A formation of F-16 Fighting Falcons and French Mirages (not seen) punctuate a regal and colorful Lafayette Escadrille memorial ceremony outside of Paris May 24. During the ceremony, French and American citizens paid homage to some of the United States' first combat aviators. The all-American squadron of volunteers flew under the French flag during World War I, and many gave their lives in defense of French democracy. The F-16s are from the 52nd Fighter Wing at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Scott Wagers)
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen T. Michael Moseley speaks during the Lafayette Escadrille memorial ceremony outside of Paris May 24 where French and American citizens pay homage to the United States' first combat aviators. The all-American squadron of volunteers flew under the French flag during World War I, and many gave their lives in defense of French democracy. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Scott Wagers)
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen T. Michael Moseley speaks during the Lafayette Escadrille memorial ceremony outside of Paris May 24 where French and American citizens pay homage to the United States' first combat aviators. The all-American squadron of volunteers flew under the French flag during World War I, and many gave their lives in defense of French democracy. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Scott Wagers)
Stephane Abrial, French air force chief of staff, speaks during the Lafayette Escadrille memorial ceremony outside of Paris May 24 where French and American citizens paid homage to the United States' first combat aviators. The all-American squadron of volunteers flew under the French flag during World War I, and many gave their lives in defense of French democracy. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Scott Wagers)
Staff Sgt. Dan Bellis, an Air Force News Agency television broadcaster, and a young French boy ready themselves for a rifle volley May 24 during a memorial ceremony outside of Paris where French and American citizens paid homage to the United States' first combat aviators known as the Lafayette Escadrille. The all-American squadron of volunteers flew under the French flag during World War I. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Scott Wagers)
Ludovic Quenin, a French air force non-commissioned officer, takes part in the Lafayette Escadrille memorial ceremony outside of Paris May 24 where French and American citizens paid homage to an all-American squadron of volunteer pilots who flew under the French flag during World War I, and many gave their lives in defense of French democracy. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Scott Wagers)
Christiane Barody-Weiss, mayor of Marnes-la-Croquette, France, speaks during the Lafayette Escadrille memorial ceremony May 24 outside of Paris, where several hundred French and American citizens paid homage to the United States' first combat aviators, an all-American squadron of volunteers who flew under the French flag during World War I, where many gave their lives in defense of French democracy. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Scott Wagers)
French veterans take part in the Lafayette Escadrille memorial ceremony outside of Paris May 24 where French and American citizens paid homage to an all-American squadron of volunteer pilots who flew under the French flag during World War I, where many gave their lives in defense of French democracy. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Scott Wagers)
Dineen Angrisani and her 10-year-old daughter Celine Rivera observe the Lafayette Escadrille memorial ceremony outside of Paris May 24 where French and American citizens paid homage to an all-American squadron of volunteer pilots who flew under the French flag during World War I. Ms. Angrisani is the committee chair for United States Girl Scouts Overseas. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Scott Wagers)
Minutes prior to the start of the Lafayette Escadrille memorial ceremony near Paris May 24, Staff Sgt. Jason Nieves, a joint terminal air controller, prepares to coordinate a fly-over of F-16 Fighting Falcons and French Mirages. Several hundred French and American citizens paid homage to the United States' first combat aviators, an all-American squadron of volunteers who flew under the French flag during World War I, where many gave their lives in defense of French democracy. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Scott Wagers)
5/27/2008 - PARIS (AFPN) -- Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley, along with several hundred American and French citizens, paid homage to a special group of World War I aviators May 24 at the Lafayette Escadrille memorial ceremony that took place outside of Paris.
The Airmen of the Lafayette Escadrille were the United States' first combat aviators. It was an American squadron of volunteers who flew under the French flag during World War I. Many of them gave their lives in defense of French democracy.
General Moseley said it is important that the aviation heroes be honored for their deeds and ultimate sacrifice.
"Remembering our fallen Airmen is a matter of establishing a plateau of a history and a culture of a service, no different than a Navy, an Army or a Marine Corps," General Moseley said. "To be able to establish that heritage piece and to understand where we are and how we got here and what that means is vitally important."
General Moseley said the Lafayette Escadrille was just one example of generations of airpower heroes.
"When the new Airmen graduate down at Lackland (Air Force Base, Texas) and walk across that parade deck, they enter a long line of people who have been doing this for a very long time," General Moseley said.
