HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Captain Charles Gossage Grey (June 20, 1894 – March 6, 1987) was an American
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
flying ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviation, military aviator credited with shooting down a certain minimum number of enemy aircraft during aerial combat; the exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ...
credited with five aerial victories. He remained in France after World War I. During
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, he joined the
Office of Strategic Services The Office of Strategic Services (OSS) was the first intelligence agency of the United States, formed during World War II. The OSS was formed as an agency of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) to coordinate espionage activities behind enemy lines ...
and served with the
French Resistance The French Resistance ( ) was a collection of groups that fought the German military administration in occupied France during World War II, Nazi occupation and the Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy#France, collaborationist Vic ...
. He continued in U. S. civil service until his retirement in 1961.


Early life pre World War I

Charles Gossage Grey was born in Chicago, Illinois, on 20 June 1894, the son of Charles Scott, and he was later adopted by his stepfather Walter C. Grey.''Over the Front'', p. 39. He attended Columbia University School of Journalism, and subsequently was a reporter with the Chicago Evening Post.


World War I

In February 1917 he volunteered his services with the American Ambulance Field Services in France, and in June of that year enlisted into the French Foreign Legion. He obtained his military flying license on September 29, 1917. He was then assigned to the Escadrille Spad 93
Lafayette Flying Corps The Lafayette Flying Corps is a name given to the American volunteer pilots who flew in the French Air Force (Armée de l'Air) during World War I. It includes the pilots who flew with the bona fide Lafayette Escadrille squadron. Numbers The e ...
as sergeant, where he remained until March 1918. Promoted lieutenant, he was then commissioned into U. S. service and assigned to the
213th Aero Squadron The 213th Aero Squadron was a United States Army Air Service unit that fought on the Western Front (World War I), Western Front during World War I. The squadron was assigned as a Day Pursuit (Fighter) Squadron as part of the 3d Pursuit Group, F ...
on 1 August 1918 as
Flight Commander A flight commander is the leader of a constituent portion of an aerial squadron in aerial operations, often into combat. That constituent portion is known as a flight, and usually contains six or fewer aircraft, with three or four being a common ...
of its third flight. Between 2 September and 3 November 1918, he used his
Spad XIII The SPAD S.XIII is a French biplane fighter aircraft of the First World War, developed by ''Société Pour L'Aviation et ses Dérivés'' (SPAD) from the earlier and highly successful SPAD S.VII. During early 1917, the French designer Louis Bé ...
to score five aerial victories (ace). He was promoted to captain on 6 November 1918. The
Distinguished Service Cross The Distinguished Service Cross (D.S.C.) is a military decoration for courage. Different versions exist for different countries. *Distinguished Service Cross (Australia) *Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom) *Distinguished Service Cross (U ...
was presented to Grey, for "extraordinary heroism" in action near Montmedy, France, November 4, 1918. While leading a patrol of three machines, Captain Grey observed a formation of our bombing planes hard pressed by 12 of the enemy. He attacked the leading enemy machine without hesitation, thereby attracting the enemy's fire and allowing the bombing machines to escape undamaged.


Post World War I

Grey remained in France after World War I, involved mostly in private business and banking. In 1935 he married Cornelia O'Connor Wallace, born in Paris, France, on May 22, 1904, the daughter of James Charles O'Connor of Dallas, Texas, and Ivor Branch Tate, sister of J. Waddy Tate. Charles and Cornelia had two sons, James, born in 1936, and Michael, in 1939.


World War II

At the outset of World War II, the Grey family remained in France. Both Charles and Cornelia were dismayed by the isolationist stance of the United States in the face of the German onslaught across the European continent, and they immediately volunteered their services in the defense of their country of adoption, not withstanding their U.S. citizenship. Cornelia joined I.P.S.A. (Infermières, Pilotes, Secouristes de l'Air), as a nurse and ambulance driver, active on the front and under fire during the German offensive of Northern France in June 1940, for which services she was attributed the "Croix de Guerre' citation. Charles Grey volunteered his service to MI-6, the British Secret Intelligence Service, under the code name of "L'ange Bleu", and was known as "The First Volunteer". Activities included organizing the evacuation of SIS station in Paris, and its commanders "Biffy Dunderdale" and Sir Peter Smithers June 14–23, 1940, via Bordeaux. After the armistice, in late 1940, the family moved to the United States by way of Spain and Portugal. In 1942 Grey became an early member of the Office of Strategic Services, and was active in its X-2 counter espionage division, based in Lisbon Portugal. He was also active in various capacities in Finland (Red Cross), Poland, North Africa, and in France where he was a member of the F-2 "Forces Françaises Combattantes" resistance network under code name "Gris". His World War II service earned him a number of citations including the French
Legion of Honor The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and civil. Currently consisting of five classes, it was ...
and
Resistance Medal The Resistance Medal (, ) was a decoration bestowed by the French Committee of National Liberation, based in the United Kingdom, during World War II. It was established by a decree of General Charles de Gaulle on 9 February 1943 "to recognize the ...
, the Polish
Golden Cross of Merit Golden means made of, or relating to gold. Golden may also refer to: Places United Kingdom *Golden, in the parish of Probus, Cornwall *Golden Cap, Dorset *Golden Square, Soho, London *Golden Valley, a valley on the River Frome in Gloucestershir ...
., the Order of the White Rose of Finland, and the King's Medal for Courage from Britain.


Post World War II

Immediately following the
liberation of Paris The liberation of Paris () was a battle that took place during World War II from 19 August 1944 until the German garrison surrendered the French capital on 25 August 1944. Paris had been occupied by Nazi Germany since the signing of the Armisti ...
in 1944, the Grey family returned to their home there. Grey remained in U. S. diplomatic service in France, until his retirement in 1961. Following his divorce from Cornelia, Grey married Ivanka Boyovitch on July 8, 1960. Following his retirement, Grey remained a resident of Paris for the rest of his life. He returned to the United States periodically for family visits. On 20 February 1987, he was struck by a car in
Manalapan, Florida Manalapan is a town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. It is part of the Miami metropolitan area of South Florida. The population was 419 at the 2020 United States census. History United States President Benjamin Harrison granted Ge ...
. He died of his injuries at JFK Hospital in
Atlantis, Florida Atlantis is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. It is part of the Miami metropolitan area of South Florida. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 2,142. History The modern history of what became known as the city ...
on 6 March 1987, and was interred in Paris, in the Cimetière de Montparnasse.


See also

*
List of World War I flying aces from the United States The following is a list of flying aces from the United States of America who served in World War I. Overview Even before the United States entry into World War I in April 1917, many Americans volunteered to serve in the armed forces of Great B ...


References


Bibliography

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Grey, Charles Gossage 1894 births 1987 deaths Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United States) Recipients of the Resistance Medal American World War I flying aces