Lieutenant, U.S. Army Air Corps
John Capdevielle proudly served in the Army Air Corps as an observer. He flew his L4 “Grasshopper” light, unarmed plane over enemy lines in Europe during World War II as part of the Rolling 89th Division. He was constantly exposed to enemy fire as he identified enemy targets for the artillery, recorded enemy troop movements and sometimes served as an air taxi.
When the war ended, Capdevielle returned to his home in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and began a lifelong relationship with LSU, serving for 35 years as Director of Housing for the university. He was a founding member of and served on the LSU War Memorial Commission, which recognizes all alumni and faculty who died while serving in the military from World War II to current conflicts. One of his passions was the establishment of the LSU Military Museum, and he was instrumental in encouraging the dream of the museum. He also served for many years as chapter advisor for Theta Xi social fraternity.
His lifelong love of aircraft and flying allowed for his participation as a member of the East Baton Rouge Parish Airport Commission.
Cadets of the Ole War Skule inducted Capdevielle into the LSU Military Hall of Honor in 1998. He served as a volunteer for 23 years at LSU’s Lod Cook Alumni Center where he was considered the reference archivist of recent LSU history, knowing the locations of many of the former buildings that were removed for the ever-expanding campus.
In 1998, he was honored by induction into the Hall of Honor for Distinguished LSU Military Alumni. John Capdevielle died in 2017.