Fight Lieutenant Joseph Omer "Trottle" Levesque
Born: May 21, 1920
Died: June 2, 2006
Place of Birth: Mont-Joli, Quebec
Major Notes:
In early years, he wasn't interested in the RCAF because he felt it was an English-speaking institution.
Levesque joined the militia in Mount Joli and rose rapidly to the rank of Lieutenant.
He then enrolled at Ottawa University, the first bilingual university in Canada.
He joined the RCAF in 1940 taking his flight training in Manitoba.
Entering active battle over France in 1941, he soon had his first confirmed kill and was promoted to Flight Sergeant.
In 1942, he was sent on regular Channel crossings as a commissioned Flying Officer.
He was shot down over the Channel and captured and spent the last three years of the war in Stalag Luft III.
After the war, he re-enlisted in the RCAF and completed a degree program at McGill University.
He spent time with the 410 Squadron's aerobatic team called the Blue Devils.
As a Flight Lieutenant of the USAF/RCAF exchange program, he found himself as the first Canadian to perform perform combat over Korea.
Levesque was the first Commonwealth pilot to shoot down a MiG 15 aircraft.
For detailed research and more information, check out any of the following:
Canadian Air Aces and Heroes
RCAF.com
CANAV Books
RCAF Ace
Grostenquin France
Last Updated: April 23, 2008
© Canada-Heros/Don Jones 2003