Charles Quette

{{short description|French World War I flying ace}} {{Infobox military person | name = Charles Quette | image = | caption = | birth_date = 19 May 1895 | death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1918|6|5|1895|5|19}} (missing in action) | burial_label = | burial_place = | birth_place = Paris, France | death_place = | burial_coordinates =  | nickname = | allegiance = France | branch = Infantry; aviation | service_years = | rank = ''Sous lieutenant'' | unit = ''89e Regiment d'Infanterie'' ''Escadrille MS.38'' ''Escadrille C.64'' ''Escadrille N.62'' | commands = | battles = | awards = ''Médaille militaire'' ''Croix de Guerre'' Mentioned in Dispatches thrice | relations = | other_work = }} ''Sous lieutenant'' '''Charles Alfred Quette''' (19 May 1895 – 5 June 1918) was a French World War I flying ace credited with ten confirmed and five unconfirmed aerial victories.

==Early life==

Charles Alfred Quette was born in Paris on 19 May 1895.<ref name="OtF-p210"/>

==World War I== Quette originally was a soldat de 2e classe in the infantry. He transferred to aviation and on 5 July 1915 joined ''Escadrille MS.38'' as a mechanic. On 24 August, he transferred again, to ''Escadrille C.64'' as a gunner/observer on Caudrons. His service there earned him two citations in orders. He then trained as a pilot. On 11 April 1917, he was promoted to Corporal and assigned to ''Escadrille N.62'' as a Spad pilot.<ref name="OtF-p210">{{cite book |title= Over the Front: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the United States and French Air Services, 1914–1918 |page= 210 }}</ref>

Quette scored his first aerial victory on 22 July 1917. He was then awarded the ''Médaille militaire''; the accompanying citation noted he had already been wounded twice. He was also promoted to sergeant on 25 August 1917. In September, Quette scored four more times to become an ace. A promotion to adjutant followed.<ref name="OtF-p210" />

Between 15 March and 4 June 1918, Quette scored five more times. On 5 June, having been promoted to temporary ''sous lieutenant'' five days prior, Quette disappeared and was posted missing in action. On 9 July 1918, he was mentioned in dispatches for his ten victories.<ref name="OtF-p210" />

==Honors and awards==

''Médaille Militaire''

The citation for the award read: ''Pilot of Escadrille N62. Young and full of courage and sang-froid. He has distinguished himself in many situations and has had numerous combats, during the course of which his plane was hit several times by enemy fire. On 22 July 1917, he downed a German plane after a difficult combat. Wounded twice and cited in orders twice during the course of the war.'' <ref name="OtF-p210" /><ref>The Aerodrome website at http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/france/quette.php Retrieved 11 November 2017.</ref>

''Croix de Guerre'' also awarded<ref>{{Cite web |title=World War I Military Medals and Decorations - France - Croix de Guerre |url=http://www.theaerodrome.com/medals/france/cdg.php?pageNum_recipients=25&totalRows_recipients=307#recipients |access-date=2025-12-09 |website=theaerodrome.com}}</ref>

==See also== * List of people who disappeared

==Endnotes== {{reflist}}

==References== * ''Over the Front: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the United States and French Air Services, 1914-1918'' Norman L. R. Franks, Frank W. Bailey. Grub Street, 1992. {{ISBN|0-948817-54-2}}, {{ISBN|978-0-948817-54-0}}.

==External links== * The Aerodrome website at http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/france/quette.php * :fr:Charles Quette

{{DEFAULTSORT:Quette, Charles}} Category:1895 births Category:1918 deaths Category:French recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1914–1918 (France) Category:French Army officers Category:French World War I flying aces Category:Missing in action of World War I Category:Aerial disappearances of military personnel in action Category:French military personnel killed in World War I