Issoudun and knew that she lived in the same town. When my mother was approximately twelve years old, she asked herself why she was raised by her uncle and aunt. At school, she heard a lot of suggestions and bad imprecise allusions about her birth by some schoolgirls. However, nobody answered her questions about the subject.

She was 39 years old before getting some little information from her aunt. Now my mother is 90 years old and she is wounded by that! How could you help her?

My mother would like to know the name of her father and some details of his life before her death. How old was he? From what town and state did he come?

We do not want to claim anything to his family and his descendents. We think that William had never known he was the father of a French girl!

Perhaps you could obtain the family name of William in your archives? If you could give us an answer to this, you will give a lot of happiness to an old woman. It would be marvellous and I will be you very grateful.

I apologize for my bad English. I hope it is sufficiently understandable for you.

I hope to hear you soon.

Best greetings

Alain Tchapla

Books (.pdf Downloads) by Narayan Sengupta and Fred Scheer/Narayan Sengupta:
$ 9.95 American Eagles - The Illustrated History of American Aviation in World War I
$ 9.95 Lafayette Escadrille: America's Most Famous Squadron
$ 9.95 POW Stories of World War II
$ 9.95 Disaster at Dieppe: World War II's Little D-Day
$19.95 The Used Tank Guide of World War I and World War II

Computer Game Downloads by Narayan Sengupta:

$13.95 Hearts of Iron II scenarios (does not include game)
$13.95 Railroad Tycoon 3 scenarios/maps (does not include game)

Other:
Satisfaction Guarantee - Payment Methods - Questions/Contact Us - Donations

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Preview (29 pages, 4.1 mb PDF).

"American Eagles - The Illustrated History of American Aviation in World War I" (370 pages, 8.5"x11", black and white, $9.95, .pdf download):

American Eagles features 220 photos, new maps and beautiful artwork by Michael O'Neal. Here's the story of American World War I combat aviation, the aviators, their planes, aerodromes, stories and their post-war lives. Read about America's first fighters, bombers and observation planes, the Lafayette Escadrille, USN Aviation, USMC Aviation, the United States Air Service, etc.

"I wanted to tell you what a great job you have done with your book! I have been totally enthralled reading through it!"
Gary Duhaine

"A great book... a book that really needs to be on your bookshelf."
Matt Jolley, WarbirdRadio.com
"The photos in your books have a clarity I have not seen among the hundreds of WWI aviation books that I've collected/amassed. Those photos make you feel like you are standing there with the subjects. Outstanding! Your passion for the subject is evident!"
Mark, Lt Col, USAF (Retired)

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Preview (Table of Contents, Table of Illustrations, Chapter 1, 1.0 mb PDF)

"Lafayette Escadrille: America's Most Famous Squadron" (204 pages, digest size, black and white, $9.95, .pdf download):

The Lafayette Escadrille honors the insanely brave Americans who volunteered to fly for France and later the United States 103rd Aero Squadron during World War I. Read about Raoul Lufbery, Bill Thaw, Kiffin Rockwell, Norman Prince, Charles Biddle and the early days of American World War I military aviation before it was known as the United States Air Force. These men flew Nieuports and Spads against Fokkers and Albatroses. This book has extensive new research and is thoroughly well-documented. 204 pages, 62 photos and maps.

"Narayan Sengupta's "The Lafayette Escadrille: America's Most Famous Squadron" is a wonderfully written history of one of the most unique air combat units that ever existed. Not only is his book factual and chock full of historical photos (80+), the text is nicely augmented with maps, appendices, and a very complete bibliography. Great job, all around!"
Steve Ruffin, Managing Editor emeritus, "Over the Front."

"You write so well! I thoroughly enjoyed it and learned a lot."
Cynthia Pullin

"A concise, well written history of one of the most significant fighter squadrons in American history. Long before the US entered World War One, these volunteers showed that not all Americans were "too proud to fight." They helped defend the skies of France and laid the groundwork for what would eventually become the United States Air Force. Mr. Sengupta has done an excellent job of telling the story of some of the most colorful individuals in American history. Very readable and superbly illustrated, the book is thoroughly researched and well documented."
Steve Tom, PhD, Lt Col USAF (Ret)

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"POW Stories" (189 pages, 6"x9", black and white, $9.95, .pdf download):

POW Stories: remarkable stories told by men once POWs in Germany. Some were in the US Army, others in the United States Army Air Force. Read exhilarating, astonishing and poignant real-life stories by Fred Scheer, James Golden, Les Schrenk and many others. All were POWs in Germany during WWII. Jim was a Mustang pilot who was the last Allied pilot shot down on D-Day. Fred escaped twice and was recaptured. He made it out for good on his third escape. And Les survived the brutal German Death March. 189 pages, 35 photos and maps.

