Armond J. Berthelot

Who was Armond J. Berthelot?

Adjutant Armond Jean Berthelot was a French World War I flying ace credited with eleven confirmed aerial victories. He was a scourge to enemy aerial observers.

On 8 October 1912, Berthelot enlisted in the French military for three years. He first served in the 3eme Dragons. He was promoted to enlisted Brigadier on 3 August 1913, and once more, to Maréchal-des-logis on 2 April 1915. On 5 November 1916, he entered pilot training; he earned Pilot's Brevet No. 5703, which was awarded him on 18 March 1917. His first aerial assignment, on 22 May 1917, was to Escadrille 365 in defense of Paris. Two months later, on 27 July, Berthelot was reassigned to Escadrille N15.

On 24 March 1918, he destroyed a German observation balloon. On 12 April, he was again a balloon buster, ruining one over Mezieres. Upgraded to a Spad, he started downing enemy observation planes: three in May, including a shared win with Bernard Artigau; another on 6 June. Exactly a month later, he was awarded the Medaille Militaire; a prerequisite of the award was the Croix de Guerre, which he held with ten palmes and an etoile de bronze.