▁in ▁D ax ▁– ▁ 3 1 ▁December ▁ 1 9 5 2 , ▁in ▁Nice ) ▁was ▁a ▁French ▁general , ▁av i ator ▁and ▁politician . ▁He ▁was ▁behind ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁the ▁Sal on - de - Pro v ence ▁Air ▁School ▁and ▁the ▁general ▁development ▁of ▁military ▁av iation . ▁ ▁Biography ▁Den ain ▁graduated ▁from ▁Saint - C yr ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 1 ▁and ▁joined ▁the ▁French ▁Army ' s ▁caval ry . ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 3 , ▁he ▁was ▁assigned ▁as ▁Second ▁Lieutenant ▁to ▁the ▁ 6 e ▁rég iment ▁de ▁ch asse urs ▁à ▁cheval ▁( 6 th ▁Caval ary ▁Regiment ) ▁and ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 9 0 5 , ▁as ▁a ▁First ▁Lieutenant , ▁he ▁campaign ed ▁in ▁the ▁southern ▁territ ories ▁with ▁the ▁ 5 e ▁rég iment ▁de ▁ch asse urs ▁d ' A frique ▁( 5 th ▁Regiment ▁of ▁Ch asse urs ▁d ' A frique ). ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 5 , ▁he ▁transferred ▁to ▁the ▁French ▁Air ▁Force ▁where ▁he ▁commanded ▁the ▁aircraft ▁of ▁the ▁Al lied ▁arm ies ▁on ▁the ▁Eastern ▁Front ▁( 1 9 1 6 – 1 9 1 8 ). ▁With ▁the ▁French ▁Air ▁Force , ▁he ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁Lev ant ▁from ▁ 1 9 1 8 ▁to ▁ 1 9 2 3 , ▁mainly ▁in ▁Sy ria . ▁As ▁such , ▁he ▁became ▁a ▁prote ge ▁of ▁General ▁W ey g and ▁who ▁arranged ▁a ▁foreign ▁career ▁for