Colonel Marcel Émile Haegelen
Real identity and exact surname attested by Military Records from French Flying Service of First World War.] (13 September 1896 – 24 May 1950),

Légion d'honneur 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 society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...

Médaille militaire The ''Médaille militaire'' (, "Military Medal") is a military decoration of the French Republic for other ranks for meritorious service and acts of bravery in action against an enemy force. It is the third highest award of the French Republic, ...

Croix de Guerre The (, ''Cross of War'') is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was first awarded during World ...

, was a World War I French

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 22 victories.

Biography

Early life and military service

Claude Marcel Haeglen was born on 13 September 1896 in

Belfort Belfort (; archaic , ) is a city in northeastern France, situated approximately from the Swiss border. It is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Territoire de Belfort. Belfort is from Paris and from Basel. The residents of the city ...

, France.''Over the Front: The Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the United States and French Air Services, 1914–1918'', pp. 172 - 173 On 15 September 1914, he volunteered for military service as an infantryman. On 27 May 1915, he was forwarded for pilot training. He graduated training with a Military Pilot's Brevet on 10 January 1916. On 10 April, he was posted to ''Escadrille 8''. After service with this reconnaissance squadron, he went to fighter training on 8 February 1917, and was assigned to ''Escadrille 3'' a month later. He shot down two German airplanes, on 27 and 28 May, being wounded on the latter day. During his lengthy convalescence, he was promoted out of the enlisted ranks to become a '' Sous lieutenant'' on 25 January 1918. On 11 March 1918, he was posted to '' Escadrille Spa.100''. Joining in this unit's "wolf pack" tactics, Haeglen would shoot down another 20 enemy aircraft by war's end, including 12

observation balloon An observation balloon is a type of balloon that is employed as an aerial platform for gathering intelligence and spotting artillery. The use of observation balloons began during the French Revolutionary Wars, reaching their zenith during World ...

After World War I

After the war, he became a

test pilot A test pilot is an aircraft pilot with additional training to fly and evaluate experimental, newly produced and modified aircraft with specific maneuvers, known as flight test techniques.Stinton, Darrol. ''Flying Qualities and Flight Testin ...

for the

Hanriot Aéroplanes Hanriot et Cie. or simply 'Hanriot' was a French aircraft manufacturer with roots going back to the beginning of aviation. Founded by René Hanriot in 1910 as ''The Monoplans Hanriot Company Ltd.'', the company survived in differ ...

company and gained a reputation as an aerobatic pilot. In 1931 and 1932 he won the

Coupe Michelin The Michelin Cup refers to a number of competitions sponsored by the French tyre manufacturer Michelin for long-distance flight made in aeroplanes. The first Michelin prize was announced in March 1908. The principal prize, to be awarded annually f ...

long-distance flying competition flying the Lorraine Hanriot LH.41/2 aircraft. On the second one, he set a world record for 2000 km with a speed of 263.900 km/h. Haeglen also became president of the French Civil Pilots Union.

World War II and beyond

Mobilised as

fighter pilot A fighter pilot or combat pilot is a Military aviation, military aviator trained to engage in air-to-air combat, Air-to-ground weaponry, air-to-ground combat and sometimes Electronic-warfare aircraft, electronic warfare while in the cockpit of ...

at the beginning of World War II, lieutenant-colonel Marcel Haegelen won his 24th victory flying a Curtiss H 75, shooting down a German airplane on 14 June 1940. After the fall of France in World War II, he became a member of 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 ...

, and was arrested by the Germans in 1943 and jailed in

Bourges Bourges ( ; ; ''Borges'' in Berrichon) is a commune in central France on the river Yèvre (Cher), Yèvre. It is the capital of the Departments of France, department of Cher (department), Cher, and also was the capital city of the former provin ...

. When he died on 24 May 1950 at Val-de-Grace, he held the rank of Colonel, and was a ''Grand officier'' of Légion d'honneur.

Honors and awards

Médaille Militaire The ''Médaille militaire'' (, "Military Medal") is a military decoration of the French Republic for other ranks for meritorious service and acts of bravery in action against an enemy force. It is the third highest award of the French Republic, ...

: 23 August 1917 * Chevalier of the

Legion d'honneur 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 ...

: 19 July 1918 * Raised to ''Officier'' of the Legion d'honneur: Date uncertain *

with 15 ''palmes'' and three ''etoile de vermeile'': Date(s) uncertain

End notes

References

* Military recor
#1
an
#2
on French DoD website * * * Franks, Norman; Bailey, Frank (1993). ''Over the Front: The Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the United States and French Air Services, 1914–1918'' London, UK: Grub Street Publishing. .

External links

*
Biography, list of aerial victories, color profile of his planes
1896 births 1950 deaths Grand Officers of the Legion of Honour French World War I flying aces French military personnel of World War II Recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1939–1945 (France) French aviation record holders {{France-mil-bio-stub