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subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-Creation_of_the_Air_Service-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Background_of_the_wartime_Air_Service" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Background_of_the_wartime_Air_Service"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.1</span> <span>Background of the wartime Air Service</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Background_of_the_wartime_Air_Service-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Aircraft_production_failures" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Aircraft_production_failures"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.2</span> <span>Aircraft production failures</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Aircraft_production_failures-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Pilot_training" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Pilot_training"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.3</span> <span>Pilot training</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Pilot_training-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Air_Service_of_the_AEF" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Air_Service_of_the_AEF"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2</span> <span>Air Service of the AEF</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-Air_Service_of_the_AEF-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle Air Service of the AEF subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-Air_Service_of_the_AEF-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Organization" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Organization"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2.1</span> <span>Organization</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Organization-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Operations" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Operations"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2.2</span> <span>Operations</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Operations-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-"Firsts"" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-3"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#"Firsts""> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2.2.1</span> <span>"Firsts"</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-"Firsts"-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Units_and_tactics" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-3"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Units_and_tactics"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2.2.2</span> <span>Units and tactics</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Units_and_tactics-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Army_of_occupation_duties" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Army_of_occupation_duties"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2.3</span> <span>Army of occupation duties</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Army_of_occupation_duties-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Chiefs,_AEF_Aviation" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Chiefs,_AEF_Aviation"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2.4</span> <span>Chiefs, AEF Aviation</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Chiefs,_AEF_Aviation-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Statistical_summary,_World_War_I" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Statistical_summary,_World_War_I"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2.5</span> <span>Statistical summary, World War I</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Statistical_summary,_World_War_I-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Post-war" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Post-war"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3</span> <span>Post-war</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-Post-war-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle Post-war subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-Post-war-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Consolidation_of_the_Air_Service" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Consolidation_of_the_Air_Service"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3.1</span> <span>Consolidation of the Air Service</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Consolidation_of_the_Air_Service-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-National_Defense_Act_of_1920" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#National_Defense_Act_of_1920"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3.2</span> <span>National Defense Act of 1920</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-National_Defense_Act_of_1920-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Groups_of_the_Air_Service" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Groups_of_the_Air_Service"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3.3</span> <span>Groups of the Air Service</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Groups_of_the_Air_Service-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Annual_Air_Service_strength" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Annual_Air_Service_strength"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3.4</span> <span>Annual Air Service strength</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Annual_Air_Service_strength-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Heads_of_the_Air_Service" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Heads_of_the_Air_Service"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3.5</span> <span>Heads of the Air Service</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Heads_of_the_Air_Service-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Debate_over_an_independent_Air_Force" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Debate_over_an_independent_Air_Force"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4</span> <span>Debate over an independent Air Force</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-Debate_over_an_independent_Air_Force-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle Debate over an independent Air Force subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-Debate_over_an_independent_Air_Force-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Framing_the_issues" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Framing_the_issues"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.1</span> <span>Framing the issues</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Framing_the_issues-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Investigating_committees_and_boards" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Investigating_committees_and_boards"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.2</span> <span>Investigating committees and boards</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Investigating_committees_and_boards-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Advances_in_aviation" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Advances_in_aviation"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">5</span> <span>Advances in aviation</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Advances_in_aviation-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Notable_members_of_the_Air_Service" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Notable_members_of_the_Air_Service"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">6</span> <span>Notable members of the Air Service</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Notable_members_of_the_Air_Service-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Lineage_of_the_United_States_Air_Force" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Lineage_of_the_United_States_Air_Force"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7</span> <span>Lineage of the United States Air Force</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Lineage_of_the_United_States_Air_Force-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-See_also" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#See_also"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">8</span> <span>See also</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-See_also-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-References" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#References"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">9</span> <span>References</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-References-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle References subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-References-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Reference_sources" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Reference_sources"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">9.1</span> <span>Reference sources</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Reference_sources-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-External_links" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#External_links"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">10</span> <span>External links</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-External_links-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="mw-content-container"> <main id="content" class="mw-body"> <header class="mw-body-header vector-page-titlebar"> <nav aria-label="Contents" class="vector-toc-landmark"> <div id="vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown vector-page-titlebar-toc vector-button-flush-left" title="Table of Contents" > <input type="checkbox" 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Available in 10 languages" > <label id="p-lang-btn-label" for="p-lang-btn-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--action-progressive mw-portlet-lang-heading-10" aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-language-progressive mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-language-progressive"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">10 languages</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-cs mw-list-item"><a href="https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arm%C3%A1dn%C3%AD_leteck%C3%A1_slu%C5%BEba_Spojen%C3%BDch_st%C3%A1t%C5%AF_americk%C3%BDch" title="Armádní letecká služba Spojených států amerických – Czech" lang="cs" hreflang="cs" data-title="Armádní letecká služba Spojených států amerických" data-language-autonym="Čeština" data-language-local-name="Czech" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Čeština</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-de mw-list-item"><a href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Air_Service" title="United States Army Air Service – German" lang="de" hreflang="de" data-title="United States Army Air Service" data-language-autonym="Deutsch" data-language-local-name="German" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Deutsch</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fa mw-list-item"><a href="https://fa.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%A8%D9%86%DA%AF%D8%A7%D9%87_%D9%87%D9%88%D8%A7%DB%8C%DB%8C_%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%AA%D8%B4_%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AA_%D9%85%D8%AA%D8%AD%D8%AF%D9%87_%D8%A2%D9%85%D8%B1%DB%8C%DA%A9%D8%A7" title="بنگاه هوایی ارتش ایالات متحده آمریکا – Persian" lang="fa" hreflang="fa" data-title="بنگاه هوایی ارتش ایالات متحده آمریکا" data-language-autonym="فارسی" data-language-local-name="Persian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>فارسی</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fr mw-list-item"><a href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Air_Service" title="United States Army Air Service – French" lang="fr" hreflang="fr" data-title="United States Army Air Service" data-language-autonym="Français" data-language-local-name="French" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Français</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-it mw-list-item"><a href="https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Air_Service" title="United States Army Air Service – Italian" lang="it" hreflang="it" data-title="United States Army Air Service" data-language-autonym="Italiano" data-language-local-name="Italian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Italiano</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-he mw-list-item"><a href="https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%A9%D7%99%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%AA_%D7%94%D7%90%D7%95%D7%95%D7%99%D7%A8_%D7%A9%D7%9C_%D7%A6%D7%91%D7%90_%D7%90%D7%A8%D7%A6%D7%95%D7%AA_%D7%94%D7%91%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%AA" title="שירות האוויר של צבא ארצות הברית – Hebrew" lang="he" hreflang="he" data-title="שירות האוויר של צבא ארצות הברית" data-language-autonym="עברית" data-language-local-name="Hebrew" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>עברית</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-no mw-list-item"><a href="https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Air_Service" title="United States Army Air Service – Norwegian Bokmål" lang="nb" hreflang="nb" data-title="United States Army Air Service" data-language-autonym="Norsk bokmål" data-language-local-name="Norwegian Bokmål" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Norsk bokmål</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pl mw-list-item"><a href="https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Air_Service" title="United States Army Air Service – Polish" lang="pl" hreflang="pl" data-title="United States Army Air Service" data-language-autonym="Polski" data-language-local-name="Polish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Polski</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pt mw-list-item"><a href="https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Servi%C3%A7o_A%C3%A9reo_do_Ex%C3%A9rcito_dos_Estados_Unidos" title="Serviço Aéreo do Exército dos Estados Unidos – Portuguese" lang="pt" hreflang="pt" data-title="Serviço Aéreo do Exército dos Estados Unidos" data-language-autonym="Português" data-language-local-name="Portuguese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Português</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-uk mw-list-item"><a href="https://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%90%D0%B2%D1%96%D0%B0%D1%86%D1%96%D0%B9%D0%BD%D0%B0_%D1%81%D0%BB%D1%83%D0%B6%D0%B1%D0%B0_%D0%90%D1%80%D0%BC%D1%96%D1%97_%D0%A1%D0%A8%D0%90" title="Авіаційна служба Армії США – Ukrainian" lang="uk" hreflang="uk" data-title="Авіаційна служба Армії США" data-language-autonym="Українська" data-language-local-name="Ukrainian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Українська</span></a></li> </ul> <div class="after-portlet after-portlet-lang"><span class="wb-langlinks-edit wb-langlinks-link"><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Special:EntityPage/Q2096700#sitelinks-wikipedia" title="Edit interlanguage links" class="wbc-editpage">Edit links</a></span></div> </div> </div> </div> </header> <div class="vector-page-toolbar"> <div class="vector-page-toolbar-container"> <div id="left-navigation"> <nav aria-label="Namespaces"> <div id="p-associated-pages" class="vector-menu vector-menu-tabs mw-portlet mw-portlet-associated-pages" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="ca-nstab-main" class="selected vector-tab-noicon mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/United_States_Army_Air_Service" title="View the content page [c]" accesskey="c"><span>Article</span></a></li><li id="ca-talk" 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print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .hatnote{display:none!important}}</style><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Not to be confused with the United States Army World War II unit <a href="/wiki/Air_Service_Command" class="mw-redirect" title="Air Service Command">Air Service Command</a>.</div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">For the current active service branch, see <a href="/wiki/United_States_Air_Force" title="United States Air Force">United States Air Force</a>.</div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1257001546">.mw-parser-output .infobox-subbox{padding:0;border:none;margin:-3px;width:auto;min-width:100%;font-size:100%;clear:none;float:none;background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .infobox-3cols-child{margin:auto}.mw-parser-output .infobox .navbar{font-size:100%}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data:not(.notheme)>div:not(.notheme)[style]{background:#1f1f23!important;color:#f8f9fa}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data:not(.notheme) div:not(.notheme){background:#1f1f23!important;color:#f8f9fa}}@media(min-width:640px){body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table{display:table!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table>caption{display:table-caption!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table>tbody{display:table-row-group}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table tr{display:table-row!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table th,body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table td{padding-left:inherit;padding-right:inherit}}</style><table class="infobox" style="width:25.5em;border-spacing:2px;"><tbody><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-above" style="background-color:#C3D6EF;color:inherit;text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;font-size:110%;">United States Army Air Service</th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-image" style="text-align:center;border-bottom:1px solid #aaa;line-height:1.5em;"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Prop_and_wings.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/83/Prop_and_wings.svg/150px-Prop_and_wings.svg.png" decoding="async" width="150" height="104" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/83/Prop_and_wings.svg/225px-Prop_and_wings.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/83/Prop_and_wings.svg/300px-Prop_and_wings.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="254" data-file-height="176" /></a></span><div class="infobox-caption">Branch insignia of the Army Air Service</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em;">Active</th><td class="infobox-data">1918 – 1926</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em;">Disbanded</th><td class="infobox-data">July 2, 1926</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em;">Country</th><td class="infobox-data"><span class="flagicon"><span class="mw-image-border" typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f5/Flag_of_the_United_States_%281912-1959%29.svg/23px-Flag_of_the_United_States_%281912-1959%29.svg.png" decoding="async" width="23" height="12" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f5/Flag_of_the_United_States_%281912-1959%29.svg/35px-Flag_of_the_United_States_%281912-1959%29.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f5/Flag_of_the_United_States_%281912-1959%29.svg/46px-Flag_of_the_United_States_%281912-1959%29.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1235" data-file-height="650" /></span></span> </span><a href="/wiki/United_States" title="United States">United States</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em;">Branch</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/wiki/United_States_Army" title="United States Army">Army</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em;">Type</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/wiki/Air_force" title="Air force">Air force</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em;">Role</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/wiki/Aerial_warfare" title="Aerial warfare">Aerial warfare</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em;">Size</th><td class="infobox-data">195,024 men, 7,900 aircraft (1918)<br />9,954 men, 1,451 aircraft (1926)</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em;">Garrison/HQ</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/wiki/Main_Navy_and_Munitions_Buildings" title="Main Navy and Munitions Buildings">Munitions Building</a>, <a href="/wiki/Washington,_D.C." title="Washington, D.C.">Washington, D.C.