Jean Mermoz
Pilot
Aviator who built aircraft and established commercial flight routes out of Europe and South America.
He joined the French Air Force just after World War I and was an outstanding military pilot.
His flights into uncharted territory influenced the development of aviation in Argentina, Brazil, and his native France. Sadly, he disappeared over the ocean during a 1936 flight.
He grew up in the northern French region of Aisne.
He and Italo Balbo both rose to fame as a result of their superb piloting skills.