Valérie André, a pioneering French army general, neurosurgeon, and helicopter pilot, who is well-recognized as the first woman to fly combat rescue missions, has died in her Paris home at 102. Popularly known as “Mademoiselle Helicopter,” she saved countless lives during the French-Indochina war and later broke barriers by becoming the first female army general in the French armed forces.
A legacy of courage and determination
André’s extraordinary career began in 1949 when she joined the French army as a fresh graduate medical officer in Indochina. With a previously acquired civilian pilot’s license and parachuting experience, she defied initial resistance from her superiors, proving her worth by landing on parachutes and performing emergency surgeries near the war front lines.
She later returned to France in 1950 where she earned her military helicopter license, returning to Indochina, she launched her career full-time flying rescue missions.
Flying a Hiller 360 helicopter, André carried wounded soldiers from the battlefield to hospitals in Hanoi, often under enemy fire. With the added advantage of weighing less than 100 pounds herself, she flew alone, strapping stretchers to the helicopter’s skids.
Over her career in Indochina, she completed 168 missions, saving both French soldiers and as many Viet Minh fighters as she had space for. A war correspondent in Hanoi once described her as “small, very thin, with a rich and striking mane of chestnut hair,” while recalling her chain-smoking Camels before takeoff.
Valérie André contributions extended past Indochina to the Algerian Wars, where she flew 365 combat missions, ferrying commando troops into conflict zones. For her bravery in the face of challenges, she was awarded the Croix de Guerre, which is the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor, and the U.S. Legion of Merit.
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Valéré André: Breaking barriers for women in the military
In 1976, Valérie André recorded another milestone by becoming the first woman to attain the rank of general in the French armed forces. Her influence continued beyond her active duty.
She also led a commission to advocate for expanded roles for women in the military, pushing for equal opportunities in combat and technical roles, not just administrative duties.
“She was a one-woman MASH unit,” said Jean Ross Howard Phelan.
As an early American helicopter pilot herself, Phelan said she admired André’s resilience and courage. Also a staunch advocate for gender equality, André believed women should not be confined to administrative tasks, striving instead for their full participation in combat and aviation roles.
André’s life serves as a source of inspiration to many, chronicled in her memoirs, “Ici, Ventilateur!” and “Madame le Général” and even more recently in a biography, “Helicopter Heroine” where she was the subject. Reflecting on her adventurous life,
“ I wanted a lot of sky.” she once said.
Her legacy as a pioneer, soldier, and women’s rights advocate continues to inspire generations.