</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em;">Engagements</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/wiki/World_War_I" title="World War I">World War I</a></td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-header" style="background-color:#C3D6EF;color:inherit;text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;font-size:110%;">Commanders</th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em;">Notable<br />commanders</th><td class="infobox-data">Major General <a href="/wiki/Mason_Patrick" title="Mason Patrick">Mason M. Patrick</a></td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-header" style="background-color:#C3D6EF;color:inherit;text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;font-size:110%;">Insignia</th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em;"><a href="/wiki/United_States_military_aircraft_national_insignia" title="United States military aircraft national insignia">Roundel</a></th><td class="infobox-data"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Roundel_of_the_United_States_(1918%E2%80%931919).svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7d/Roundel_of_the_United_States_%281918%E2%80%931919%29.svg/70px-Roundel_of_the_United_States_%281918%E2%80%931919%29.svg.png" decoding="async" width="70" height="70" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7d/Roundel_of_the_United_States_%281918%E2%80%931919%29.svg/105px-Roundel_of_the_United_States_%281918%E2%80%931919%29.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7d/Roundel_of_the_United_States_%281918%E2%80%931919%29.svg/140px-Roundel_of_the_United_States_%281918%E2%80%931919%29.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="602" data-file-height="602" /></a></span><br />(1918–1919)<br /><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Roundel_of_the_United_States_(1919%E2%80%931941).svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a5/Roundel_of_the_United_States_%281919%E2%80%931941%29.svg/70px-Roundel_of_the_United_States_%281919%E2%80%931941%29.svg.png" decoding="async" width="70" height="70" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a5/Roundel_of_the_United_States_%281919%E2%80%931941%29.svg/105px-Roundel_of_the_United_States_%281919%E2%80%931941%29.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a5/Roundel_of_the_United_States_%281919%E2%80%931941%29.svg/140px-Roundel_of_the_United_States_%281919%E2%80%931941%29.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="602" data-file-height="602" /></a></span><br />(1919–1941)</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none">Military unit</div> <p>The <b>United States Army Air Service</b> (<b>USAAS</b>)<sup id="cite_ref-cc9_1-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-cc9-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> (also known as the <i>"Air Service"</i>, <i>"U.S. Air Service"</i> and before its legislative establishment in 1920, the <i>"Air Service, United States Army"</i>) was the <a href="/wiki/Aerial_warfare" title="Aerial warfare">aerial warfare</a> service component of the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Army" title="United States Army">United States Army</a> between 1918 and 1926 and a forerunner of the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Air_Force" title="United States Air Force">United States Air Force</a>. It was established as an independent but temporary branch of the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Department_of_War" title="United States Department of War">U.S. War Department</a> during <a href="/wiki/World_War_I" title="World War I">World War I</a> by two <a href="/wiki/Executive_order" title="Executive order">executive orders</a> of President <a href="/wiki/Woodrow_Wilson" title="Woodrow Wilson">Woodrow Wilson</a>: on May 24, 1918, replacing the <a href="/wiki/Aviation_Section,_U.S._Signal_Corps" title="Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps">Aviation Section, Signal Corps</a> as the nation's air force; and March 19, 1919, establishing a military Director of Air Service to control all aviation activities.<sup id="cite_ref-tg149_2-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-tg149-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Its life was extended for another year in July 1919, during which time Congress passed the legislation necessary to make it a permanent establishment. The National Defense Act of 1920 assigned the Air Service the status of "<a href="/wiki/Combat_arms" title="Combat arms">combatant arm of the line</a>" of the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Army" title="United States Army">United States Army</a> with a <a href="/wiki/Major_general" title="Major general">major general</a> in command.<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In France, the Air Service of the <a href="/wiki/American_Expeditionary_Forces" title="American Expeditionary Forces">American Expeditionary Force</a>, a separate entity under commanding General <a href="/wiki/John_J._Pershing" title="John J. Pershing">John J. Pershing</a> that conducted the combat operations of U.S. military aviation, began field service in the spring of 1918. By the end of the war, the Air Service used 45 squadrons to cover 137 kilometers (85 miles) of front from <a href="/wiki/Pont-%C3%A0-Mousson" title="Pont-à-Mousson">Pont-à-Mousson</a> to <a href="/wiki/Sedan,_Ardennes" title="Sedan, Ardennes">Sedan</a>. 71 pursuit pilots were credited with shooting down five or more German aircraft while in American service. Overall the Air Service destroyed 756 enemy aircraft and 76 balloons in combat. 17 balloon companies also operated at the front, making 1,642 combat ascensions. 289 airplanes and 48 balloons were lost in battle. </p><p>The Air Service was the first form of the air force to have an independent organizational structure and identity. Although officers concurrently held rank in various branches, after May 1918 their branch designation in official correspondence while on aviation assignment changed from "ASSC" (Aviation Section, Signal Corps) to "AS, USA" (Air Service, United States Army).<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> After July 1, 1920, its personnel became members of the Air Service branch, receiving new commissions. During the war its responsibilities and functions were split between two coordinate agencies, the <a href="/wiki/Division_of_Military_Aeronautics" title="Division of Military Aeronautics">Division of Military Aeronautics</a> (DMA) and the Bureau of Aircraft Production (BAP), each reporting directly to the Secretary of War, creating a dual authority over military aviation that caused <a href="/wiki/Unity_of_command" title="Unity of command">unity of command</a> difficulties. </p><p>The seven-year history of the post-war Air Service was marked by a prolonged debate between adherents of airpower and the supporters of the traditional military services about the value of an independent Air Force. Airmen such as Brig. Gen. <a href="/wiki/Billy_Mitchell" title="Billy Mitchell">Billy Mitchell</a> supported the independent air concept. The Army's senior leadership from <a href="/wiki/World_War_I" title="World War I">World War I</a>, the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Navy" title="United States Navy">United States Navy</a>, and the majority of the nation's political leadership favored integration of all military aviation into the Army and Navy. Aided by a wave of pacifism following the war that drastically cut military budgets, opponents of an independent air force prevailed. The Air Service was renamed the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Army_Air_Corps" title="United States Army Air Corps">Army Air Corps</a> in 1926 as a compromise in the continuing struggle. </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Creation_of_the_Air_Service">Creation of the Air Service</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=United_States_Army_Air_Service&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Creation of the Air Service"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main articles: <a href="/wiki/Aviation_Section,_U.S._Signal_Corps" title="Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps">Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps</a> and <a href="/wiki/Division_of_Military_Aeronautics" title="Division of Military Aeronautics">Division of Military Aeronautics</a></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Background_of_the_wartime_Air_Service">Background of the wartime Air Service</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=United_States_Army_Air_Service&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Background of the wartime Air Service"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Although war in Europe prompted <a href="/wiki/United_States_Congress" title="United States Congress">Congress</a> to vastly increase the appropriations for the Aviation Section in 1916, it nevertheless <a href="/wiki/Table_(parliamentary_procedure)" title="Table (parliamentary procedure)">tabled a bill</a> proposing an aviation department incorporating all aspects of military aviation. The <a href="/wiki/Declaration_of_war" title="Declaration of war">declaration of war</a> against <a href="/wiki/Germany" title="Germany">Germany</a> on April 6, 1917, putting the United States in <a href="/wiki/World_War_I" title="World War I">World War I</a>, came too quickly (less than eight months after its use in <a href="/wiki/Pancho_Villa_Expedition" title="Pancho Villa Expedition">Mexico chasing Pancho Villa</a>) to solve emerging engineering and production problems. The reorganization of the Aviation Section had been inadequate in resolving problems in training, leaving the United States totally unprepared to fight an air war in Europe. The Aviation Section consisted of 131 officers, 1087 enlisted men, and approximately 280 airplanes.<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:USA_-_Aviator_Wings_WWI_era.png" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b4/USA_-_Aviator_Wings_WWI_era.png/220px-USA_-_Aviator_Wings_WWI_era.png" decoding="async" width="220" height="55" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b4/USA_-_Aviator_Wings_WWI_era.png/330px-USA_-_Aviator_Wings_WWI_era.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b4/USA_-_Aviator_Wings_WWI_era.png/440px-USA_-_Aviator_Wings_WWI_era.png 2x" data-file-width="786" data-file-height="196" /></a><figcaption><a href="/wiki/U.S._Air_Force_aeronautical_rating#Evolution_of_the_USAF_ratings_system" title="U.S. Air Force aeronautical rating">Junior Military Aviator</a> wings, 1917–1918</figcaption></figure> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:World_War_I_US_Army_Air_Service_Recruiting_Poster4.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/28/World_War_I_US_Army_Air_Service_Recruiting_Poster4.jpg/220px-World_War_I_US_Army_Air_Service_Recruiting_Poster4.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="304" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/28/World_War_I_US_Army_Air_Service_Recruiting_Poster4.jpg 1.5x" data-file-width="271" data-file-height="375" /></a><figcaption>World War I recruiting poster calling for skilled workers</figcaption></figure> <p>The administration of President <a href="/wiki/Woodrow_Wilson" title="Woodrow Wilson">Woodrow Wilson</a> created an advisory <i>Aircraft Production Board</i> in May 1917, consisting of members of the Army, Navy and industry, to study the Europeans' experience in aircraft production and the standardization of aircraft parts. The Board dispatched Major <a href="/wiki/Raynal_Bolling" title="Raynal Bolling">Raynal C. Bolling</a>, a lawyer and military aviation pioneer, together with a commission of over 100 members, to Europe in the summer of 1917 to determine American aircraft needs, recommend priorities for acquisition and production, and negotiate prices and royalties.<sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Congress passed a series of legislation in the next three months that appropriated huge sums for development of military aviation, including the largest single <a href="/wiki/Appropriation_(law)" title="Appropriation (law)">appropriation</a> for a single purpose to that time, $640 million<sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> in the Aviation Act (40 <i>Stat</i>. 243), passed July 24, 1917.<sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-10" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> By the time the bill passed, the term <i>Air Service</i> was in widespread if unofficial usage to collectively describe all aspects of Army aviation.<sup id="cite_ref-11" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Although it considered creation of a separate aviation department to act as the centralized authority for decision-making, both the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Department_of_War" title="United States Department of War">War</a> and the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Department_of_the_Navy" title="United States Department of the Navy">Navy Departments</a> opposed it, and on October 1, 1917, Congress instead legalized the existence of the APB and changed its name to the "<a href="/wiki/Aircraft_Board" title="Aircraft Board">Aircraft Board</a>", transferring its functions from the <a href="/wiki/Council_of_National_Defense" title="Council of National Defense">Council of National Defense</a> to the secretaries of War and the Navy.<sup id="cite_ref-12" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Even so, the Aircraft Board in practice had little control over procurement contracts and functioned mostly as an information provider between industrial, governmental, and military entities. Nor did the "Equipment Division" of the Signal Corps exercise such control. Established by the Office of the Chief Signal Officer (OCSO) as one of the operating components of the Aviation Section, its task was to unify and coordinate the various agencies involved but its head was a commissioned former member of the APB who did nothing to create any effective coordination.<sup id="cite_ref-h68_13-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-h68-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Moreover, the largely wood and fabric airframe designs of World War I did not lend themselves to being made with the <a href="/wiki/Mass_production" title="Mass production">mass production</a> methods of the <a href="/wiki/Automotive_industry" title="Automotive industry">automotive industry</a>, which used considerable amounts of metallic materials instead, and the priority of mass-producing spare parts was neglected. Though individual areas within the aviation industry responded well, the industry as a whole failed. Efforts to mass-produce European aircraft under license largely failed because the aircraft, made by hand, were not amenable to the more precise American manufacturing methods. At the same time the <a href="/wiki/Aeronautical_Division,_U.S._Signal_Corps" title="Aeronautical Division, U.S. Signal Corps">Aeronautical Division</a> of the OCSO was renamed the <i>Air Division</i> with continued responsibility for training and operations but with no influence on acquisition or doctrine. In the end the decision-making process in aircraft procurement was badly fragmented and production on a large scale proved impossible.<sup id="cite_ref-h68_13-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-h68-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Aircraft_production_failures">Aircraft production failures</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=United_States_Army_Air_Service&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Aircraft production failures"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The Aircraft Board came under severe criticism for failure to meet goals or its own claims of aircraft production, followed by a highly publicized personal investigation by <a href="/wiki/Gutzon_Borglum" title="Gutzon Borglum">Gutzon Borglum</a>, a harshly vocal critic of the board. Borglum had exchanged letters with President Wilson, a personal friend, from which he assumed an appointment to investigate had been authorized, which the administration soon denied.<sup id="cite_ref-14" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Both the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Senate" title="United States Senate">U.S. Senate</a> and the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Department_of_Justice" title="United States Department of Justice">Department of Justice</a> began investigations into possible fraudulent dealings. President Wilson also acted by appointing a Director of Aircraft Production on April 28, 1918, and abolished the Air Division of the OCSO, creating a <a href="/wiki/Division_of_Military_Aeronautics" title="Division of Military Aeronautics">Division of Military Aeronautics</a> (DMA) with Brigadier General <a href="/wiki/William_L._Kenly" title="William L. Kenly">William L. Kenly</a> brought back from France to be its head, to separate supervision of aviation from the duties of the Chief Signal Officer. Less than a month later, Wilson used a war powers provision of the <a href="/wiki/Departmental_Reorganization_Act" title="Departmental Reorganization Act">Overman Act</a> of May 20, 1918, to issue Executive Order No. 2862 that suspended for the duration of the war plus six months the statutory responsibilities of the Aviation Section and removed the DMA entirely from the Signal Corps (reporting directly to the Secretary of War). The DMA was assigned the function of procuring and training a combat force. In addition, the <a href="/wiki/Executive_order" title="Executive order">executive order</a> created a Bureau of Aircraft Production (BAP), a military organization with a civilian director, as a separate executive bureau to provide the aircraft needed.<sup id="cite_ref-cc9_1-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-cc9-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-15" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>This arrangement lasted only until the War Department implemented the executive order on May 24 by issuing General Order No. 51 to coordinate the two independent agencies, with an eventual goal of creating a <i>Director of Air Service</i>.<sup id="cite_ref-rpt51_16-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-rpt51-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> (The term "Air Service" had been in use in France since June 13, 1917, to describe the function of aviation units attached to the American Expeditionary Force.) It delayed the appointment of a director as long as the BAP operated as a separate executive bureau. In August, the Senate completed its investigation of the Aircraft Board, and while it found no criminal culpability, it reported that massive waste and delay in production had occurred. As a result, the Director of Aircraft Production (who was also chairman of the Aircraft Board), John D. Ryan, was appointed to the vacant position of Second Assistant Secretary of War and designated as Director of Air Service, nominally in charge of the DMA.<sup id="cite_ref-cc9_1-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-cc9-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The Department of Justice report followed two months later and also blamed the delays on administrative and organizational deficiencies in the Aviation Section. Ryan's appointment came too late for any effective consolidation of both agencies,<sup id="cite_ref-17" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-18" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-18"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> continuing an obstructive division of authority that was never resolved during the war.