Merian Cooper founder of Kosciuszko Squadron 1919

[StefanM]

From the Centralnego Archiwum Wojskowego (Central Military Archive) Warsaw a copy of the original letter from Merian Cooper to General Józef Piłsudski dated 29 April 1919 offering his services to the Polish commander and Head of State.



In late 1919 eight American volunteers, including Major Cedric Fauntleroy and Captain Merian C. Cooper, arrived in Poland from France where in September 1919 they had been officially named the Kościuszko Squadron (after the Polish American hero Tadeusz Kościuszko) with Major Fauntleroy as its commander.

The Kościuszko Squadron was the first air squadron to use a railway train as a mobile flying base with specially designed railroad cars that could transport their aircraft as the front moved and developed. The train also included the squadron's operational headquarters, aircraft spares and repair workshops and living quarters.

The Kościuszko squadron flew 400 missions. The name was famously used for Polish No. 303 Squadron which was responsible for the highest number of kills of any RAF squadron during the Battle of Britain. Although part of the RAF, 303 squadron was a formation of the Polish Air Force (PAF) which operated under the principal authority of the Polish government-in-exile.

[dastier]

What an amazing find! Captain Cooper's offer to serve the 2nd Republic and request to be assigned to a fighting front leaves me almost speechless. What a brave and honourable person he was.

Thanks for posting

Also Karolevitz and Fenn wrote book on these volunteers called 'Flight of the Eagles'. (I have a copy, one of the first books on the Polish military I bought as a young man - pre Amazon and other online book sellers!)

[StefanM]

A terrific book by one of the Kosciuszko pilots published in 1933:
Wings over Poland.: the story of the 7th (Kosciuszko) Squadron of the Polish Air Service, 1919, 1920,1921 By Kenneth Malcolm Murray.

[StefanM]

[MateuszS]

Dear Stefan,

I'm an aviation enthusiast and 1/72 scale modeler interested in Cooper's history. I do not want to "pollute" this topic by posing my question here and was wondering if you were so kind and could address my enquiry via e-mail. It has to do with the fascinating letter you have presented above.

I would very much appreciate, if you could get back to me via e-mail. My address is: mati.s@wp.pl

Many thanks and best regards,

Mateusz

[andrzejku98]

Hello Everyone,

Whilst surfing this morning I came across this photograph which Stefan has already shown, but this one was signed by the Pilots :



p.s. double click to enlarge in a new page.

Best wishes

Andrzej