"POW Stories is a masterfully assembled collection of first-hand tales of survival, comradery and reunion, an emotional journey of brave men recounting their highs and lows and finding humor in the darkest places. The stories should never be forgotten. Well worth the read."
Patricia W. Huff

"I thoroughly enjoyed it and shed a fair amount of tears because it was so REAL. Their tales are shared so simply but the impact on the reader is huge. Excellent work."
Judy Bentley

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"Disaster at Dieppe" (167 pages, 6" x 9", 66 photos and maps, $9.95, .pdf download):

The raid on Dieppe, code named Operation Jubilee, was World War II's first invasion/large scale raid. Jubilee featured the first use of US Rangers, Churchill tanks, tanks in an amphibious assault, P-51s and Typhoons and more. Approximately 6,000 troops crossed the English Channel: they included 5,000 Canadians, 1,000 British, 50 American Rangers and 24 French light infantry. Poor planning and Murphy's Law led to an 85% casualty rate for the Canadians who landed! It was a rate brutally worse than the horrific 10% suffered by the US Marines at Tarawa in late 1943 or the 15% sustained by Americans on D-Day, June 6, 1944, at Omaha Beach. But their sacrifice was not in vain and may have saved 10 times as many lives on D-Day. This is an easy read that's also thoroughly documented. Its tables and six-page index makes it a great reference book. 167 pages, 6" x 9", 66 photos and maps.

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"The Used Tank Guide of World War I and World War II" (230 pages, 8.5"x11", full color, 700+ photos, .pdf download, $19.95):

The Used Tank Guide has a 36-page overview of World War I and World War II tanks (and self-propelled artillery and tank-destroyers, etc.). Then is the eye-candy photo album section with 700+ fantastic full-color photos and 115+ profiles of tanks, self-propelled guns and tank destroyers in the most color-packed book on World War I and World War II armored vehicles ever...

Profiles include: British Mark IV, Whippet, Anglo-American Mark VIII, Schneider, St. Chamond, Renault FT, GPF 155, Somua S-35, Char B-1bis, AMR-33, R-35, AMC-35, Hochkiss H-35, Sexton, LT-35, Matilda II, Churchill, Valentine, Crusader, Cromwell, Comet, Panzer I, Panzer II, Panzer III, Panzer IV, Wespe, Marder, Hetzer, Nashorn, Brummbar, Panther, Panther II, Tiger, King Tiger, Jagdpanzer, Elefant, Jagdpanther, Jagdtiger, Skelton, Ford 3 Ton, M1931 Christie, M3 Stuart, M3 Lee/Grant, M4 Sherman (75, 76, Easy 8 and Firefly variants), M-6 heavy, M-18 Hellcat, M7 Priest, M8 Greyhound, M10 Wolverine, M24 Chaffee, M26 Pershing, T28, M40, LVT(A), T-34, T-34/85, KV-1, SU-76, SU-85, SU-100, IS-2, IS-3, Semovente da 75/18 M42, Type 95 Ha-Go, Type 97 Chi-Ha, and so many more stunning tanks and rare tanks from across the world.

This exquisite collection showcases tanks in full-color as never seen before. Countries represented: Canada, Czechoslovakia, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Sweden, USSR, United Kingdom and USA.

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Bad Boys is a terrific scenario where the US President makes the United States very aggressive, attacking Nazi Germany and other dictatorships, but the US sells its soul in the process... Download for $13.95. Original game not included, but can be bought elsewhere online. Hearts of Iron II scenario - Bad Boys! - more information on my 5 Star General website...

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Here are several terrific extra maps (scenarios) for Railroad Tycoon 3. Download for $13.95. Original Railroad Tycoon game NOT included, but can be bought elsewhere online. More details: Railroad Tycoon 3 Maps!

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30-Day Guarantee

If you are unsatisfied with download bought here, let me know at E-Mail Us within 30 days from the day of your purchase, and I'll refund you 100% of your money. If you are unsatisfied with any of my books (print version), then I let me know and I will refund you 50% of the purchase price (not including shipping and handling). You can even keep the book! We lose money, but we're confident you will be pleased with the book.

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We accept all major credit cards and PayPal.

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Questions

If you have any other questions, then please E-Mail Us .

Learn more: 1st Observation Group, 1st Pursuit Group, 1st Bombardment Group, 2nd Pursuit Group, 3rd Pursuit Group, 4th Pursuit Group, 5th Pursuit Group and 3rd Air Park. See the really cool USAS Bases Google Map we've made just for you.

File under:

1st Observation Group - 1st aero squadron, 12th aero squadron, 50th aero squadron
1st Pursuit Group - 27th aero squadron, 94th aero squadron, 95th aero squadron, 147th aero squadron, 185th aero squadron
1st Bombardment Group - 96th aero squadron, 11th aero squadron, 20th aero squadron, 166th aero squadron
2nd Pursuit Group - 13th aero squadron, 22nd aero squadron, 49th aero squadron, 139th aero squadron
3rd Pursuit Group - 28th aero squadron, 93rd aero squadron, 103rd aero squadron, 213th aero squadron
4th Pursuit Group - 17th aero squadron, 25th aero squadron, 148th aero squadron, 141st aero squadron
5th Pursuit Group - 41st Aero Squadron, 138th Aero Squadron, 638th Aero Squadron
3rd Air Park - 255th Aero Squadron