<sup id="cite_ref-mooney_19-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-mooney-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Following the Armistice, Ryan resigned on November 27, leaving both the BAP and DMA, as well as the original Aircraft Board, leaderless. In addition certain powers, primarily those of dealing legally with the government-owned <a href="/wiki/Spruce_Production_Division" title="Spruce Production Division">Spruce Production Corporation</a>, had been delegated to Ryan by name, not to his position as Director of Aircraft Production, and as such could not be legally conferred on any successor. Maj. Gen. <a href="/wiki/Charles_T._Menoher" title="Charles T. Menoher">Charles Menoher</a> was appointed to the vacancy on January 2, 1919, but the patchwork nature of laws and executive orders that had created the various parts of the Air Service prevented him from exercising all their legal powers and ending the unity of command problems caused by dual authority.<sup id="cite_ref-20" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-20"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-21" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-21"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Pilot_training">Pilot training</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=United_States_Army_Air_Service&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Pilot training"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Join_the_army_air_service._Be_an_American_eagle!_(cropped).jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b6/Join_the_army_air_service._Be_an_American_eagle%21_%28cropped%29.jpg/220px-Join_the_army_air_service._Be_an_American_eagle%21_%28cropped%29.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="287" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b6/Join_the_army_air_service._Be_an_American_eagle%21_%28cropped%29.jpg/330px-Join_the_army_air_service._Be_an_American_eagle%21_%28cropped%29.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b6/Join_the_army_air_service._Be_an_American_eagle%21_%28cropped%29.jpg/440px-Join_the_army_air_service._Be_an_American_eagle%21_%28cropped%29.jpg 2x" data-file-width="930" data-file-height="1215" /></a><figcaption>World War I recruiting poster. Artwork by <a href="/wiki/Charles_Livingston_Bull" title="Charles Livingston Bull">Charles Livingston Bull</a></figcaption></figure> <p>The United States began the World War with 65 pilots, a few of which were veterans of the <a href="/wiki/Pancho_Villa_Expedition" title="Pancho Villa Expedition">Mexican Expedition</a>, and some who were still in training. None were familiar with the control systems being used in Europe.<sup id="cite_ref-22" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-22"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>18<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Like the rest of the Army, the Aviation Section concluded that training Reserve officers was the solution to its manpower needs and sent a panel of three representatives from each of six U.S. universities to <a href="/wiki/Toronto" title="Toronto">Toronto</a> from 7 to 11 May 1917 to study <a href="/wiki/Canada" title="Canada">Canada</a>'s pilot training program. The Chief Signal Officer assigned Major <a href="/wiki/Hiram_Bingham_III" title="Hiram Bingham III">Hiram Bingham III</a>, an adventurer and reserve officer on the faculty of <a href="/wiki/Yale_University" title="Yale University">Yale</a>, to organize a training program on the Canadian model. A three-phase Flying Cadet<sup id="cite_ref-23" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-23"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> program came into being, and although systematic, pressing needs for manpower saw many overlaps of the phases.<sup id="cite_ref-24" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-24"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The first phase was an eight-week ground school course conducted by the Schools of Military Aeronautics Division, organized at the six (later eight) American universities,<sup id="cite_ref-25" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-25"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and commanded by Bingham. The first class at the ground schools began 21 May 1917 and concluded 14 July 1917, graduating 147 cadets and enrolling another 1,430.<sup id="cite_ref-26" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-26"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>20<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-27" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-27"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> By mid-November, 3,140 had graduated and more than 500 had become <a href="/wiki/U.S._Air_Force_aeronautical_rating" title="U.S. Air Force aeronautical rating">rated officers</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-28" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-28"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>21<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Out of more than 40,000 applicants, 22,689 were accepted and 17,540 completed ground school training.<sup id="cite_ref-29" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-29"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>22<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Approximately 15,000 advanced to primary (preliminary) flying training, a six-to-eight week course<sup id="cite_ref-30" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-30"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> conducted by both military and civilian flying instructors, using variants of the <a href="/wiki/Curtiss_JN-4_Jenny" class="mw-redirect" title="Curtiss JN-4 Jenny">Curtiss Jenny</a> as the primary trainer. Primary flying training school usually produced a candidate for commissioning in 15 to 25 hours of flight. At the assurance of the French that they could be rapidly trained in all phases, 1,700 cadets who had graduated from ground school were sent to Europe to undertake the entire flying portion of their training in <a href="/wiki/Great_Britain" title="Great Britain">Great Britain</a>, <a href="/wiki/France" title="France">France</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Italy" title="Italy">Italy</a>. In December 1917, after receiving 1,400 of the cadets, the French requested that further movement of cadets be halted because of training backlogs of as much as six months, and no further student pilots were sent to France until they had completed their primary training and been commissioned. During the backlog, more than 1,000 cadets were used as cooks, guards, laborers and other menial jobs, while paid at cadet salary (in the grade and rank of <a href="/wiki/Private_first_class" title="Private first class">private first class</a>), for which they became derisively known as the "Million-Dollar Guard".<sup id="cite_ref-31" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-31"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>23<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-32" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-32"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The backlog was finally cleared by opening an Air Service primary school at <a href="/wiki/Tours" title="Tours">Tours</a> and devoting part of the advanced school at <a href="/wiki/Issoudun" title="Issoudun">Issoudun</a> to preliminary training for a period of time. </p><p>The U.S. training program produced more than 10,000 pilots as new <a href="/wiki/First_lieutenant" title="First lieutenant">first lieutenants</a> in the Signal Officers Reserve Corps (S.O.R.C.). 8,688 received <a href="/wiki/U.S._Air_Force_aeronautical_rating#World_War_I_and_Air_Service_revisions" title="U.S. Air Force aeronautical rating">ratings of Reserve Military Aviator</a> in the United States and were assigned to newly created squadrons or as instructors.<sup id="cite_ref-33" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-33"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>24<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> 1,609 more were commissioned in Europe,<sup id="cite_ref-34" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-34"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>25<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-35" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-35"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> with their commissions backdated in February and March 1918 to those of their peers trained in the United States.<sup id="cite_ref-36" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-36"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>26<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Pilots in Europe completed an advanced phase in which they received specialized training in pursuit, bombing, or observation at Air Service schools acquired from the French at Issoudun, <a href="/wiki/Clermont-Ferrand" title="Clermont-Ferrand">Clermont-Ferrand</a>, and Tours, respectively.<sup id="cite_ref-37" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-37"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>27<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>By November 11, 1918, the Air Service both overseas and domestically had 195,024 personnel (20,568 officers; 174,456 enlisted men) and 7,900 aircraft,<sup id="cite_ref-38" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-38"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>28<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> constituting five per cent of the United States Army.<sup id="cite_ref-rpt56_39-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-rpt56-39"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>29<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> 32,520 personnel served in the Bureau of Aircraft Production and the remainder in the Division of Military Aeronautics. The Air Service commissioned over 17,000 reserve officers. More than 10,000 mechanics were trained to service the American aircraft fleet.<sup id="cite_ref-40" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-40"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>30<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Of aircraft manufactured in America, the <a href="/wiki/Airco_DH.4" title="Airco DH.4">de Havilland DH-4B</a> (3,400) was the most numerous, although only 1,213 were shipped overseas, and only 1,087 of those assembled,<sup id="cite_ref-thomas386_41-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-thomas386-41"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>31<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> most used in observation units. The facilities of the Air Service in the United States totaled 40 flying fields, 8 balloon fields, 5 schools of military aeronautics,<sup id="cite_ref-42" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-42"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> 6 technical schools, and 14 aircraft depots. 16 additional training schools were located in France, and officers also trained at three schools operated by the Allies.<sup id="cite_ref-thomas385_43-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-thomas385-43"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>32<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>A byproduct of the training program was the creation of the <a href="/wiki/Airmails_of_the_United_States" class="mw-redirect" title="Airmails of the United States">American airmail system</a>. On May 3, 1918, Col. <a href="/wiki/Henry_H._Arnold" title="Henry H. Arnold">Henry H. Arnold</a>, Assistant Director of the DMA, was ordered to put together a daily route for moving mail by airplane between <a href="/wiki/New_York_City" title="New York City">New York City</a>, <a href="/wiki/Philadelphia" title="Philadelphia">Philadelphia</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Washington,_D.C." title="Washington, D.C.">Washington, D.C.</a> He assigned the task to the Executive Officer for Flying Training, Major <a href="/wiki/Reuben_H._Fleet" title="Reuben H. Fleet">Reuben H. Fleet</a>. The Air Service, using six pilots (four instructor pilots and two new graduates) and six <a href="/wiki/Curtiss_JN-4_Jenny" class="mw-redirect" title="Curtiss JN-4 Jenny">Curtiss JN-4H "Jenny"</a> trainers modified to carry mail, began the mail service on May 15. It later extended the route to <a href="/wiki/Boston" title="Boston">Boston</a> and added <a href="/wiki/Curtiss_Model_R" title="Curtiss Model R">Curtiss R-4LMs</a> to its small fleet, carrying mail until August 12, 1918, when the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Postal_Service" title="United States Postal Service">U.S. Post Office</a> took over.<sup id="cite_ref-44" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-44"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>33<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Air_Service_of_the_AEF">Air Service of the AEF</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=United_States_Army_Air_Service&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Air Service of the AEF"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Further information: <a href="/wiki/Organization_of_the_Air_Service_of_the_American_Expeditionary_Force" title="Organization of the Air Service of the American Expeditionary Force">Organization of the Air Service of the American Expeditionary Force</a></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Organization">Organization</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=United_States_Army_Air_Service&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Organization"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-left" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Join_the_air_service_and_serve_in_France-Do_it_now_-_J._Paul_Verrees._LCCN98504029_(cropped).jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8c/Join_the_air_service_and_serve_in_France-Do_it_now_-_J._Paul_Verrees._LCCN98504029_%28cropped%29.jpg/220px-Join_the_air_service_and_serve_in_France-Do_it_now_-_J._Paul_Verrees._LCCN98504029_%28cropped%29.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="326" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8c/Join_the_air_service_and_serve_in_France-Do_it_now_-_J._Paul_Verrees._LCCN98504029_%28cropped%29.jpg/330px-Join_the_air_service_and_serve_in_France-Do_it_now_-_J._Paul_Verrees._LCCN98504029_%28cropped%29.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8c/Join_the_air_service_and_serve_in_France-Do_it_now_-_J._Paul_Verrees._LCCN98504029_%28cropped%29.jpg/440px-Join_the_air_service_and_serve_in_France-Do_it_now_-_J._Paul_Verrees._LCCN98504029_%28cropped%29.jpg 2x" data-file-width="3293" data-file-height="4886" /></a><figcaption>World War I recruiting poster, 1917. Artwork by <a href="/wiki/J._Paul_Verrees" class="mw-redirect" title="J. Paul Verrees">J. Paul Verrees</a></figcaption></figure> <p>Sent to Europe in March 1917 as an observer, Lieutenant Colonel <a href="/wiki/Billy_Mitchell" title="Billy Mitchell">Billy Mitchell</a> arrived in Paris just four days after the United States declared war<sup id="cite_ref-45" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-45"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>34<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and established an office for the American "air service." Upon his arrival in France in June 1917, <a href="/wiki/American_Expeditionary_Forces" title="American Expeditionary Forces">American Expeditionary Force</a> commanding general <a href="/wiki/John_J._Pershing" title="John J. Pershing">John J. Pershing</a> met with Mitchell, who advised Pershing that his office was ready to proceed with any project Pershing might require.<sup id="cite_ref-46" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-46"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>35<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Pershing's aviation officer, Major <a href="/wiki/Townsend_F._Dodd" title="Townsend F. Dodd">Townsend F. Dodd</a>, first used the term "Air Service" in a memo to the chief of staff of the AEF on 20 June 1917.<sup id="cite_ref-m113_47-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-m113-47"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>36<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The term also appeared on July 5, 1917, in AEF General Order (G.O.) No. 8, in tables detailing staff organization and duties.<sup id="cite_ref-48" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-48"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>37<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Mitchell replaced Dodd on 30 June 1917, with the position renamed "Chief of Air Service" and its duties described. After Mitchell was superseded in September by Kenly, he remained as <i>ex officio</i> chief through his influence on Kenly as Air Commander, Zone of the Advance (ACA). </p><p>The <i>Air Service, American Expeditionary Forces</i> was formally created on 3 September 1917 by the publication of AEF G.O. No. 31 and remained in being until demobilized in 1919.<sup id="cite_ref-tg149_2-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-tg149-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Kenly, an artillery officer, had been a student the previous winter in the Field Officers Course at the Aviation School in San Diego, then served as executive officer of the school to gain administrative experience in aviation matters. Mitchell, Bolling and Dodd were promoted to colonel and given senior positions in the Air Service hierarchy. Bolling was made Director of Air Service Supply (DASS) to administer the "Zone of the Line of Communications" (sic), later called the Service of Supply, and Dodd was named Director of Air Service Instruction (DAI). Kenley proved to be only an interim commander, as Brig. Gen. <a href="/wiki/Benjamin_Foulois" title="Benjamin Foulois">Benjamin Foulois</a> replaced him on 27 November 1917, arriving in France with a large but untrained staff of non-aviators. This resulted in considerable resentment from Mitchell's smaller staff already in place, many of whom in key positions, including Bolling, Dodd and Lt. Col. <a href="/wiki/Edgar_S._Gorrell" title="Edgar S. Gorrell">Edgar S. Gorrell</a>, were immediately displaced.<sup id="cite_ref-49" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-49"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>38<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Mitchell, however, was not replaced and became a source of persistent discord with Foulois. </p> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:SPAD_XIII_040510-F-1234P-019.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/85/SPAD_XIII_040510-F-1234P-019.jpg/220px-SPAD_XIII_040510-F-1234P-019.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="145" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/85/SPAD_XIII_040510-F-1234P-019.jpg/330px-SPAD_XIII_040510-F-1234P-019.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/85/SPAD_XIII_040510-F-1234P-019.jpg/440px-SPAD_XIII_040510-F-1234P-019.jpg 2x" data-file-width="1000" data-file-height="657" /></a><figcaption><a href="/wiki/SPAD_S.XIII" title="SPAD S.XIII">SPAD S.XIII</a> in livery of Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker, 94th Aero Squadron. Note U.S. national insignia painted on wheel hubs.</figcaption></figure> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Nieuport28.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ac/Nieuport28.jpg/220px-Nieuport28.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="145" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ac/Nieuport28.jpg/330px-Nieuport28.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ac/Nieuport28.jpg/440px-Nieuport28.jpg 2x" data-file-width="450" data-file-height="296" /></a><figcaption>Nieuport 28 in <a href="/wiki/95th_Reconnaissance_Squadron" title="95th Reconnaissance Squadron">95th Aero Squadron</a> markings</figcaption></figure> <p>Pershing restated the responsibilities of the Air Service AEF with G.O. No. 81, May 29, 1918, in which he replaced Foulois as Chief of Air Service AEF with a <a href="/wiki/United_States_Military_Academy" title="United States Military Academy">West Point</a> classmate and non-aviator, <a href="/wiki/Major_general_(United_States)" title="Major general (United States)">Major General</a> <a href="/wiki/Mason_Patrick" title="Mason Patrick">Mason Patrick</a>. Air Service staff planning had been inefficient, with considerable internal dissension as well as conflict between its members and those of Pershing's General Staff. Aircraft and unit totals lagged far behind those promised in 1917. Officers in the combat units balked at taking orders from Foulois' non-flying staff. Considerable house-cleaning of the existing staff resulted from Patrick's appointment, bringing in experienced staff officers to administrate, and tightening up lines of communication.