Interview with Steven Tom on Kiffin Rockwell & The Lafayette Escadrille

Steven Tom is an aviation historian and the author of the 2019 book First to Fight, biography of Lafayette Escadrille pilot Kiffin Rockwell. In our discussion about Kiffin Rockwell and the important figures in his life, Steve outlines his process in researching and composing the book. For those who may not be familiar, Kiffin Rockwell was an early member of the French American Lafayette Escadrille squadron during WWI. Often credited as the first American pilot to shoot down an enemy craft in combat, Rockwell is a central figure in the history of the Escadrille who was shot down in September 1916 over the town of Roderen, France. His brother Paul had served in the Foreign Legion with Kiffin, and was the official historian of the squadron during and after the war. Kiffin’s mother Loula played an important role in his story, at first fearing for the safety of her boys before gradually coming to terms with their idealistic investment in the French cause. Steve also discusses the importance of Alice Weeks, mother of a Legionnaire who died in combat, who acted as a “second mother” for American volunteers in the French military like Kiffin when they were granted leave to travel to Paris. Interview recorded via Zoom. Music is “Lafayette, We Hear You Calling” by Mary Earl, recording from the Library of Congress website.