Near Carthage in Moore County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
James Rogers McConnell
Photographed By Forest McDermott, September 4, 2015
1. James Rogers McConnell Marker
Inscription.
James Rogers McConnell. . In January 1915 James Roger McConnell left Carthage, N.C. For N.Y. And sailed to France. He volunteered in the American Ambulance Service as an ambulance driver. He was awarded the much coveted Croix de Guerre for Bravery Under Fire. He later joined the French Flying Corps and was one of the world's first fighter pilots by the Fall of 1915. McConnell was the 4th of seven original founders of the world famous Lafayette Escadrille. (N 124), known as the “Darlings of the Air”. McConnell was shot down and killed by 2 German airplanes as he was pursuing another “Boche” plane on March 19th, 1917. He was the last of the group killed before the U.S. entered the war. He just had his 30th birthday a week before. His very good friend, Kiffin Rockwell from Asheville, N.C. Was also one of the founders and was killed before McConnell. McConnell wrote the book “Flying for France”. It was published just before his death in 1917. Another Croix de Guerre was awarded after his death. He is buried outside Paris in the Lafayette Escadrille Memorial., This monument was sent by the French Government in late 1917. It was placed at the James Rogers McConnell Hospital at Farm Life School in rural Moore County, N.C. The well could not supply enough water and the hospital and monument were moved to Pinehurst, N.C. Later it was moved to the old Town Hall in Carthage. In 2010 the Carthage Town Board approved a request by Roland Gilliam to relocate the monument to his airport. The airport is names Gilliam-McConnell Airfield. The James Rogers McConnell Chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association is headquartered here. Plans are to build a museum bearing his name across the runway. Roland and Nancy Gilliam donated the land that this memorial occupies to the Town of Carthage.
In January 1915 James Roger McConnell left Carthage, N.C. For N.Y. And sailed to France. He volunteered in the American Ambulance Service as an ambulance driver. He was awarded the much coveted Croix de Guerre for Bravery Under Fire. He later joined the French Flying Corps and was one of the world's first fighter pilots by the Fall of 1915. McConnell was the 4th of seven original founders of the world famous Lafayette Escadrille. (N 124), known as the “Darlings of the Air”. McConnell was shot down and killed by 2 German airplanes as he was pursuing another “Boche” plane on March 19th, 1917. He was the last of the group killed before the U.S. entered the war. He just had his 30th birthday a week before. His very good friend, Kiffin Rockwell from Asheville, N.C. Was also one of the founders and was killed before McConnell. McConnell wrote the book “Flying for France”. It was published just before his death in 1917. Another Croix de Guerre was awarded after his death. He is buried outside Paris in the Lafayette Escadrille Memorial.
This monument was sent by the French Government in late 1917. It was placed at the James Rogers McConnell Hospital at Farm Life School in rural Moore County, N.C. The well could not supply enough water and the hospital and monument were moved to Pinehurst, N.C. Later
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it was moved to the old Town Hall in Carthage. In 2010 the Carthage Town Board approved a request by Roland Gilliam to relocate the monument to his airport. The airport is names Gilliam-McConnell Airfield. The James Rogers McConnell Chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association is headquartered here. Plans are to build a museum bearing his name across the runway. Roland and Nancy Gilliam donated the land that this memorial occupies to the Town of Carthage.
Topics. This memorial is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • War, World I. A significant historical date for this entry is March 19, 1917.
Location. 35° 20.45′ N, 79° 26.211′ W. Marker is near Carthage, North Carolina, in Moore County. Memorial is on Gilliam McConnell Road, 0.2 miles west of Dowd Road, on the right when traveling west. Marker is located next to the parking lot within the Gilliam-McConnell Airfield. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 194 Gilliam McConnell Rd, Carthage NC 28327, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Photographed By Forest McDermott, September 4, 2015
3. James Rogers McConnell Marker
Wider view of the three markers which are all related to one another.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 20, 2017. It was originally submitted on June 14, 2017, by Forest McDermott of Masontown, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 291 times since then and 27 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on June 14, 2017, by Forest McDermott of Masontown, Pennsylvania. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.