Major Accart with his Spitfire Mk.IX of GC
2/2 Berry, in August 1944.
Born on April 7, 1912 in
Fécamp France. Jean Marie Accart began his professional career as
a sailor for the "Compagnie Générale Transatlantique" before
joining the French Navy on his 20th birthday. After volunteering
for Naval Aviation he first became an observer, then a pilot with
escadrille 3S1.
In 1936, some escadrilles were transferred to the French Air Force
where he was second in command, then commandant of Escadrille of
GC 1/5. He was wounded in combat on June 1, 1940.
He took advantage of his convalescence to write "Chasseurs du Ciel"
(Hunter in the sky), a testimony of his group's action during the
war. After recuperating of his wounds, he was assigned to the
Southern region air defence headquarters. In November 1941, he took
command of a newly formed section of advanced fighter tactics at
the Air Academy in Salon de Provence.
Captain Accart with a Morane 406 of
advanced fighter tactics at the Air Academy in Salon-de-Provence in
November 1941.
Released from duty during the armistice of November 1942, he made
his way to Spain with several of his students. After being held in
Spain for some times, he made his way to North Africa after the
allied liberation, and he took command of GC 2/2 Berry, at its
creation on January 16 1944. He stayed at the front until October
then left for the united States to attend "The Command and General
Staff School" in Fort Leavenworth.
Assigned to the department of aerial studies and planning, he
became the inspector general of the French Air Force juste before
the end of the war.
Promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, he became cabinet chief of the
French Air Force headquarter in December of 1947, then deputy
director to the flight test centre in Brétigny in March of 1948.
In July of 1951, with the rank of Colonel he was made inspector of
the fighter arm. In September he was now commanding the Air Base
112 in Reims France, and he became second in command of the Etat-Major
de l'Armée de l'Air (EMAA) four years later. On November 21 1960
he was nominated as the commandant of the first Tactical Air
Command (CATAC) and French Air Force in Germany (FAFA), and he
was promoted to Major General (RAF = air vice marshal) in January
of 1961. After holding several other posts, he ended his career as
Lieutenant General (RAF = Air Marshal), and inspector of armament
fabrication program on March 30, 1965.
Jean Marie Accart died on August 19, 1992.
ACCART Jean-Marie
Flight Lieutenant / Captain
GC I/5
10.05.40 (2) Do 17 Minaucourt [51]
10.05.40 (2) Do 17 Dun sur Meuse [55]
10.05.40 (2) Do 17 Dun sur Meuse [55]
10.05.40 (2) Do 17 Suippes [51]
11.05.40 (3) He 111 Souilly-Semmes [55]
11.05.40 (3) He 111 St-Mihiel [55]
18.05.40 (2) He 111 Fismes [51]
18.05.40 (4) He 111 Soissons [02]
18.05.40 (2) He 111 Braine [02]
26.05.40 (9) He 111 Tannay [08]
26.05.40 (4) He 111 Châtillon sur Bar [08]
01.06.40 (3) He 111 Vesoul [70]
