Pierre Gouachon-Noireault GC2/5

[keith A]

Also called Andre. This pilot flew with GCI/8 during the FC, making 3 claims (2 shared). He then served with GCII/5 and possibly with the 79th FG USAAF. Does anyone know when he joined GCII/5? I know he made another claim in 1944, together with 2 probables flying with the USAAF before being shot down POW in November 1944.

He was killed post-war.

[udf_00]

From Jean Gisclon's "Escadrille Lafayette" :
Gouachon : 1 Apr 1943 to 26 Nov 1944 (POW). KIFA 1945.

[keith A]

Cheers,

apparently he rejoined his unit in April 1945 after being liberated by the Russians.

My source has him KIFA 27-5-1946 with GC4/2 "Ile de France".

He seems to have been with the USAAF from March until April 1944.

regards


Keith

[udf_00]

From Jean Gisclon's "Escadrille Lafayette" : Infos condensed, translated and commented. The 18(?) Mar 1944, five pilots were sent to Naples for learning to fly the P-47 with the 57th FG, Gouachon claiming a Bf 109 north of Rome (no date). They were back at Bône the 6 Apr 1944 with P-47. They got ground instruction at Capodichino (home of the 79th FG). They shot theirs first landings on a rather short strip (possibly Cercola, home of the 57th FG). The squadron CO was a "commandant" Stewart (a captain Stewart was, a bit later, the 85thFs/79thFG CO). To say the least, I'm a bit confused... as usual.

[Frank Olynyk]

He is credited with 0/1/1 FW-190s on March 30, 1944 at 1100 hours, at map location A3838, flying with the 85FS, 79FG. French records show him with GC II/5 at this time. He is credited with one and two shared destroyed in the 1940 French campaign while with GC I/8-2 while flying the MB-152. On June 18, 1944 he shared a He-111 destroyed, and probably on the same date claimed a Me-109 damaged, with GC II/5, while flying a P-47D.

Enjoy!

Frank.

[keith A]

Thanks chaps,

I have his victories in March as both probables, and as one Bf109 and a Fw190 but the 0-1-1 seems more accurate given that he has five victory symbols on his P47D-28 in late 1944 (i.e. after 18.6.44). Likewise the Gisclon book only indicates a Bf109, probably going along with the general lack of recording "damaged" claims?

The Journal de Marche of GCII/5 doesn't seem to indicate a Bf109 damaged on 18/6/44, possibly unconfirmed?

It's also probable that all his P-47D claims were in another aircraft because "Bubble-Tops" weren't delivered to USAAF units before May 1944, so I assume the French received them much later.

regards

Keith

[CJE]

Pierre Gouachon-Noireault was killed on 27 May 1946.
He is officially credited with 3 shared victories in 1940 and one more on 18 June 1944.

[keith A]

That's odd CJE. I have him scoring one individual victory over a bf109 and 2 shared Do17 in 1940, together with the He111 shared in 1944....in "Les pilotes de chasses francais", a very good book.

By the way, I assume his move to GCII/5 was because GCI/8 was dissolved in December 1942 and he had to leave France pretty quickly?

salut


Keith