Norman Princemen (CoC program)

Lieut. Norman Prince Drum and Bugle Corps
"Princemen"
Boston, Massachusetts

In January 1915 Norman Prince, son of a Boston financier, was an American Volunteer in the French Army to serve until the end of World War I. He was assigned to the Military Aviation and served with high honors.

He was one of the founders of the Escadrille Americaine, later to be known as the Lafayette Flying Squadron. When the United States entered the War in 1917, his squadron carried the first American flag that appeared on any battlefield in World War I.

Lieut. Norman Prince served with great honor and was decorated by the French Government with Croix de Guerre, the Medaille Militaire and the Croix de la Legion d'Honneur.

On October 12, 1916 Lieut. Prince and other members of his squadron were assigned to convoy a French bombarding fleet in an aerial raid on Oberndorf, a German arms and munition center located in Vosges near the Plains of Alsace. He was on his way back from this raid when his plane struck an aerial cable in the darkness while he was endeavoring to land. Lieut. Norman Prince was badly injured and on Sunday morning, October 15, 1916, he died.

When the Lieut. Norman Prince Post No. 1506 was founded, the Republic of France, through the French Consul in Boston, presented the Post with the tri-colors of France in honor of the memory of Lieut. Norman Prince.

This flag has been carried with permission by the Lieut. Norman Prince Drum and Bugle Corps since its inception in 1946. On Flag Day, June 14, the Consul General of France, Major Charles dePampelone, presented a new French flag to the Lieut. Norman Prince Post, and this will be carried in all parades and contests by the "Princemen" throughout the U.S.A.

****(In the program, scheduled to appear... but, didn't field)