Black Buffalos, US Squadron

[Regulus]

Hi,

This seems to have been an American unit in WW I which was under the command of a Frenchman, Lt. Sanche de Gramont.

I have never heard of it before. Who can tell me something more ?

Best from Johan

[rammjaeger]

Hm, that is hard to believe for me.

Black buffalo sounds rather like a term for black US-American soldiers

and the French name of the Squadron leader reminds on this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Morgan

but I could be in error.

VBR
Rammjaeger

[gilles]

Hello

Actually, the "black buffaloes" was a french unit : N471 from the Camp Retranché de Paris (CRP) but all the pilots were americans except the CO; Lt de Gramont de Coigny.
He was MIA july 3rd 1918.

Gilles

[Gregvan]

Hello,

As gilles has indicated, the "black buffaloes" certainly refers to Escadrille N. 471. The origin of the name was the fact that one of the unit insignias was the black silhouette of a buffalo or bison on a yellow oval with black outline. The buffalo was selected as a quintessential symbol of the USA, and was based on the image on the buffalo nickel or 5 cents piece. This was the third escadrille insignia selected - the first two were variations of a triangular pennant colored like the American flag. The unit flew Nieuport 27s and SPAD VIIs.

There was an excellent article on this unit by Charles Woolley, published in Cross & Cockade (US) Vol. 11 No. 1, 1970. According to this article, the unit's first commander was Lt. Compte Sanche de Gramont, the son of the count and countess G. de Gramont of Savennieres, Maine et Loire. Initially the mechanics and support personnel were all French, but all the pilots were Americans. In fact, Woolley calls it "the second Escadrille Americaine".

As Rammjaeger has stated, in the old Western USA of the late 19th Century, units of black American infantry or cavalry in the US Army were sometimes referred to as "buffalo soldiers" by Native Americans, because of their dark skin and tight, curly hair. Some units of black soldiers in WWI may still have been called by this name sometimes, but this has nothing to do with N.471.

Greg

[StephenLawson]

Let me echo Greg's comments as being correct.

[Regulus]

Thank you gentlemen for these replies.

Isn't it a curious thing ? The Lafayette escadrille is known by everyone, this unit is as good as known by almost nobody...

Any ideas on the reason(s) why ?

[ONEALM]

Let me say that both Greg and Stephen are correct.

As to why this unit is not well known ? Nobody remembers who came in 2nd *and* it had a virtually non-existant combat record. Not much to do with obsolete Nieuports near Paris by that time of the war.

I've attached two photos from the album of Lawrence Cauffman of N.471 and Merchantville, New Jersey from his time with the unit.

-Mike

[pvernon]

Can anyone tell me when the unit was formed? And when it converted to the SPAD 7. The partial info that I have says they converted from Nieuports to the SPAD 7s in Jan to Feb 1918 then converted to SPAD 13s in April 1918. The Jan/Feb time frame for the N27 to SPA7 conversion is rather late compared to other units convertions.
Thanks for any help.

[Regulus]

Mike,

Seems very logical indeed. Thanks for these photo's ! I ran into this story by accident almost and wondered what the story on these men was...

Best from Johan

[Cigogne]

Escadrille N.471 was one of the "Defence of Paris" squadrons and not considered a frontline unit, although the eager Americans sought to fly to the Front whenever they could, either by joining patrols from other units, etc.

1/Lt. Walter Avery, who later was with the 95th Aero Squadron, succeeded du Grammont as C.O.

1/Lt. Kellogg also flew with the unit until he seriously crashed landed on top of a tree. He survived, but that was the end of his war flying.

Over The Front Vol. 1/No. 3 has an excellent article on Avery and Lansing Holden who also served with one of the Defence of Paris units.