<sup id="cite_ref-50" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-50"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>39<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-51" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-51"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Pershing had in September 1917 called for creation of 260 U.S. air combat squadrons by December 1918, but slowness of the buildup reduced that on August 17, 1918, to a final plan for 202 by June 1919.<sup id="cite_ref-52" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-52"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>40<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In Pershing's view, the two functions of the AEF's Air Service were to repel German aircraft and conduct observation of enemy movements. The heart of the proposed force would be its 101 observation squadrons (52 corps observation and 49 army observation), to be distributed to three armies and 16 corps. In addition, 60 pursuit squadrons, 27 night-bombardment squadrons, and 14 day-bombardment squadrons were to conduct supporting operations.<sup id="cite_ref-53" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-53"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>41<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Without the time or infrastructure in the United States to equip units to send overseas using aircraft designed and built in the U.S., the AEF Air Service acquired Allied aircraft designs already in service with the French and British air services. On August 30, 1917, the American and French governments agreed to a contract for the purchase of 1,500 <a href="/wiki/Br%C3%A9guet_14" class="mw-redirect" title="Bréguet 14">Breguet 14 B.2</a> bombers-reconnaissance planes; 2,000 <a href="/wiki/SPAD_S.XIII" title="SPAD S.XIII">SPAD XIII</a> and 1,500 <a href="/wiki/Nieuport_28" title="Nieuport 28">Nieuport 28</a> pursuits for delivery by July 1, 1918. By the armistice, the AEF actually received 4,874 aircraft from the French, in addition to 258 from Great Britain, 19 from Italy, and 1,213 of American manufacture, for a total of 6,364 airplanes. 1,664 were classed as training craft.<sup id="cite_ref-thomas386_41-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-thomas386-41"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>31<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The United States recognized that French skilled labor was severely limited by war casualties, and promised to train and deploy 7,000 automobile mechanics to aid the French Motor Transport Corps. In December 1917 the Aviation Section developed a maintenance organization of four large units termed <i>Motor Mechanics Regiments, Signal Corps</i>, each regiment consisting of four battalions of five companies totaling more than 3,600 men. The key innovative element was the use of junior officers recruited from the automobile industry as "technical officers" to supervise maintenance. In February 1918, Colonel S.D. Waldon of the Signal Corps returned from observing British factory and field methods in aviation operations, just as the Bureau of Aircraft Production concluded that the French were unable to meet their aircraft production goals. Waldon recommended that the regiments be reorganized for aircraft instead of automobile mechanics. The change came too late to affect the 1st and 2nd Regiments, which landed in France in March 1918, but both the 3rd and 4th Regiments reorganized, delaying their deployment until the end of July. By the Armistice all four regiments were configured as aircraft repair and maintenance units, and designated <i>Air Service Mechanics Regiments</i>. </p><p>The primary aircraft used by the AEF at the front (the "Zone of Advance") were the SPAD XIII (877), Nieuport 28 (181), and <a href="/wiki/SPAD_S.VII" title="SPAD S.VII">SPAD VII</a> (103) as pursuit aircraft, the <a href="/wiki/Airco_DH.4" title="Airco DH.4">DeHaviland DH-4B</a> (696) and Breguet 14 (87) for daylight bombing, and the DH-4 and <a href="/wiki/Salmson_2" title="Salmson 2">Salmson 2 A.2</a> (557) for observation and photo reconnaissance. The <a href="/wiki/Royal_Aircraft_Factory_S.E.5" title="Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5">SE-5</a> operated as the main trainer for the Air Service. Balloon companies operated the French-designed <a href="/wiki/Goodyear_Tire_and_Rubber_Company" title="Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company">Goodyear</a> Type R, a winch-tethered, <a href="/wiki/Hydrogen" title="Hydrogen">hydrogen</a>-filled, captive "<a href="/wiki/Albert_Caquot" title="Albert Caquot">Caquot</a>" <a href="/wiki/Observation_balloon" title="Observation balloon">observation balloon</a> of 32,200 cubic-foot (912 cubic meters) capacity, deploying one balloon per company.<sup id="cite_ref-54" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-54"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <figure class="mw-halign-left" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Roundel_of_the_United_States_(1918%E2%80%931919).svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7d/Roundel_of_the_United_States_%281918%E2%80%931919%29.svg/125px-Roundel_of_the_United_States_%281918%E2%80%931919%29.svg.png" decoding="async" width="125" height="125" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7d/Roundel_of_the_United_States_%281918%E2%80%931919%29.svg/188px-Roundel_of_the_United_States_%281918%E2%80%931919%29.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7d/Roundel_of_the_United_States_%281918%E2%80%931919%29.svg/250px-Roundel_of_the_United_States_%281918%E2%80%931919%29.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="602" data-file-height="602" /></a><figcaption>U.S. aircraft <a href="/wiki/Roundel" title="Roundel">roundel</a> in Europe, 1918–1919</figcaption></figure> <p>The United States adopted a national insignia for all military aircraft in May 1917 using the colors specified for the U.S. flag, consisting of a white five-pointed star inside of a blue circumscribed circle, with a red circle in the center of the star having a diameter tangent to the pentagon of the interior points of the star. The insignia was ordered painted on both wingtips of the upper surface of the top wing, the lower surface of bottom wings, and the fuselage of all Army aircraft on 17 May 1917. However due to concerns about confusion with <a href="/wiki/Luftstreitkr%C3%A4fte" title="Luftstreitkräfte">the markings of enemy aircraft</a>, in early 1918 a red, blue, and white <a href="/wiki/Roundel" title="Roundel">roundel</a> similar to those used by the Allied Powers, in the former color arrangement of the defunct <a href="/wiki/Imperial_Russian_Air_Service" title="Imperial Russian Air Service">Imperial Russian Air Service</a>, was instead ordered painted on all U.S. aircraft operating in Europe, remaining in effect until 1919.<sup id="cite_ref-nfaq_55-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-nfaq-55"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>42<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-56" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-56"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-57" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-57"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>43<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>On May 6, 1918 Foulois established a policy authorizing creation of emblems for aviation units, and ordered all squadrons to create an official insignia to be painted on each side of an airplane fuselage: "The squadron will design their own insignia during the period of organizational training. The design must be submitted to the Chief of Air Service, AEF, for approval. The design should be simple enough to be recognizable from a distance."<sup id="cite_ref-emblem_58-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-emblem-58"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>44<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-59" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-59"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Operations">Operations</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=United_States_Army_Air_Service&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Operations"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id=""Firsts""><span id=".22Firsts.22"></span>"Firsts"</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=United_States_Army_Air_Service&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: "Firsts""><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The first U.S. aviation squadron to reach France was the <a href="/wiki/1st_Reconnaissance_Squadron" title="1st Reconnaissance Squadron">1st Aero Squadron</a>, which sailed from New York in August 1917 and arrived at <a href="/wiki/Le_Havre" title="Le Havre">Le Havre</a> on September 3. A member of the squadron, Lt. <a href="/wiki/Stephen_W._Thompson" title="Stephen W. Thompson">Stephen W. Thompson</a>, achieved the first aerial victory by the U.S. military while flying as a gunner-observer with a French day bombing squadron on February 5, 1918.<sup id="cite_ref-frey_60-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-frey-60"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>45<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> As other squadrons were organized, they were sent overseas, where they continued their training. The first U.S. squadron to see combat, on February 19, 1918, was the <a href="/wiki/103rd_Aero_Squadron" title="103rd Aero Squadron">103rd Aero Squadron</a>, a pursuit unit flying with French forces and composed largely of former members of the <a href="/wiki/Lafayette_Escadrille" title="Lafayette Escadrille">Lafayette Escadrille</a> and <a href="/wiki/Lafayette_Flying_Corps" title="Lafayette Flying Corps">Lafayette Flying Corps</a>. The first U.S. aviator killed in action during aerial combat occurred March 8, 1918, when Captain James E. Miller, commanding the <a href="/wiki/95th_Reconnaissance_Squadron" title="95th Reconnaissance Squadron">95th Pursuit Squadron</a>, was shot down while on a voluntary patrol near <a href="/wiki/Reims" title="Reims">Reims</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-61" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-61"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The first aerial victory in an American unit was by 1st Lt. <a href="/wiki/Paul_Frank_Baer" title="Paul Frank Baer">Paul F. Baer</a> of the 103rd Aero Squadron, and formerly a member of the Lafayette Flying Corps, on March 11. The first victories credited to American-trained pilots came on April 14, 1918, when Lieutenants Alan F. Winslow and <a href="/wiki/Douglas_Campbell_(aviator)" title="Douglas Campbell (aviator)">Douglas Campbell</a> of the <a href="/wiki/94th_Fighter_Squadron" title="94th Fighter Squadron">94th Pursuit Squadron</a> scored.<sup id="cite_ref-lahm_62-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-lahm-62"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>46<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-63" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-63"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The first mission by an American squadron across the lines occurred April 11, when the 1st Aero Squadron, led by its commander, Major <a href="/wiki/Ralph_Royce" title="Ralph Royce">Ralph Royce</a>, flew a photo reconnaissance mission to the vicinity of <a href="/wiki/Apremont,_Ardennes" title="Apremont, Ardennes">Apremont</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-frey_60-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-frey-60"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>45<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Type_R_Observation_Balloon.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cf/Type_R_Observation_Balloon.jpg/220px-Type_R_Observation_Balloon.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="178" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cf/Type_R_Observation_Balloon.jpg/330px-Type_R_Observation_Balloon.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cf/Type_R_Observation_Balloon.jpg/440px-Type_R_Observation_Balloon.jpg 2x" data-file-width="5279" data-file-height="4271" /></a><figcaption>Goodyear Type R "Caquot" balloon</figcaption></figure> <p>The first American balloon group arrived in France on December 28, 1917. It separated into four companies that were assigned individually to training centers and instructed in French balloon procedures, then equipped with Caquot balloons, winches, and parachutes. The 2d Balloon Company<sup id="cite_ref-64" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-64"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 18<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> joined the French 91st Balloon Company at the front near <a href="/wiki/Royaumeix" title="Royaumeix">Royaumeix</a> on February 26, 1918.<sup id="cite_ref-65" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-65"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>47<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> On March 5 it took over the line and began operations supporting the U.S. <a href="/wiki/1st_Infantry_Division_(United_States)" title="1st Infantry Division (United States)">1st Division</a>, becoming the "first complete American Air Service unit in history to operate against an enemy on foreign soil."<sup id="cite_ref-ross_66-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-ross-66"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>48<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Units_and_tactics">Units and tactics</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=United_States_Army_Air_Service&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: Units and tactics"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>By the beginning of the <a href="/wiki/Meuse%E2%80%93Argonne_offensive" title="Meuse–Argonne offensive">Meuse-Argonne Offensive</a> the Air Service AEF consisted of 32 squadrons (15 pursuit, 13 observation, and 4 bombing) at the front,<sup id="cite_ref-rpt55_67-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-rpt55-67"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>49<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> while by November 11, 1918, 45 squadrons (20 pursuit,<sup id="cite_ref-68" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-68"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> 18 observation,<sup id="cite_ref-69" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-69"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 20<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and 7 bombardment<sup id="cite_ref-70" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-70"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 21<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>) had been assembled for combat. During the war, these squadrons played important roles in the <a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Ch%C3%A2teau-Thierry_(1918)" title="Battle of Château-Thierry (1918)">Battle of Château-Thierry</a>, the <a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Saint-Mihiel" title="Battle of Saint-Mihiel">St-Mihiel Offensive</a>, and the Meuse-Argonne. Several units, including the 94th Pursuit Squadron under the command of <a href="/wiki/Captain_(armed_forces)" title="Captain (armed forces)">Capt.</a> <a href="/wiki/Eddie_Rickenbacker" title="Eddie Rickenbacker">Eddie Rickenbacker</a>, and the <a href="/wiki/27th_Fighter_Squadron" title="27th Fighter Squadron">27th Pursuit Squadron</a>, which had "balloon buster" <a href="/wiki/First_lieutenant" title="First lieutenant">1st Lt.</a> <a href="/wiki/Frank_Luke" title="Frank Luke">Frank Luke</a> as one of its pilots, achieved distinguished records in combat and remained a permanent part of the air forces. </p><p>Observation planes often operated individually, as did pursuit pilots to attack a balloon or to meet the enemy in a <a href="/wiki/Dogfight" title="Dogfight">dogfight</a>. However the tendency was toward formation flying, for pursuit as well as for bombardment operations, as a defensive tactic. The dispersal of squadrons among the army ground units (each corps and division had an observation squadron attached) made coordination of air activities difficult, so that squadrons were organized by functions into <a href="/wiki/Group_(military_unit)" title="Group (military unit)">groups</a>, the first of these being the <a href="/wiki/I_Corps_Observation_Group" title="I Corps Observation Group">I Corps Observation Group</a>, organized in April 1918 to patrol the Toul Sector between <a href="/wiki/Flirey" title="Flirey">Flirey</a> and Apremont in support of the U.S. <a href="/wiki/26th_Infantry_Division_(United_States)" title="26th Infantry Division (United States)">26th Division</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-71" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-71"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>50<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> On May 5, 1918, the <a href="/wiki/1st_Operations_Group" title="1st Operations Group">1st Pursuit Group</a> was formed, and by the <a href="/wiki/Armistice" title="Armistice">armistice</a> the AEF had 14 heavier-than-air groups (7 observation, 5 pursuit, and 2 bombardment).<sup id="cite_ref-72" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-72"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>51<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Of these 14 groups, only the 1st Pursuit and <a href="/wiki/2nd_Operations_Group" title="2nd Operations Group">1st Day Bombardment Groups</a> had their lineage continued into the post-war Air Service. In July 1918 the AEF organized its first <a href="/wiki/Wing_(military_unit)" title="Wing (military unit)">wing</a> formation, the 1st Pursuit Wing, made up of the 2d Pursuit, 3rd Pursuit, and 1st Day Bombardment Groups. </p> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-left" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:A_Concise_History_of_the_U.S._Air_Force_Page_06-1.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a0/A_Concise_History_of_the_U.S._Air_Force_Page_06-1.jpg/220px-A_Concise_History_of_the_U.S._Air_Force_Page_06-1.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="159" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a0/A_Concise_History_of_the_U.S._Air_Force_Page_06-1.jpg/330px-A_Concise_History_of_the_U.S._Air_Force_Page_06-1.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a0/A_Concise_History_of_the_U.S._Air_Force_Page_06-1.jpg/440px-A_Concise_History_of_the_U.S._Air_Force_Page_06-1.jpg 2x" data-file-width="4366" data-file-height="3146" /></a><figcaption>Formation of DH-4 day bombers</figcaption></figure> <p>Each army and corps echelon of the ground forces had a chief of air service designated to direct operations. The <a href="/wiki/First_Army_Air_Service" title="First Army Air Service">Air Service, First Army</a> was activated August 26, 1918, marking the commencement of large scale coordinated U.S. air operations. Foulois was named chief of the First Army Air Service over Mitchell, who had been directing air operations as chief of the <a href="/wiki/I_Corps_(United_States)" title="I Corps (United States)">I Corps</a> Air Service since March, but Foulois voluntarily relinquished his post to Mitchell and became the Assistant Chief of Air Service, Tours, to unsnarl delays in personnel, supply, and training. Mitchell went on to become a <a href="/wiki/Brigadier_general" title="Brigadier general">brigadier general</a> and chief of the Army Group Air Service in mid-October 1918, succeeded at First Army by Col. <a href="/wiki/Thomas_D._Milling" title="Thomas D. Milling">Thomas Milling</a>. The <a href="/wiki/Second_Army_Air_Service" title="Second Army Air Service">Air Service, Second Army</a> was activated on October 12 with Col. <a href="/wiki/Frank_P._Lahm" title="Frank P. Lahm">Frank P. Lahm</a> as chief but was not ready for operations until just before the armistice. The <a href="/wiki/Third_Army_Air_Service" title="Third Army Air Service">Air Service, Third Army</a> was created immediately after the armistice to provide aviation support to the army of occupation, primarily from veteran units transferred from the First Army Air Service. </p><p>Despite their fractious relationship, Mitchell and Foulois were of one mind on the necessity of forming an "air force" to centralize control over tactical aviation. In the St-Mihiel Offensive, commencing September 12, 1918, the American and French offensive against the German <a href="/wiki/Salient_(military)" title="Salient (military)">salient</a> was supported by 1,481 airplanes directed by Mitchell, totaling 24 Air Service, 58 French <i><a href="/wiki/History_of_the_Arm%C3%A9e_de_l%27Air_(1909%E2%80%931942)" title="History of the Armée de l'Air (1909–1942)">Aéronautique Militaire</a></i>, and three <a href="/wiki/Royal_Air_Force" title="Royal Air Force">Royal Air Force</a> squadrons in coordinated operations. Observation and pursuit planes supported ground forces, while the other two-thirds of the aerial force bombed and strafed behind enemy lines. Later, during the <a href="/wiki/Meuse%E2%80%93Argonne_offensive" title="Meuse–Argonne offensive">Meuse-Argonne offensive</a>, Mitchell employed a smaller concentration of airpower, nearly all American this time, to keep the German army on the defensive. