Marcel Bloch (aviator)

For the French aviation executive who began his life as Marcel Bloch, see Marcel Dassault

Marcel Robert Leopold Bloch
Born	(1890-07-21)July 21, 1890 La Chaux de Fonds, Switzerland
Died	Czechoslovakia
Allegiance	France
Service/branch	Flying services
Years of service	1914–1918
Rank	Sous lieutenant
Unit	Escadrille 3, Escadrille 62
Awards	Légion d'honneur, Médaille militaire, Croix de Guerre, Russian Order of Saint George and Order of Saint Anne

Sous Lieutenant Marcel Robert Marcel Bloch was a World War I flying ace who fought on both Eastern and Western Fronts. He was credited with five aerial victories, all scored against German observation balloons.

Bloch was originally assigned to fly a Nieuport for Escadrille 3 but transferred to Escadrille 62 on 25 May 1916. He became a balloon buster ace, destroying five German observation balloons between 26 June and 1 October 1916. In the process of destroying number three, on 3 July 1916, he was seriously wounded twice. He downed his last two on 30 September and 1 October.

In 1917, Bloch was transferred from combat duty to a military mission. On 23 March, he was transferred to the Russian Front. He sustained serious injuries on 8 May 1917, when he suffered a flying accident. After many months in hospital, he was assigned to the French Mission to the United States on 10 September 1918. On 1 March 1919, he returned to France.

References

Nieuport Aces of World War 1. Norman Franks. Osprey Publishing, 2000. ISBN 1-85532-961-1, ISBN 978-1-85532-961-4.