Marcel Bloch (aviator)

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

World War I service
Bloch volunteered for the French military on 7 September 1916, and was assigned to aviation service. After pilot training, he was granted Military Pilot's Brevet No. 2571 on 12 October 1915. 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.

Postwar life
On 1 March 1919, Bloch returned to France. He would never recover from his war wounds, succumbing to them 29 March 1938 in Czechoslovakia.

Honors and awards

 * Légion d'Honneur
 * Médaille Militaire
 * Croix de Guerre
 * Russian Order of Saint George
 * Russian Order of Saint Ann