Marcel Albert
Surname | Albert |
Given Name | Marcel |
Born | 25 Nov 1917 |
Died | 23 Aug 2010 |
Country | France |
Category | Military-Air |
Gender | Male |
Contributor: Alan Chanter
ww2dbaseMarcel Albert was born in Paris on the 25th November 1917. On leaving school he took a job as a metal worker with the Renault Company before joining the Armée de l'Air on the 7th December 1938. Qualifying as a fighter pilot Albert was posted to the 1/3 Groupe de Chasse-Escadrille in early 1940, although he did not see any combat until the German Invasion in May. On the 14th May Marcel achieved his first combat victory when, flying a Dewoitine D.520, he shot down a Dornier Do.17 north of Suippes. Later that day he shot down a Messerschmitt Bf.109 although this was not confirmed. On the 20th he accounted for a Heinkel He.111 near Ham, but as France fell to the Germans, he and a few comrades escaped by plane from Oran to Gibraltar, and from there to England to join 340 Squadron "Ile de France" of the Free French Air Force. with which he flew 47 missions.
ww2dbaseIn 1942 he volunteered to join the groupe de Chasse No.3 "Normandie" to serve in Russia flying YAK fighters. Over the next few months his score of victories gradually increased, including a Junkers Ju.88 and two Focke-Wulf Fw.190s on the 15th October. By the end of October, now as the Commanding Officer of No.4 Escadrille his score had reached 23 plus two probable.
ww2dbaseReturning to France in 1945, Marcel was decorated by both the French and Russian Governments (including the Crois de Guerre, aves 15 palmes et trois etoiles de Vermeil, and the order of Lenin) . After the war he served as French Air attaché to Prague, and later emigrated to the United States where he became a successful businessman. He passed away in Texas, United States in 2010.
ww2dbaseSource: World Aircraft Information Files.
Last Major Revision: Sep 2007
Marcel Albert Timeline
25 Nov 1917 | Marcel Albert was born. |
16 Jun 1943 | Marcel Albert, flying a Yak-1 fighter, shot down a Fw 189 aircraft over Brusna, Sumy Oblast, Ukraine. |
14 Jul 1943 | Marcel Albert, flying a Yak-9 fighter, shot down a Bf 110 aircraft over Jagodnaja, Krasnikovo, Russia. |
17 Jul 1943 | Marcel Albert, flying a Yak-9 fighter, shot down a Fw 190 aircraft over Jagodnaja, Krasnikovo, Russia. |
19 Jul 1943 | Marcel Albert, flying a Yak-9 fighter, shot down a Ju 88 aircraft over Krasnikovo, Russia. |
1 Sep 1943 | Marcel Albert, flying a Yak-9 fighter, shot down a Fw 190 aircraft over Yelnya, Smolensk, Russia. |
17 Sep 1943 | Marcel Albert, flying a Yak-9 fighter, shot down a Fw 190 aircraft 10 kilometers west of Yelnya, Smolensk, Russia. |
22 Sep 1943 | Marcel Albert, flying a Yak-9 fighter, shot down a Fw 190 aircraft 30 kilometers southeast of Smolensk, Russia. |
12 Oct 1943 | Marcel Albert, flying a Yak-9 fighter, shot down a Fw 190 aircraft over Horki, Byellorussia. |
15 Oct 1943 | Marcel Albert, flying a Yak-9 fighter, shot down a Fw 190 aircraft 7 kilometers north of Horki, Byellorussia. |
16 Oct 1944 | Marcel Albert, flying a Yak-3 fighter, shot down a Fw 190 aircraft southeast of Stallupönen, Ostpreußen, Germany (now Nesterov, Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia). |
18 Oct 1944 | Marcel Albert, flying a Yak-3 fighter, shot down a Fw 190 aircraft over Stallupönen, Ostpreußen, Germany (now Nesterov, Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia). |
26 Oct 1944 | Marcel Albert, flying a Yak-3 fighter, shot down a Bf 109 aircraft southeast of Stallupönen, Ostpreußen, Germany (now Nesterov, Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia). |
27 Nov 1944 | Marcel Albert was made a Hero of the Soviet Union and was also awarded the Order of Lenin. |
27 Jun 1945 | French fighter ace Marcel Albert was appointed Commandeur of the Légion d'honneur. |
23 Aug 2010 | Marcel Albert passed away in Harlingen, Texas, United States. |
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Visitor Submitted Comments
15 Aug 2020 05:07:28 AM
Is Marcel Albert still alive? Please add. If he is still alive he would be 103, which is quite unreal.
17 Aug 2020 06:48:07 AM
Thank you for leaving the question, EuropaGames. This article was originally published in 2007, and Marcel Albert was still with us, but he had since passed in 2010. I have just updated the article.
All visitor submitted comments are opinions of those making the submissions and do not reflect views of WW2DB.
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27 Sep 2007 05:55:38 AM
A very nice girl