Monument Details

Naval Air Station Paimboeuf Memorial, WW1

Details:

On the southern side of Rue du Capitaine Leroy.

Marker
Two identical stone pyramids with black plaques commemorating the airbase in French and English. There are also several signs nearby recounting the role of observation balloons and dirigibles during the war.

aimboeuf served as the training station for USN dirigible crews as well as serving as a base to conduct wartime patrols. USN personnel began training there in December 1917, with mixed US/French crews making war patrols from there at the end of Feb. 1918. The US took full control of the site and commissioned it as an NAS on March 1, 1918.

The base is also referred to as Ville en Bois Naval Airbase.

From the Naval Heritage Website:

he U.S. Naval Air Station at Paimboeuf, France, was originally a French lighter-than-air aircraft station. Established a U.S. Naval Air Station in March 1918, it was disestablished in January 1919. The commanding officer was Lieutenant Commander Louis H. Maxfield. The western France station was one of the most active lighter-than-air aircraft stations during World War I. During World War I, serving as Assistant Secretary of the Navy, FDR (Franklin Delano Roosevelt) traveled to Europe to inspect US Navy facilities. Several weeks into his trip, on August 17th, 1918 he visited a base in Paimboeuf, Western France where he was offered a ride aboard a French-built airship.

Monument Text:

Plaque 1:

Ť HERE WAS LOCATED FROM 1916 TO 1918

A FRANCO-AMERICAN NAVAL AERONAUTICAL

AIRSHIPS BASE WHICH ALLOWED THOUSANDS

OF AMERICAN SOLDIERS TO LAND AT

SAINT-NAZAIRE HARBOUR. ť

Plaque 2:

Ť DE 1916 - 1918 SUR CE SITE ETAIT IMPLANTE UNE

BASE AERONAUTIQUE NAVALE FRANCO-AMERICAINE

DE BALLONS DIRIGEABLES QUI PERMIT LE DEBARQUEMENT

SANS ENCOMBRES DE MILLIERS DE SOLDATS US

AU PORT DE SAINT NAZAIRE. ť

Plaque 3:

IN MEMORIAM

***

Lamport, Nathan Harry, seaman, second class,

United States Naval Reserve Force.

Enrolled: Great Lakes, III., April 23, 1918.

Died: Naval air station, Paimboeuf, France,

September 3, 1918.

Cause: Fractured skull.

Next of kin: Mother, Ethel Lamport, 990 John R.

Street, Detroit, Mich.

Vinson, Norman Craig, seaman, second class,

United States Naval Reserve Force.

Enrolled: Indianapolis, Ind., April 25, 1918.

Died: Naval air station, Paimboeuf,

September 21, 1918.

Cause: Fractured skull, complicated by meningitis.

Next of kin: Mother, Mrs. Ida A. Vinson, 1106˝ State

Street, Lawrenceville, III.

Commemorates:

People:

Harry Nathan Lamport

Louis Henry Maxfield

Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Norman Craig Vinson

Units:

Naval Aviation

U.S. Rigid Air Detachment

United States Navy

Wars:

WWI

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