Russian Federation honors Harlingen resident for fighter pilot prowess during WWII
HARLINGEN — A French pilot who flew fighter planes for Britain’s Royal Air Force and the Soviet Union was honored Friday for his wartime service to the Allies.
During a ceremony at Canterbury Gardens, Nikolay Y. Babich, consul general of the Russian Federation, based in Houston, presented Marcel Albert, 92, with a commemorative medal struck for the 65th anniversary of the end of World War II.
Albert, an American citizen for many years, now lives in Harlingen. He was brought here recently from Florida by friend John Garric, also a French pilot, and his wife, Nicole.
“This is a commemorative medal dedicated to the 65th anniversary of the victory of World War II to those who personally participated, or engaged in combat, who lived through those years,” Babich said. “He was a good leader, a good fighter pilot. We have a lot of respect for this guy.”
Babich said the Russian government sent him to thank Albert for his wartime bravery to help protect the Soviet Union. More than 25 million Soviet soldiers and civilians died fighting against Germany in World War II, he said.
The Russian government has recently made a big effort to thank those from other countries who helped defend the Soviet Union during World War II, Babich said.
“Recently in Moscow, there was a big military parade,” the Russian diplomat said. “For the first time since the end of World War II, the Allied troops marched together in Red Square — Russian troops, American troops, French troops, British troops and Polish troops, together again.”
Retirees who live at Canterbury Gardens applauded as Babich presented the medal to Albert with some gifts from the Russian people including a bottle of vodka.
Albert said he is very grateful for the gesture by the Russians.
The effort he and millions of other soldiers, airmen and sailors from many countries made has paid off, he said.
“The world isn’t in trouble at all,” the veteran said. “The world has already been stable for over 50 years.”
Garric, who was a pilot in the French air force in the 1960s, said Albert and other pilots were sent to the Soviet Union while the Battle of Stalingrad was raging as Germans advanced toward the important Soviet city.
Albert has previously received other major medals and honors from France, the Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia for his efforts on behalf of Allied nations during World War II, Garric said.
Albert received the Hero of the Soviet Union medal, the highest Russian award, in 1944, Garric said.
In 1938, Albert, then a transmission mechanic for automaker Renault, entered pilot training for the French air force.
He flew Bloch 152, Morane-Saulnier MS.406 and Hawk 75 fighter planes, Garric said.
While Germany was attacking France early in 1940, Albert shot down a German Do 17 bomber and Messerschmitt Me-109 fighter plane, the veteran’s record states.
After the German takeover, he flew for a time with the French Vichy government’s air force in Algeria, where he flew a few missions against the British, the records state.
But in October 1940, he and two other French pilots flew to Gibraltar and surrendered their planes to the British. Albert joined the British Royal Air Force and flew 47 missions in Spitfires.
When Gen. Charles De Gaulle called for volunteers to join the Normandie Free French fighter group to assist the Soviet Union, Albert and 13 others answered the call, Garric said, with Albert flying Soviet-made Yak-1 and Yak-9 fighter planes.
“Only three came back,” Garric said. “That squadron lost 47 pilots and shot down 273 enemy airplanes.”
During his career as a fighter pilot, Albert logged 1,131 flying hours and was credited with seven confirmed victories, 16 in collaboration with other pilots, Garric said.
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Allen Essex is a reporter for the Valley Morning Star in Harlingen.