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Army_of_occupation_duties">Army of occupation duties</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=United_States_Army_Air_Service&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: Army of occupation duties"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Further information: <a href="/wiki/Organization_of_the_Air_Service_of_the_American_Expeditionary_Force" title="Organization of the Air Service of the American Expeditionary Force">Organization of the Air Service of the American Expeditionary Force</a></div> <p>Promptly after the armistice, the AEF formed the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Army_Central" title="United States Army Central">Third United States Army</a> to march immediately into Germany, occupy the <a href="/wiki/Koblenz" title="Koblenz">Coblenz</a> area, and be prepared to resume combat if peace treaty negotiations failed. Three corps were formed from eight of the Army's most experienced divisions,<sup id="cite_ref-73" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-73"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 22<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and Mitchell was appointed Chief of Air Service, Third Army, on November 14, 1918.<sup id="cite_ref-74" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-74"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>52<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>As with the ground forces, the most veteran units of the Air Service were selected to form the new Air Service. A pursuit unit, the 94th "Hat in the Ring" Aero Squadron; a day bombardment squadron, the 166th; and four observation squadrons (1st, 12th, 88th, and 9th Night) were initially assigned.<sup id="cite_ref-75" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-75"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>53<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The demobilization of the AEF accelerated in December and January, and all but two of these squadrons returned to the United States. Mitchell was replaced in January as commander of the Third Army Air Service by Col. <a href="/wiki/Harold_Fowler_(RAF_officer)" title="Harold Fowler (RAF officer)">Harold Fowler</a>, a combat veteran of the <a href="/wiki/Royal_Flying_Corps" title="Royal Flying Corps">Royal Flying Corps</a> and former commander of the American 17th Pursuit Squadron. </p><p>On April 15, 1919, the Second Army Air Service in France also closed down. Its former air units were transferred to the Third Army Air Service in Germany. The Third Army and its air service were inactivated in July 1919 after the signing of the <a href="/wiki/Treaty_of_Versailles" title="Treaty of Versailles">Treaty of Versailles</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-76" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-76"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>54<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Chiefs,_AEF_Aviation"><span id="Chiefs.2C_AEF_Aviation"></span>Chiefs, AEF Aviation</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=United_States_Army_Air_Service&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: Chiefs, AEF Aviation"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p><b>Aviation Officer, AEF</b> </p> <ul><li>Major <a href="/wiki/Townsend_F._Dodd" title="Townsend F. Dodd">Townsend F. Dodd</a>, June 13, 1917</li></ul> <p><b>Chiefs of Air Service, AEF</b> </p> <ul><li>Lt. Col. <a href="/wiki/Billy_Mitchell" title="Billy Mitchell">William L. Mitchell</a>, June 30, 1917</li> <li>Brig. Gen. <a href="/wiki/William_L._Kenly" title="William L. Kenly">William L. Kenly</a>, September 3, 1917</li> <li>Brig. Gen. <a href="/wiki/Benjamin_Foulois" title="Benjamin Foulois">Benjamin D. Foulois</a>, November 27, 1917</li> <li>Maj. Gen. <a href="/wiki/Mason_Patrick" title="Mason Patrick">Mason Patrick</a>, May 29, 1918</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Statistical_summary,_World_War_I"><span id="Statistical_summary.2C_World_War_I"></span>Statistical summary, World War I</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=United_States_Army_Air_Service&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: Statistical summary, World War I"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Air_Combat_-_Western_Front_World_War_I.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1a/Air_Combat_-_Western_Front_World_War_I.jpg/220px-Air_Combat_-_Western_Front_World_War_I.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="209" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1a/Air_Combat_-_Western_Front_World_War_I.jpg/330px-Air_Combat_-_Western_Front_World_War_I.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1a/Air_Combat_-_Western_Front_World_War_I.jpg/440px-Air_Combat_-_Western_Front_World_War_I.jpg 2x" data-file-width="683" data-file-height="650" /></a><figcaption>Air Combat – Western Front World War I</figcaption></figure> <blockquote><p>"Though the casualties in the air force were small compared with the total strength, the casualty rate of the flying personnel at the front was somewhat above the Artillery and Infantry rates... The results of allied and American experience at the front indicate that two aviators lose their lives in accidents for each aviator killed in battle." —<i>Report of the Secretary of War, 1919</i><sup id="cite_ref-rpt55_67-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-rpt55-67"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>49<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></p></blockquote> <p>The Air Service, American Expeditionary Force, totaled 78,507 personnel (7,738 officers and 70,769 enlisted men) at the armistice. Of this total, 58,090 served in France; 20,075 in England; and 342 in Italy. Balloon troops made up approximately 17,000 of the Air Service, with 6,811 in France, conducting and supporting the dangerous duty of spotting for the artillery at the front.<sup id="cite_ref-thomas385_43-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-thomas385-43"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>32<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-77" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-77"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>55<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In all, 211 squadrons of all types trained in Great Britain, with 71 arriving in France before the Armistice.<sup id="cite_ref-78" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-78"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>56<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> At its peak establishment in November 1918, the Air Service was based at 31 stations in the Services of Supply (rear areas) and 78 aerodromes in the Zone of Advance (combat area).<sup id="cite_ref-79" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-79"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>57<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-80" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-80"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 23<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The 740 combat airplanes<sup id="cite_ref-81" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-81"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>58<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-82" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-82"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 24<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> equipping the units at the front on November 11, 1918, were approximately 11% of the total combat aircraft strength of the Allied forces.<sup id="cite_ref-Maurer,_p.17_83-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Maurer,_p.17-83"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>59<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-84" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-84"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 25<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The 45 squadrons in the Zone of Advance had 767 pilots, 481 observers, and 23 aerial gunners, covering 137 kilometers of front from <a href="/wiki/Pont-%C3%A0-Mousson" title="Pont-à-Mousson">Pont-à-Mousson</a> to <a href="/wiki/Sedan,_Ardennes" title="Sedan, Ardennes">Sedan</a>. They flew more than 35,000 hours over the front lines.<sup id="cite_ref-thomas387_85-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-thomas387-85"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>60<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The Air Service conducted 150 bombing missions, the longest 160 miles behind German lines, and dropped 138 tons (125 kg) of bombs. Its squadrons had confirmed destruction of 756 German aircraft and 76 German balloons, creating 71 Air Service <a href="/wiki/Flying_ace" title="Flying ace">aces</a>. Rickenbacker finished the war as the leading American ace, with 26 aircraft destroyed.<sup id="cite_ref-86" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-86"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>61<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-87" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-87"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 26<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> 35 balloon companies also deployed in France, 17 at the front and six en route to the Second Army, and made 1,642 combat ascensions totaling 3,111 hours of observation.<sup id="cite_ref-thomas390_88-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-thomas390-88"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>62<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> 13 photographic sections were assigned to observation squadrons and made 18,000 aerial photographs.<sup id="cite_ref-thomas387_85-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-thomas387-85"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>60<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>43 flying training, air park (supply), depot (maintenance), and construction squadrons were located in the Services of Supply.<sup id="cite_ref-Maurer,_p.17_83-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Maurer,_p.17-83"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>59<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> A major air depot at <a href="/wiki/Colombey-les-Belles" title="Colombey-les-Belles">Colombey-les-Belles</a>;<sup id="cite_ref-89" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-89"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 27<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> three other maintenance depots at <a href="/wiki/Behonne" title="Behonne">Behonne</a>, <a href="/wiki/Latrecey-Ormoy-sur-Aube" title="Latrecey-Ormoy-sur-Aube">LaTrecey</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Vinets" title="Vinets">Vinets</a>; four supply depots at <a href="/wiki/Clichy,_Hauts-de-Seine" title="Clichy, Hauts-de-Seine">Clichy</a>, <a href="/wiki/Romorantin-Lanthenay" title="Romorantin-Lanthenay">Romorantin</a>, <a href="/wiki/Tours" title="Tours">Tours</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Is-sur-Tille" title="Is-sur-Tille">Is-sur-Tille</a>; and 12 air park squadrons maintained the combat and training forces.<sup id="cite_ref-mm119126_90-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-mm119126-90"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>63<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Aircraft acquired from European sources were accepted at Aircraft Acceptance Park No. 1 at <a href="/wiki/Orly" title="Orly">Orly</a>, while those shipped from the United States for assembly in France were delivered to Air Service Production Center No. 2, built on the site of a former pine forest at Romorantin.<sup id="cite_ref-91" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-91"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>64<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Ferry operations of over 6,300 new aircraft to the air depots in "often...far from perfect" weather conditions resulted in the successful delivery of 95% and the loss of only eight pilots.<sup id="cite_ref-mm119126_90-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-mm119126-90"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>63<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:94th_aero_squadron_aviators.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/06/94th_aero_squadron_aviators.jpg/220px-94th_aero_squadron_aviators.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="146" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/06/94th_aero_squadron_aviators.jpg/330px-94th_aero_squadron_aviators.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/06/94th_aero_squadron_aviators.jpg/440px-94th_aero_squadron_aviators.jpg 2x" data-file-width="462" data-file-height="307" /></a><figcaption>Aces <a href="/wiki/Eddie_Rickenbacker" title="Eddie Rickenbacker">Eddie Rickenbacker</a>, <a href="/wiki/Douglas_Campbell_(aviator)" title="Douglas Campbell (aviator)">Douglas Campbell</a>, and Kenneth Marr of the 94th Aero Squadron pose next to a Nieuport 28.</figcaption></figure> <p>A large training establishment was also set up.<sup id="cite_ref-92" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-92"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 28<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In France the Air Service Concentration Barracks at <a href="/wiki/Saint-Maixent" title="Saint-Maixent">Saint-Maixent</a> received all newly arrived Air Service troops, distributing them to 26 training fields and schools throughout the central and western regions of the country.<sup id="cite_ref-93" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-93"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>65<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Flying training schools, equipped with 2,948 airplanes, supplied 1,674 fully trained pilots and 851 observers to the Air Service, with 1,402 pilots and 769 observers serving at the front. The observers trained in France included 825 artillery officers from the infantry divisions who volunteered to fill a critical shortage in 1918.<sup id="cite_ref-94" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-94"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>66<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> After the Armistice, the schools graduated 675 additional pilots and 357 observers to serve with the Third Army Air Service in the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Army_Central" title="United States Army Central">Army of Occupation</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-95" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-95"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>67<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The 3rd Aviation Instruction Center at <a href="/wiki/Issoudun" title="Issoudun">Issoudun</a> provided 766 pursuit pilots.<sup id="cite_ref-96" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-96"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>68<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> 169 students and 49 instructors died in training accidents.<sup id="cite_ref-97" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-97"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>69<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Balloon candidates made 4,224 practice ascensions while training. </p><p>Air Service combat losses were 289 airplanes and 48 balloons<sup id="cite_ref-ross_66-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-ross-66"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>48<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-98" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-98"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>70<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-99" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-99"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 29<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> with 235 airmen killed in action,<sup id="cite_ref-100" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-100"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 30<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> 130 wounded, 145 captured, and 654 Air Service members of all ranks dead of illness or accidents.<sup id="cite_ref-101" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-101"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>71<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Air Service personnel were awarded 611 decorations in combat, including 4 <a href="/wiki/Medal_of_Honor" title="Medal of Honor">Medals of Honor</a> and 312 <a href="/wiki/Distinguished_Service_Cross_(United_States)" title="Distinguished Service Cross (United States)">Distinguished Service Crosses</a> (54 were <a href="/wiki/Oak_leaf_cluster" title="Oak leaf cluster">oak leaf clusters</a>).<sup id="cite_ref-102" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-102"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 31<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> 210 decorations were awarded to aviators by France, 22 by Great Britain, and 69 by other nations.<sup id="cite_ref-103" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-103"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>72<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Post-war">Post-war</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=United_States_Army_Air_Service&action=edit&section=13" title="Edit section: Post-war"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Consolidation_of_the_Air_Service">Consolidation of the Air Service</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=United_States_Army_Air_Service&action=edit&section=14" title="Edit section: Consolidation of the Air Service"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Executive Order 3066, issued by President Wilson on March 19, 1919, formally consolidated the BAP and DMA into the <i>Air Service, United States Army</i>.<sup id="cite_ref-104" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-104"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>73<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-105" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-105"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 32<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Anticipating the order, Director of Air Service Maj. Gen. <a href="/wiki/Charles_T._Menoher" title="Charles T. Menoher">Charles Menoher</a> undertook a sweeping re-organization on March 15, using the "<a href="/wiki/Staff_(military)" title="Staff (military)">divisional system</a>" of the AEF as a model.<sup id="cite_ref-tg149_2-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-tg149-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Menoher created an advisory board representing the key branches of the Army, and appointed an Executive to coordinate policy between four groups, each headed by an Assistant Executive: Supply, Information, Training and Operations, and Administrative.