Well not exactly John. It’s designer was Jean Roche, who was French. He just happened to be in America when he designed it!

I didn’t know he was French, I knew he worked at the USAAC Engineering Division at McCook Field in Dayton (the predecessor to Wright Field as the Engineering center for Army aircraft).
In any event, the design was drawn, financed and put into production in America…and worth noting the engine was also made by Aeronca an example of when aircraft builders made powerplants.