117 - MERMOZ, Jean

MERMOZ, Jean 2 letters “Jean” and “Mermoz,” Casablanca, April 5 and 23, 1927, to his “Dearest Mom”; 2 pages, in-4 format each. Dream of a transatlantic flight. April 5. He didn’t get his leave for July. “My leave for July cannot be granted. Apparently, I’m needed here until September 1, and they won’t be able to grant me a month’s leave until then. That bothers me because once I’ve made plans for a certain time, I don’t really like being delayed. And besides, I’d really like to come and give you a hug. So in any case, I’ll try to make arrangements to spend eight or ten days in France, if possible around the time of the Lille air show. Am I still a member of the Association Aéronautique du Nord? […] Colonel Denain hasn’t replied yet. You have to be patient because bureaucracy is never in a hurry”… He mentions General Girod’s article about him, prompted by Latécoère “in order to get me awarded the cross […] What a bunch of idiots!!”… Correspondence, No. 112. April 23. He had a mild case of the flu upon his return from Juby. “I’m in correspondence with Colonel Denain regarding a planned transatlantic flight. He promised to look into it, and perhaps I’ll be able to carry it out as a military pilot on active duty, since this kind of “sport” is forbidden to civilian pilots. I’d love to succeed! But… Well, if it comes to anything, I’ll have to rush to the Ministry in Paris. I’m hopeful and I’m waiting”… He’s furious about General Girod’s article about him, “calling for me to receive the Legion of Honor and all that nonsense! […] If I truly deserve it, I want it to be solely for that reason and not through connections. That would spoil the result of my efforts and the joy I can derive from them”… Source: - Jean Mermoz (1901–1936); - Gabrielle Gillet-Mermoz (1880–1955); - Then passed down through the family