<sup id="cite_ref-106" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-106"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>74<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-107" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-107"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>75<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> With the signing of the <a href="/wiki/Treaty_of_Versailles" title="Treaty of Versailles">Treaty of Versailles</a> on June 28, 1919, President Wilson relinquished his war powers under the Overman Act, and on July 11 Congress granted legislative authority to continue the Air Service as a temporary independent branch of the War Department for another year, easing fears of airmen that the Air Service would be demobilized out of existence.<sup id="cite_ref-108" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-108"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>76<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-109" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-109"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 33<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <figure class="mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Flying_jenny_cropped.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/74/Flying_jenny_cropped.jpg/250px-Flying_jenny_cropped.jpg" decoding="async" width="250" height="151" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/74/Flying_jenny_cropped.jpg/375px-Flying_jenny_cropped.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/74/Flying_jenny_cropped.jpg/500px-Flying_jenny_cropped.jpg 2x" data-file-width="1055" data-file-height="639" /></a><figcaption>Curtiss JN-4 trainer</figcaption></figure> <p>At the end of November 1918, the Air Service consisted of 185 flying, 44 construction, 114 supply, 11 replacement, and 150 <a href="/wiki/Spruce" title="Spruce">spruce</a> production squadrons; 86 balloon companies; six balloon group headquarters; 15 construction companies; 55 photographic sections; and a few miscellaneous units. Its personnel strength was 19,189 officers and 178,149 enlisted men.<sup id="cite_ref-sqs_110-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-sqs-110"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>77<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Its aircraft inventory consisted primarily of <a href="/wiki/Curtiss_JN-4_Jenny" class="mw-redirect" title="Curtiss JN-4 Jenny">Curtiss JN-4</a> trainers, <a href="/wiki/Airco_DH.4" title="Airco DH.4">de Havilland DH-4B</a> scout planes, <a href="/wiki/Royal_Aircraft_Factory_S.E.5" title="Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5">SE-5</a> and <a href="/wiki/SPAD_S.XIII" title="SPAD S.XIII">Spad S.XIII</a> fighters, and <a href="/wiki/Martin_MB-1" title="Martin MB-1">Martin MB-1</a> bombers.<sup id="cite_ref-shinerstats_111-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-shinerstats-111"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>78<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Complete demobilization of the Air Service was accomplished within a year. By November 22, 1919, the Air Service had been reduced to one construction, one replacement, and 22 flying squadrons; 32 balloon companies; 15 photographic sections; and 1,168 officers and 8,428 enlisted men.<sup id="cite_ref-sqs_110-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-sqs-110"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>77<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The combat strength of the Air Service was only four pursuit and four bombardment squadrons. Although the leaders of the reorganized Air Service persuaded the General Staff to increase the combat strength to 20 squadrons by 1923, the balloon force was demobilized, including <a href="/wiki/Airship" title="Airship">dirigibles</a>, and personnel shrank even further, to just 880 officers. By July 1924, the Air Service inventory was 457 observation planes, 55 bombers, 78 pursuit planes, and 8 attack aircraft, with trainers to make the total number 754.<sup id="cite_ref-shinerstats_111-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-shinerstats-111"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>78<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The Air Service replaced its wartime structure with the formation of six permanent groups in 1919, four of which were based in the United States and two overseas. The first of the new groups, the Army Surveillance Group, was organized in July to direct the operations of three squadrons<sup id="cite_ref-112" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-112"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 34<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> patrolling the border with Mexico, where revolution had broken out, from <a href="/wiki/Brownsville,_Texas" title="Brownsville, Texas">Brownsville, Texas</a> to <a href="/wiki/Nogales,_Arizona" title="Nogales, Arizona">Nogales, Arizona</a>. In addition, the 1st Day Bombardment Group was formed to control four bombardment squadrons at Kelly,<sup id="cite_ref-113" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-113"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 35<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> while the 1st Pursuit Group of four pursuit squadrons<sup id="cite_ref-114" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-114"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 36<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> relocated from Selfridge Field, Michigan, to add their weight to the effort. Collectively the three groups (the entire combat strength of the Air Service in the continental United States) comprised the <i><a href="/wiki/1st_Bombardment_Wing" title="1st Bombardment Wing">1st Wing</a></i>. In January 1920 only the surveillance group continued the patrols, which gradually diminished until June 1921 when they ceased entirely.<sup id="cite_ref-115" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-115"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>79<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-116" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-116"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 37<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Another group was organized overseas in 1920 to administrate squadrons in the <a href="/wiki/Philippines" title="Philippines">Philippines</a>. In 1921, the three groups based within the United States were sequentially numbered one through three and assigned different combat roles. The fourth was inactivated. The next year the groups overseas were numbered four through six as "composite" groups. In 1922 plans were formulated for three more groups to flesh out the anticipated GHQ Air Force, but only one, the 9th Observation, was formed. The 7th Bombardment and 8th Fighter Groups were designated but not activated until the end of the decade. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="National_Defense_Act_of_1920">National Defense Act of 1920</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=United_States_Army_Air_Service&action=edit&section=15" title="Edit section: National Defense Act of 1920"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:MB-3_Pursuit_at_Selfridge_Field.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/03/MB-3_Pursuit_at_Selfridge_Field.jpg/220px-MB-3_Pursuit_at_Selfridge_Field.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="131" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/03/MB-3_Pursuit_at_Selfridge_Field.jpg/330px-MB-3_Pursuit_at_Selfridge_Field.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/03/MB-3_Pursuit_at_Selfridge_Field.jpg/440px-MB-3_Pursuit_at_Selfridge_Field.jpg 2x" data-file-width="490" data-file-height="291" /></a><figcaption>MB-3A of 94th Pursuit Squadron, 1st Pursuit Group</figcaption></figure> <blockquote><p><i><b>Sect. 13a.</b> There is hereby created an Air Service. The Air Service shall consist of one Chief of Air Service with the rank of major-general, one assistant with the rank of brigadier-general, 1,514 officers in grades from colonel to second lieutenant, inclusive, and 16,000 enlisted men, including not to exceed 2,500 flying cadets...</i> — <b>Section 13a, Public Law 242, 41 <i>Stat</i>. 759</b><sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMooneyLayman1944116_117-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMooneyLayman1944116-117"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>80<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></ref></p></blockquote> <p>With the passage of the National Defense Act, June 4, 1920 (Public Law 66-242, 41 <i>Stat</i>. 759-88),<sup id="cite_ref-118" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-118"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 38<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> the Air Service was statutorily recognized as a combatant arm of the line along with the <a href="/wiki/Infantry" title="Infantry">Infantry</a>, <a href="/wiki/Cavalry" title="Cavalry">Cavalry</a>, <a href="/wiki/Field_Artillery_Branch_(United_States)" title="Field Artillery Branch (United States)">Field Artillery</a>, <a href="/wiki/Coastal_artillery" title="Coastal artillery">Coast Artillery</a>, <a href="/wiki/United_States_Army_Corps_of_Engineers" title="United States Army Corps of Engineers">Corps of Engineers</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Signal_Corps_(United_States_Army)" class="mw-redirect" title="Signal Corps (United States Army)">Signal Corps</a>, and given a permanent organization with a fixed complement of personnel. However this also legislated the form of the Air Service to that desired by the General Staff to maintain the aviation arm as an auxiliary component controlled by ground commanders in furtherance of the mission of the infantry. </p><p>A <i>Chief of Air Service</i> was authorized with the rank of <a href="/wiki/Major_general" title="Major general">major general</a> to replace the previous <i>Director of Air Service</i>, and an assistant chief created in the rank of <a href="/wiki/Brigadier_general" title="Brigadier general">brigadier general</a> (from 1920 to 1925 this position was held by Brig. Gen. Billy Mitchell). The primary missions of the Air Service were observation and pursuit aviation, and its tactical squadrons in the United States were controlled by the commanders of nine <a href="/wiki/Corps_area" title="Corps area">corps areas</a> and three overseas departments created by the Act, primarily in support of the ground forces. The Chief of the Air Service retained command of training schools, depots, and support activities exempted from corps area control. The headquarters of the Air Service was housed in the <a href="/wiki/Main_Navy_and_Munitions_Buildings" title="Main Navy and Munitions Buildings">Munitions Building</a> in Washington, D.C., and consisted of an executive staff including the chiefs of the Finance and Medical Sections, and four divisions, each administered by a chief: Personnel Group, Information Group (Intelligence), Training and War Plans Group, and Supply Group.<sup id="cite_ref-119" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-119"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 39<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The Air Service of 1925 numbered five airship companies, an airship service company, 32 tactical squadrons (eight pursuit, eight bombardment, two attack, and 14 observation), six school squadrons,<sup id="cite_ref-120" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-120"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 40<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and 11 service squadrons. Half of the pursuit and bombardment squadrons and three each of the observation and service squadrons were based outside the continental United States.<sup id="cite_ref-121" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-121"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>81<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The General Staff produced a mobilization plan that in the event of war would create a field force of six <a href="/wiki/Army" title="Army">armies</a>, 18 <a href="/wiki/Corps" title="Corps">corps</a>, and 54 <a href="/wiki/Division_(military)" title="Division (military)">divisions</a>. Each army would have an Air Service attack wing (one attack and two pursuit groups) and an observation group, each corps and division would have an observation squadron, and a seventh attack wing-observation group would be reserved for the Expeditionary Force's general headquarters. A single bombardment group was planned, relegating bombardment to the most minor of roles. All aviation units would be under the command of ground officers at all levels. While promoting unity of command within the service as its most important principle, the plan obviated concentration of forces by its air units. This structure provided the principles by which the Air Service and Air Corps operated until 1935. </p> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-left" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Martin_MB-2_in_flight_with_a_pursuit_aircraft_practicing_an_attack_061219-F-1234S-016.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1a/Martin_MB-2_in_flight_with_a_pursuit_aircraft_practicing_an_attack_061219-F-1234S-016.jpg/220px-Martin_MB-2_in_flight_with_a_pursuit_aircraft_practicing_an_attack_061219-F-1234S-016.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="143" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1a/Martin_MB-2_in_flight_with_a_pursuit_aircraft_practicing_an_attack_061219-F-1234S-016.jpg/330px-Martin_MB-2_in_flight_with_a_pursuit_aircraft_practicing_an_attack_061219-F-1234S-016.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1a/Martin_MB-2_in_flight_with_a_pursuit_aircraft_practicing_an_attack_061219-F-1234S-016.jpg/440px-Martin_MB-2_in_flight_with_a_pursuit_aircraft_practicing_an_attack_061219-F-1234S-016.jpg 2x" data-file-width="1800" data-file-height="1172" /></a><figcaption>NBS-1 (MB-2) and pursuit in combat practice.</figcaption></figure> <p>The principal pursuit planes of the Air Service were the MB-3 (50 in inventory), the <a href="/wiki/Thomas-Morse_MB-3" title="Thomas-Morse MB-3">MB-3A</a> (200 acquired 1920–23), and the <a href="/wiki/Curtiss_P-1_Hawk" title="Curtiss P-1 Hawk">Curtiss PW-8/P-1 Hawk</a> (48 acquired in 1924–25). The only bomber ordered in quantity was the <a href="/wiki/Martin_NBS-1" title="Martin NBS-1">Martin NBS-1</a> (130 ordered 1920–1922), the mass-produced version of the MB-2 bomber developed in 1920. Mitchell used the NBS-1 as the primary striking weapon during his demonstration in July 1921 off the Virginia coast that resulted in the <a href="/wiki/Billy_Mitchell#Project_B:_Anti-ship_bombing_demonstration" title="Billy Mitchell">sinking of the captured German battleship <i>Ostfriesland</i></a>. </p><p>Aeronautical development became the responsibility of the Technical Section, Air Service, created January 1, 1919, consolidating the Aircraft Engineering Department BAP, the Technical Section DMA, and the Testing Squadron at <a href="/wiki/Wright-Patterson_Air_Force_Base" title="Wright-Patterson Air Force Base">Wilbur Wright Field</a>, which was renamed the Engineering Division on March 19 and relocated to <a href="/wiki/McCook_Field" title="McCook Field">McCook Field</a>, <a href="/wiki/Dayton,_Ohio" title="Dayton, Ohio">Dayton, Ohio</a>. </p><p>A formal training establishment was also created by the Air Service on February 25, 1920, when the War Department authorized the establishment of service schools. Flying training, originally at <a href="/wiki/Carlstrom_Field" title="Carlstrom Field">Carlstrom Field</a> in Florida and <a href="/wiki/March_Air_Reserve_Base" title="March Air Reserve Base">March Field</a> in California, moved to Texas, divided between the <a href="/wiki/11th_School_Group" title="11th School Group">11th School Group</a> (primary flying training) at <a href="/wiki/Brooks_Air_Force_Base" title="Brooks Air Force Base">Brooks Field</a> and the <a href="/wiki/10th_School_Group" title="10th School Group">10th School Group</a> (advanced flying training) at <a href="/wiki/Kelly_Field" title="Kelly Field">Kelly Field</a>. A technical school for mechanics was located at <a href="/wiki/Chanute_Air_Force_Base" title="Chanute Air Force Base">Chanute Field</a>, <a href="/wiki/Illinois" title="Illinois">Illinois</a>. The <a href="/wiki/Air_Corps_Tactical_School" title="Air Corps Tactical School">Air Service Tactical School</a> was set up at <a href="/wiki/Langley_Air_Force_Base" title="Langley Air Force Base">Langley Field</a>, <a href="/wiki/Virginia" title="Virginia">Virginia</a>, to train officers for higher command and to instruct in doctrine and the employment of military aviation. The Engineering Division created an air engineering school at McCook Field and moved it to <a href="/wiki/Wright-Patterson_Air_Force_Base" title="Wright-Patterson Air Force Base">Wright Field</a> when that base was established in 1924.<sup id="cite_ref-122" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-122"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>82<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-123" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-123"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 41<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Groups_of_the_Air_Service">Groups of the Air Service</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=United_States_Army_Air_Service&action=edit&section=16" title="Edit section: Groups of the Air Service"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Further information: <a href="/wiki/Organization_of_the_U.S._Army_Air_Service_in_1925" title="Organization of the U.S. Army Air Service in 1925">Organization of the U.S. Army Air Service in 1925</a></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:World_War_I_US_Army_Air_Service_Recruiting_Poster_Source3.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/32/World_War_I_US_Army_Air_Service_Recruiting_Poster_Source3.jpg/220px-World_War_I_US_Army_Air_Service_Recruiting_Poster_Source3.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="304" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/32/World_War_I_US_Army_Air_Service_Recruiting_Poster_Source3.jpg 1.5x" data-file-width="271" data-file-height="375" /></a><figcaption>World War I recruiting poster</figcaption></figure> <table class="wikitable"> <tbody><tr> <th align="center">Original Designation</th> <th align="center">Station</th> <th align="center">Date created</th> <th align="center">Redesignation (date) </th></tr> <tr> <td>Army Surveillance Group</td> <td align="center"><a href="/wiki/Fort_Bliss" title="Fort Bliss">Fort Bliss</a>, <a href="/wiki/Texas" title="Texas">Texas</a></td> <td>July 1, 1919</td> <td><a href="/wiki/3rd_Operations_Group" title="3rd Operations Group">3d Group (Attack)</a>² (1921) </td></tr> <tr> <td>2nd Observation Group</td> <td align="center"><a href="/wiki/Ford_Island" title="Ford Island">Luke Field</a>, <a href="/wiki/Hawaii" title="Hawaii">Hawaii</a></td> <td>August 15, 1919</td> <td><a href="/wiki/5th_Operations_Group" title="5th Operations Group">5th Group (Composite)</a>² (1922) </td></tr> <tr> <td>1st Pursuit Group</td> <td align="center"><a href="/wiki/Selfridge_Air_National_Guard_Base" title="Selfridge Air National Guard Base">Selfridge Field</a>, <a href="/wiki/Michigan" title="Michigan">Michigan</a></td> <td>August 22, 1919</td> <td><a href="/wiki/1st_Operations_Group" title="1st Operations Group">1st Group (Pursuit)</a>² (1921) </td></tr> <tr> <td>1st Day Bombardment Group</td> <td align="center">Kelly Field, Texas</td> <td>September 18, 1919</td> <td><a href="/wiki/2nd_Operations_Group" title="2nd Operations Group">2d Group (Bombardment)</a>² (1921) </td></tr> <tr> <td>3d Observation Group</td> <td align="center"><a href="/wiki/Panama_Canal_Zone" title="Panama Canal Zone">France Field</a>, <a href="/wiki/Panama" title="Panama">Panama</a></td> <td>September 30, 1919</td> <td><a href="/wiki/6th_Operations_Group" title="6th Operations Group">6th Group (Observation)</a>² (1922) </td></tr> <tr> <td>First Army Observation Group</td> <td align="center"><a href="/wiki/Langley_Air_Force_Base" title="Langley Air Force Base">Langley Field</a>, <a href="/wiki/Virginia" title="Virginia">Virginia</a></td> <td>October 1, 1919</td> <td><a href="/wiki/7th_Operations_Group" title="7th Operations Group">7th Group (Observation)</a> (1921)¹ </td></tr> <tr> <td>1st Observation Group</td> <td><a href="/wiki/Clark_Air_Base" title="Clark Air Base">Ft. Stotsenburg</a>, <a href="/wiki/Luzon" title="Luzon">Luzon</a></td> <td>March 3, 1920</td> <td><a href="/wiki/4th_Composite_Group" title="4th Composite Group">4th Group (Composite)</a>² (1922) </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/9th_Operations_Group" title="9th Operations Group">9th Group (Observation)</a>²</td> <td align="center"><a href="/wiki/Mitchel_Air_Force_Base" title="Mitchel Air Force Base">Mitchel Field</a>, <a href="/wiki/New_York_(state)" title="New York (state)">New York</a></td> <td>August 1, 1922</td> <td> </td></tr></tbody></table> <dl><dd>¹Inactivated (1921), redesignated <i>Bombardment</i> while inactive (1923), re-activated 1928</dd> <dd>²Original 7 groups of <a href="/wiki/United_States_Army_Air_Corps" title="United States Army Air Corps">US Army Air Corps</a></dd></dl> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Annual_Air_Service_strength">Annual Air Service strength</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=United_States_Army_Air_Service&action=edit&section=17" title="Edit section: Annual Air Service strength"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:2dbombgroup-nbs1-apr1926.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e8/2dbombgroup-nbs1-apr1926.jpg/220px-2dbombgroup-nbs1-apr1926.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="169" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e8/2dbombgroup-nbs1-apr1926.jpg/330px-2dbombgroup-nbs1-apr1926.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e8/2dbombgroup-nbs1-apr1926.jpg/440px-2dbombgroup-nbs1-apr1926.jpg 2x" data-file-width="655" data-file-height="504" /></a><figcaption>NBS-1s of the 2nd Bomb Group, April 1926</figcaption></figure> <table class="wikitable"> <tbody><tr> <th align="center">Year</th> <th align="center">Strength</th> <th></th> <th align="center">Year</th> <th align="center">Strength</th> <th></th> <th align="center">Year</th> <th align="center">Strength </th></tr> <tr> <td align="center">1918</td> <td align="center">138,997</td> <td></td> <td align="center">1921</td> <td align="center">11,830</td> <td></td> <td align="center">1924</td> <td align="center">10,488 </td></tr> <tr> <td align="center">1919</td> <td align="center">24,115</td> <td></td> <td align="center">1922</td> <td align="center">9,888</td> <td></td> <td align="center">1925</td> <td align="center">9,719 </td></tr> <tr> <td align="center">1920</td> <td align="center">9,358</td> <td></td> <td align="center">1923</td> <td align="center">9,407</td> <td></td> <td align="center">1926</td> <td align="center">9,578 </td></tr></tbody></table> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Heads_of_the_Air_Service">Heads of the Air Service</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=United_States_Army_Air_Service&action=edit&section=18" title="Edit section: Heads of the Air Service"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p><b>Directors of Air Service</b> </p> <ul><li>John D. Ryan (August 28, 1918 – November 27, 1918)</li> <li>Maj. Gen. <a href="/wiki/Charles_T._Menoher" title="Charles T. Menoher">Charles T. Menoher</a> (January 2, 1919 – June 4, 1920)</li></ul> <p><b>Chiefs of Air Service</b> </p> <ul><li>Maj. Gen. <a href="/wiki/Charles_T._Menoher" title="Charles T. Menoher">Charles T. Menoher</a> (June 4, 1920 – October 4, 1921)</li> <li>Maj. Gen. <a href="/wiki/Mason_Patrick" title="Mason Patrick">Mason M. Patrick</a> (October 5, 1921 – July 2, 1926)</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Debate_over_an_independent_Air_Force">Debate over an independent Air Force</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=United_States_Army_Air_Service&action=edit&section=19" title="Edit section: Debate over an independent Air Force"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Framing_the_issues">Framing the issues</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=United_States_Army_Air_Service&action=edit&section=20" title="Edit section: Framing the issues"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The seven-year history of the post-war Air Service was essentially a prolonged debate between adherents of <a href="/wiki/Airpower" title="Airpower">airpower</a> and the supporters of the traditional military services about the value of an independent Air Force, spurred by the creation of the <a href="/wiki/Royal_Air_Force" title="Royal Air Force">Royal Air Force</a> in 1918. On one side were Brig. Gen. Billy Mitchell, Brig. Gen. <a href="/wiki/Benjamin_Foulois" title="Benjamin Foulois">Benjamin Foulois</a>, a cadre of young former <a href="/wiki/United_States_Army_Reserve" title="United States Army Reserve">Reserve</a> officers who made up the overwhelming majority of Army pilots, and a few like-minded politicians and newspapers. Opposed were the <a href="/wiki/Staff_(military)" title="Staff (military)">General Staff</a> of the Army, its senior leadership from <a href="/wiki/World_War_I" title="World War I">World War I</a>, and the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Navy" title="United States Navy">Navy</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-124" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-124"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>83<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/United_States_Congress" title="United States Congress">Congress</a> seemed sympathetic to the airpower advocates, but legislators consistently voted against them, to conserve the status quo. The doctrinal differences between the military services were both defined and intensified by struggles for funds caused by the skimpy budgets authorized for the War Department, first by the penurious policies of the Republican administrations in the 1920s, and then by the fiscal realities of the <a href="/wiki/Great_Depression" title="Great Depression">Great Depression</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-125" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-125"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>84<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Billy_Mitchell.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/ba/Billy_Mitchell.jpg/220px-Billy_Mitchell.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="281" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/ba/Billy_Mitchell.jpg/330px-Billy_Mitchell.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/ba/Billy_Mitchell.jpg/440px-Billy_Mitchell.jpg 2x" data-file-width="2587" data-file-height="3299" /></a><figcaption>Brig. Gen. Billy Mitchell, Assistant Chief of Air Service, 1920–1925</figcaption></figure> <p>While this debate focused largely on the controversial Mitchell, its early star was Foulois. Both returned from France with combat leadership experience in aviation, expecting to become the peacetime leaders of the Air Service. Instead, the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Department_of_War" title="United States Department of War">War Department</a> appointed Maj. Gen. Charles Menoher, who had commanded the <a href="/wiki/42nd_Infantry_Division_(United_States)" title="42nd Infantry Division (United States)">Rainbow Division</a> in France, to be Director of the Air Service to replace Secretary Ryan, signaling to the nation and the airpower proponents its intent to keep the air arm under the direction of the ground forces.<sup id="cite_ref-Shiner,_p._73_126-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Shiner,_p._73-126"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>85<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Foulois was reduced to his permanent establishment rank of captain and assigned to head a minor agency. Mitchell received the vacant position of Director of Military Aeronautics, but its responsibilities had been transferred to Menoher by Executive Order 3066 to end the dual status mess of the DMA and BAP, and his position was titular only. Instead he became Third Assistant Executive (in effect, S-3), chief of the new Training and Operations Group, where he installed like-minded airmen who had served with him France as division heads and used the position to expound his theories.<sup id="cite_ref-127" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-127"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>86<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-128" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-128"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 42<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In 1919, Mitchell proposed a <a href="/wiki/Cabinet_of_the_United_States" title="Cabinet of the United States">Cabinet</a>-level Department of Aviation equal to the War and <a href="/wiki/United_States_Department_of_the_Navy" title="United States Department of the Navy">Navy Departments</a> to control all aviation, including sea-based air, <a href="/wiki/Airmail" title="Airmail">airmail</a>, and commercial operations. His goal was not only independent and centralized control of airpower, but also encouragement of the peacetime U.S. aviation industry. Mitchell insisted that the debate be both "broad and civil". Foulois, however, complained bitterly to the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Congress" title="United States Congress">United States Congress</a> about the historical neglect and indifference of the Army to its air service.<sup id="cite_ref-129" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-129"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>87<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-130" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-130"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 43<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Although two bills to create Mitchell's proposed department were introduced, in the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Senate" title="United States Senate">Senate</a> by Sen. <a href="/wiki/Harry_Stewart_New" class="mw-redirect" title="Harry Stewart New">Harry S. New</a> of Indiana and in the <a href="/wiki/United_States_House_of_Representatives" title="United States House of Representatives">House</a> by Rep. <a href="/wiki/Charles_F._Curry" title="Charles F. Curry">Charles F. Curry</a> of California, and initially garnered strong support, the opposition of the Army's wartime leaders (especially General Pershing) frustrated the effort at the start.<sup id="cite_ref-131" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-131"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 44<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In August 1919 Gen. Menoher was assigned to chair a board consisting of himself and three other generals, all artillery officers and former infantry division commanders, appointed to report back to Congress on the proposed legislation. In October it predictably argued that unity of command and conformity to Army discipline overrode all other considerations.<sup id="cite_ref-132" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-132"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>88<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Support for the New and Curry bills evaporated and resulted in the passage of the less radical National Defense Act of 1920 conforming to the desires of the General Staff.<sup id="cite_ref-Shiner,_p._73_126-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Shiner,_p._73-126"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>85<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Mitchell was not discouraged by the failure of his first proposal. He recognized the value of public opinion in the debate and changed tactics, embarking on a publicity campaign on behalf of military aviation. General Menoher, when he was unable to persuade Secretary of War <a href="/wiki/John_W._Weeks" title="John W. Weeks">John Wingate Weeks</a> to silence Mitchell, resigned his position on October 4, 1921, and was replaced by Maj.Gen. <a href="/wiki/Mason_Patrick" title="Mason Patrick">Mason Patrick</a>. Although an engineer and not an aviator, Patrick had been Pershing's Chief of Air Service in France, where his primary duty had been to coordinate the activities of Foulois and Mitchell, then rivals. Patrick had also testified before Congress against Mitchell's plan for an independent air force.<sup id="cite_ref-133" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-133"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>89<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Patrick was not hostile to aviation, however. He underwent flight training and obtained his wings, then issued a series of reports to the War Department emphasizing the need to expand and modernize the Air Service. In his first annual report in 1922, he warned that the Air Service had been degraded by budget cuts to the degree that it could no longer meet its peacetime obligations, much less mobilize for war. In one of the Air Service's first inclusions in the army's promotion system after becoming a combatant arm, among the 669 lieutenant colonels on the 1922 candidate list for colonel, the first Air Service member (<a href="/wiki/James_Fechet" title="James Fechet">James E. Fechet</a>) was 354th. Patrick supported and issued the first air doctrine for the service, <i>Fundamental Conceptions</i> (patterned on Army Training Regulation 10-5 <i>Doctrines Principles and Methods</i>), which outlined strategy and tactics for the air arm.<sup id="cite_ref-134" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-134"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>90<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-135" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-135"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 45<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Patrick was also critical of the policy that placed air units under the command of corps commanders and proposed that only observation squadrons should be part of the ground forces, with all combat forces centralized under the control of an air force attached to General Headquarters.<sup id="cite_ref-136" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-136"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>91<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-137" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-137"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>92<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-138" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-138"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 46<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Investigating_committees_and_boards">Investigating committees and boards</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=United_States_Army_Air_Service&action=edit&section=21" title="Edit section: Investigating committees and boards"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Mason.patrick.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b7/Mason.patrick.jpg/220px-Mason.patrick.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="272" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b7/Mason.patrick.jpg/330px-Mason.patrick.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b7/Mason.patrick.jpg/440px-Mason.patrick.jpg 2x" data-file-width="2293" data-file-height="2832" /></a><figcaption>Maj. Gen. Mason Patrick, Chief of Air Service, 1921–1926</figcaption></figure> <p>The response to the proposal was three boards and committees. The Secretary of War convened the <i>Lassiter Board</i> in 1923, composed of general staff officers who fully endorsed Patrick's views, and adopted the policy in regulations.<sup id="cite_ref-139" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-139"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>93<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-140" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-140"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 47<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The War Department acknowledged the necessity of improving its Air Service and desired to implement the Lassiter Board's recommendations, which it termed "Major Project No. 4", but the Coolidge administration proved a major obstacle, choosing to economize by radically cutting military budgets, particularly the Army's.<sup id="cite_ref-141" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-141"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>94<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-142" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-142"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 48<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Patrick's proposal that appropriations for the Air Service be coordinated with the larger budget of <a href="/wiki/Naval_aviation" title="Naval aviation">Naval aviation</a> (in effect, shared), was rejected by the Navy, and the reorganization could not be implemented.<sup id="cite_ref-Shiner,_p.97_143-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Shiner,_p.97-143"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>95<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The <a href="/wiki/United_States_House_of_Representatives" title="United States House of Representatives">U.S. House of Representatives</a> then appointed the <i><a href="/wiki/Florian_Lampert" title="Florian Lampert">Lampert</a> Committee</i><sup id="cite_ref-144" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-144"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 49<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> in October 1924 to investigate Patrick's criticisms. Mitchell testified before the committee and, upset by the failure of the War Department to even negotiate with the Navy in order to save the reforms of the Lassiter Board, harshly criticized Army leadership and attacked other witnesses. He had already antagonized the flag and general officers of both services with speeches and articles delivered in 1923 and 1924, and the Army refused to retain him as Assistant Chief of the Air Service when his term expired in March 1925. He was reduced in rank to colonel by Secretary Weeks and exiled to the Eighth <a href="/wiki/Corps_area" title="Corps area">Corps Area</a> in San Antonio as air officer, where his continuing, reckless, and increasingly strident criticisms prompted President Calvin Coolidge to order his <a href="/wiki/Court-martial" title="Court-martial">court-martial</a>. Mitchell's conviction on December 17, 1925, followed by three days the Lampert Committee's recommendations for creation of a unified air force independent of the Army and Navy; creation of "assistant secretaries for air" in the War, Navy, and Commerce Departments; and establishment of a Department of National Defense.<sup id="cite_ref-145" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-145"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>96<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The third board was the <i>Morrow Board</i>, a "blue ribbon" panel convened by President Coolidge in September 1925 to make a general inquiry into U.S. aviation. Headed by an <a href="/wiki/Investment_banking" title="Investment banking">investment banker</a> and personal friend of Coolidge's, <a href="/wiki/Dwight_Morrow" title="Dwight Morrow">Dwight Morrow</a>, the board was made up of a federal judge, the head of the <a href="/wiki/National_Advisory_Committee_for_Aeronautics" title="National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics">National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics</a>, former military officers now in industry, and the wartime head of the Board of Aircraft Production. The actual purpose of the Morrow Board was to minimize the political impact of the Mitchell trial, and Coolidge directed that it issue its findings by the end of November, to pre-empt the findings of not only the military court but also of the Lampert Committee that might be contrary to the Morrow Board. Its report was released on December 3. The major result of the Morrow Board was to maintain the status quo. It also made the recommendation, adopted in 1926, that the Air Service be renamed the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Army_Air_Corps" title="United States Army Air Corps"><i>Air Corps</i></a>, but in doing so Congress denied it the autonomy enjoyed by the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Marine_Corps" title="United States Marine Corps">Marine Corps</a> within the Navy Department, and thus the change was only cosmetic and the Air Corps remained as an auxiliary arm to the ground forces.<sup id="cite_ref-146" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-146"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>97<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Advances_in_aviation">Advances in aviation</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=United_States_Army_Air_Service&action=edit&section=22" title="Edit section: Advances in aviation"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Curtiss_R-6_racer.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/37/Curtiss_R-6_racer.jpg/220px-Curtiss_R-6_racer.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="158" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/37/Curtiss_R-6_racer.jpg/330px-Curtiss_R-6_racer.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/37/Curtiss_R-6_racer.jpg/440px-Curtiss_R-6_racer.jpg 2x" data-file-width="4720" data-file-height="3389" /></a><figcaption>Curtiss R-6 racer, 1922 Pulitzer Trophy winner</figcaption></figure> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:PACKARD-LePERE_LUSAC_11_-_2.JPG" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4f/PACKARD-LePERE_LUSAC_11_-_2.JPG/220px-PACKARD-LePERE_LUSAC_11_-_2.JPG" decoding="async" width="220" height="154" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4f/PACKARD-LePERE_LUSAC_11_-_2.JPG/330px-PACKARD-LePERE_LUSAC_11_-_2.JPG 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4f/PACKARD-LePERE_LUSAC_11_-_2.JPG/440px-PACKARD-LePERE_LUSAC_11_-_2.JPG 2x" data-file-width="613" data-file-height="430" /></a><figcaption>LUSAC-11 over <a href="/wiki/McCook_Field" title="McCook Field">McCook Field</a>, Ohio</figcaption></figure> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Refueling,_1923.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a1/Refueling%2C_1923.jpg/220px-Refueling%2C_1923.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="169" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a1/Refueling%2C_1923.jpg/330px-Refueling%2C_1923.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a1/Refueling%2C_1923.jpg/440px-Refueling%2C_1923.jpg 2x" data-file-width="2771" data-file-height="2125" /></a><figcaption><a href="/wiki/Captain_(United_States_O-3)" title="Captain (United States O-3)">Capt.</a> <a href="/wiki/Lowell_Smith" title="Lowell Smith">Lowell Smith</a>, and Lts. John Richter, Virgil Hine, and Frank Seifert conduct first mid-air refueling, June 27, 1923</figcaption></figure> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Douglas_World_Cruiser.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1a/Douglas_World_Cruiser.jpg/220px-Douglas_World_Cruiser.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="174" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1a/Douglas_World_Cruiser.jpg/330px-Douglas_World_Cruiser.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1a/Douglas_World_Cruiser.jpg/440px-Douglas_World_Cruiser.jpg 2x" data-file-width="758" data-file-height="599" /></a><figcaption><a href="/wiki/Douglas_World_Cruiser" title="Douglas World Cruiser">Douglas World Cruiser</a> <i>Chicago</i></figcaption></figure> <p>To positively influence U.S. public opinion and thereby enlist political support in Congress in his crusade for an independent air force, General Mitchell conducted a publicity campaign on behalf of airpower. On August 14, 1919, the <a href="/wiki/All_American_Pathfinders" title="All American Pathfinders">All American Pathfinders</a>, a provisional squadron, began a cross-country educational tour that supported the "1919 Air Service Transcontinental Recruiting Convoy"<sup id="cite_ref-147" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-147"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>98<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> from <a href="/wiki/Roosevelt_Field_(airport)" title="Roosevelt Field (airport)">Hazelhurst Field</a> to California.<sup id="cite_ref-148" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-148"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>99<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> While using public pronouncements for propaganda purposes, Mitchell also fostered within the Air Service advances in aeronautical science that would not only increase its effectiveness as a military service, but would also generate public support. </p><p>To further promote the air service, and to recruit pilots, in 1919 General Mitchell ordered a mission to fly around the border of the continental United States. Commanded by Col. Rutherford Hartz, and piloted by Lt. Ernest Emery Harmon, "The Around The Rim Flight" took off from Bolling Field in Washington, D.C., on July 24, 1919. The crew of five also included Lotha Smith, Jack Harding, and Gerosala Dobias. The first circumnavigation of the country by air was successfully completed with the landing of their Martin MB1 back at Bolling Field on Nov 9, 1919. </p><p>Mitchell's first project, undertaken at McCook Field, in Dayton, Ohio, was for the creation of a heavily armored attack plane for supporting ground forces. Although the designs that resulted were not practical and did not meet Mitchell's specifications for aircraft that could land troops behind enemy lines, the project led Mitchell to closely supervise aircraft development, not only at McCook but in Europe as well. On October 30, 1919, the McCook Field engineers tested the first reversible-pitch propeller. </p><p>This effort resulted in the development of a <a href="/wiki/Monoplane" title="Monoplane">monoplane</a> with retractable <a href="/wiki/Landing_gear" title="Landing gear">landing gear</a>, a metal <a href="/wiki/Propeller_(aeronautics)" title="Propeller (aeronautics)">propeller</a>, and a streamlined engine design, the <a href="/wiki/Verville-Sperry_R-3" title="Verville-Sperry R-3">Verville R-3 Racer</a>. Economy measures by the Air Service prevented the project from being fully completed, but contributed to a growing determination within the Air Service to set new aviation records for speed, <a href="/wiki/Altitude" title="Altitude">altitude</a>, distance, and endurance, which in turn contributed not only to technical improvements (and favorable publicity) but also advancements in <a href="/wiki/Aviation_medicine" title="Aviation medicine">aviation medicine</a>. </p><p>Air Service pilots established world records in altitude, distance, and speed. Speed in particular attracted public attention and, although a number of speed records were set in cross-country flying, records were also set on measured courses. Mitchell himself set a world speed record of 222.97 mph (358.84 km/h) over a closed course in a <a href="/wiki/Curtiss_CR" title="Curtiss CR">Curtiss R-6 racer</a> on October 18, 1922, at the Pulitzer Trophy competition of the 1922 <a href="/wiki/National_Air_Races" title="National Air Races">National Air Races</a>. A later world speed record of 232 mph (373 km/h) was made by 1st Lt. <a href="/wiki/Jimmy_Doolittle" title="Jimmy Doolittle">James H. Doolittle</a> in winning the <a href="/wiki/Schneider_Trophy" title="Schneider Trophy">Schneider Trophy</a> race at the 1925 Races. </p><p>The practical and military applications of speed were not ignored, however. On February 24, 1921, 1st Lt. William D. Coney of the <a href="/wiki/91st_Cyberspace_Operations_Squadron" title="91st Cyberspace Operations Squadron">91st Aero Squadron</a> completed a transcontinental flight of 22.5 hours flying time from <a href="/wiki/Rockwell_Field" title="Rockwell Field">Rockwell Field</a>, California, to <a href="/wiki/Jacksonville_Beach,_Florida" title="Jacksonville Beach, Florida">Pablo Beach, Florida</a>, in a <a href="/wiki/Airco_DH.4" title="Airco DH.4">DeHavilland DH-4</a>, which carried enough fuel for 14 hours of flight. However he had left Rockwell on February 21 intending to complete the flight within 24 hours, making just one stop in Dallas, Texas, but was thwarted by bad weather and engine problems. One month later, taking off at 1:00 a.m. of March 25, he repeated the attempt going in the opposite direction, but developed engine problems while flying low in a fog near <a href="/wiki/Crowville,_Louisiana" title="Crowville, Louisiana">Crowville, Louisiana</a>, southeast of <a href="/wiki/Monroe,_Louisiana" title="Monroe, Louisiana">Monroe</a>. He crashed into a tree trying to land and was severely injured, dying five days later in a <a href="/wiki/Natchez,_Mississippi" title="Natchez, Mississippi">Natchez, Mississippi</a> hospital.<sup id="cite_ref-149" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-149"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>100<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>On September 4, 1922, Doolittle completed the first transcontinental crossing in a single day, from Pablo Beach to Rockwell Field, in 21 hours, 20 minutes, a distance of 2,163 mi (3,481 km) flying a DH-4 of the <a href="/wiki/90th_Fighter_Squadron" title="90th Fighter Squadron">90th Squadron</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-awcaf_150-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-awcaf-150"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>101<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Mitchell concluded that accomplishing the same feat by "daylight only", making only a single stop at Kelly Field, had tremendous value, and staged a <a href="/wiki/Dawn-to-dusk_transcontinental_flight_across_the_United_States" title="Dawn-to-dusk transcontinental flight across the United States">dawn-to-dusk transcontinental flight across the United States</a> in the summer of 1924 in a Curtiss <a href="/wiki/Curtiss_P-1_Hawk" title="Curtiss P-1 Hawk">Curtiss PW-8</a> fighter developed from the R-6 for that purpose. </p><p>Despite the emphasis in the press on speed, the Air Service also established a number of altitude, distance, and endurance records. The <a href="/wiki/Packard-Le_P%C3%A8re_LUSAC-11" title="Packard-Le Père LUSAC-11">Packard-Le Peré LUSAC-11</a> biplane set world altitude records over McCook Field of 33,114 ft (10,093 m) on February 27, 1920, by Maj. Rudolph W. Schroeder;<sup id="cite_ref-151" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-151"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>n 50<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and 34,507 ft (10,518 m) on September 28, 1921, by Lt. <a href="/wiki/John_A._Macready" title="John A. Macready">John A. Macready</a>. A distance record was set by Capt. <a href="/wiki/St._Clair_Streett" title="St. Clair Streett">St. Clair Streett</a> leading a flight of four DH-4s from Mitchel Field, New York to <a href="/wiki/Nome,_Alaska" title="Nome, Alaska">Nome, Alaska</a> and back, a distance of 8,690 miles (14,000 km), between July 15 and October 20, 1920. Flying across the northern United States and southern Canada in 15 legs, the flight reached Nome on August 23 in 56 hours of flying time, but was prohibited by the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Department_of_State" title="United States Department of State">U.S. State Department</a> from completing the first flight to Asia across the <a href="/wiki/Bering_Strait" title="Bering Strait">Bering Strait</a>. The first nonstop endurance flight across the U.S., made in 26 hours and 50 minutes at an average speed of 98.76 mph, was made May 2–3, 1923, from <a href="/wiki/Roosevelt_Field_(airport)" title="Roosevelt Field (airport)">Roosevelt Field, New York</a>, to Rockwell Field in a <a href="/wiki/Fokker_F.IV" title="Fokker F.IV">Fokker T-2</a> transport monoplane by Macready and Lt. <a href="/wiki/Oakley_G._Kelly" title="Oakley G. Kelly">Oakley G. Kelly</a>. The feat was followed in August by a flight in which a DH-4 stayed aloft for more than 37 hours by means of <a href="/wiki/Aerial_refueling" title="Aerial refueling">aerial refueling</a>. The Fokker T-2 is on display at the <a href="/wiki/National_Air_and_Space_Museum" title="National Air and Space Museum">National Air and Space Museum</a> in Washington, D.C. </p><p>The greatest achievement of these projects, however, was the first <a href="/wiki/First_aerial_circumnavigation" title="First aerial circumnavigation">flight around the world</a>. The Air Service set up support facilities along the proposed route and in April 1924 sent a flight of four aircraft west from <a href="/wiki/Seattle" title="Seattle">Seattle</a>, <a href="/wiki/Washington_(state)" title="Washington (state)">Washington</a>. Six months later, two aircraft completed the flight. Even if considered as primarily a <a href="/wiki/Publicity_stunt" title="Publicity stunt">publicity stunt</a>, the flight was a brilliant accomplishment in which five nations had already failed. </p><p>Kelly and Macready, Doolittle, and the crews of the circumnavigation flight all won the <a href="/wiki/Mackay_Trophy" title="Mackay Trophy">Mackay Trophy</a> for the respective years in which they accomplished their feats. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Notable_members_of_the_Air_Service">Notable members of the Air Service</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=United_States_Army_Air_Service&action=edit&section=23" title="Edit section: Notable members of the Air Service"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Charles_Lindbergh_1925.JPG" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/16/Charles_Lindbergh_1925.JPG/220px-Charles_Lindbergh_1925.JPG" decoding="async" width="220" height="314" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/16/Charles_Lindbergh_1925.JPG/330px-Charles_Lindbergh_1925.JPG 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/16/Charles_Lindbergh_1925.JPG 2x" data-file-width="336" data-file-height="480" /></a><figcaption>2nd Lt. Charles A. Lindbergh, March 1925</figcaption></figure> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Henry_H._Arnold" title="Henry H. Arnold">Henry Harley Arnold</a>, aviation pioneer; Commanding General of the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Army_Air_Forces" title="United States Army Air Forces">U. S. Army Air Forces</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hobey_Baker" title="Hobey Baker">Hobey Baker</a>, star athlete at <a href="/wiki/Princeton_University" title="Princeton University">Princeton University</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=David_Lewis_Behncke&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="David Lewis Behncke (page does not exist)">David Lewis Behncke</a>, founder and first president of the <a href="/wiki/Air_Line_Pilots_Association,_International" title="Air Line Pilots Association, International">Air Line Pilots Association</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hiram_Bingham_III" title="Hiram Bingham III">Hiram Bingham III</a>, <a href="/wiki/United_States_Senate" title="United States Senate">United States Senator</a> from Connecticut</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Clayton_Lawrence_Bissell" title="Clayton Lawrence Bissell">Clayton Bissell</a>, World War I ace, commander of <a href="/wiki/Tenth_Air_Force" title="Tenth Air Force">Tenth Air Force</a> during World War II</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Erwin_R._Bleckley" title="Erwin R. Bleckley">Erwin R. Bleckley</a>, artillery officer and <a href="/wiki/Medal_of_Honor" title="Medal of Honor">Medal of Honor</a> recipient</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Raynal_Bolling" title="Raynal Bolling">Raynal Bolling</a>, general counsel for <a href="/wiki/U.S._Steel" title="U.S. Steel">US Steel</a>; first high-ranking casualty of World War I</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Arthur_Raymond_Brooks" title="Arthur Raymond Brooks">Arthur Raymond Brooks</a>, World War I ace</li></ul> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Lt._General_James_Doolittle,_head_and_shoulders.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bc/Lt._General_James_Doolittle%2C_head_and_shoulders.jpg/220px-Lt._General_James_Doolittle%2C_head_and_shoulders.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="288" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bc/Lt._General_James_Doolittle%2C_head_and_shoulders.jpg/330px-Lt._General_James_Doolittle%2C_head_and_shoulders.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bc/Lt._General_James_Doolittle%2C_head_and_shoulders.jpg/440px-Lt._General_James_Doolittle%2C_head_and_shoulders.jpg 2x" data-file-width="2490" data-file-height="3254" /></a><figcaption>Lt Gen. James Doolittle</figcaption></figure> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Dick_Calkins" title="Dick Calkins">Dick Calkins</a>, comic strip artist</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Douglas_Campbell_(aviator)" title="Douglas Campbell (aviator)">Douglas Campbell</a>, first American ace</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Clarence_Chamberlin" title="Clarence Chamberlin">Clarence Chamberlain</a>, aviation pioneer</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Merian_C._Cooper" title="Merian C. Cooper">Merian C. Cooper</a>, adventurer and <a href="/wiki/Hollywood_(film_industry)" class="mw-redirect" title="Hollywood (film industry)">Hollywood</a> film producer</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Stephen_W._Cunningham" title="Stephen W. Cunningham">Stephen W. Cunningham</a>, UCLA graduate manager and Los Angeles City Council member</li> <li><a href="/wiki/John_F._Curry" title="John F. Curry">John F. Curry</a>, Chief of the <a href="/wiki/Civil_Air_Patrol" title="Civil Air Patrol">Civil Air Patrol</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Jimmy_Doolittle" title="Jimmy Doolittle">Jimmy Doolittle</a>, air racer, aeronautical engineer, leader of <a href="/wiki/Doolittle_Raid" title="Doolittle Raid">Doolittle Raid</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/%C3%89tienne_Dormoy" title="Étienne Dormoy">Etienne Dormoy</a>, pilot and aircraft designer, chief engineer at <a href="/wiki/Buhl_Aircraft_Company" title="Buhl Aircraft Company">Buhl Aircraft Company</a></li> <li>Lee Duncan, animal trainer and owner of <a href="/wiki/Rin_Tin_Tin" title="Rin Tin Tin">Rin Tin Tin</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ira_C._Eaker" title="Ira C. Eaker">Ira Eaker</a>, commander of U.S. <a href="/wiki/Eighth_Air_Force" title="Eighth Air Force">Eighth Air Force</a> during World War II</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Fred_D._Fagg_Jr." title="Fred D. Fagg Jr.">Fred Dow Fagg, Jr.</a>, law professor and president of the <a href="/wiki/University_of_Southern_California" title="University of Southern California">University of Southern California</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Reuben_H._Fleet" title="Reuben H. Fleet">Reuben Hollis Fleet</a>, organizer of the first <a href="/wiki/Airmail" title="Airmail">airmail</a> service and founder of <a href="/wiki/Consolidated_Aircraft" title="Consolidated Aircraft">Consolidated Aircraft</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Benjamin_Foulois" title="Benjamin Foulois">Benjamin Delahauf Foulois</a>, aviation pioneer</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Harold_Ernest_Goettler" title="Harold Ernest Goettler">Harold Ernest Goettler</a>, <a href="/wiki/Medal_of_Honor" title="Medal of Honor">Medal of Honor</a> recipient</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Edgar_S._Gorrell" title="Edgar S. Gorrell">Edgar Staley Gorrell</a>, strategic bombing pioneer, president <a href="/wiki/Stutz_Motor_Company" class="mw-redirect" title="Stutz Motor Company">Stutz Motor Company</a>, first president <a href="/wiki/Airlines_for_America" title="Airlines for America">Air Transport Association of America</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Dick_Grace" title="Dick Grace">Dick Grace</a>, Hollywood stunt flyer</li> <li><a href="/wiki/James_Norman_Hall" title="James Norman Hall">James Norman Hall</a>, writer, co-author of <i><a href="/wiki/Mutiny_on_the_Bounty_(novel)" title="Mutiny on the Bounty (novel)">Mutiny on the Bounty</a></i></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Chic_Harley" title="Chic Harley">Charles W. "Chic" Harley</a>, All-American college football player</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ernest_Emery_Harmon" title="Ernest Emery Harmon">Ernest Emery Harmon</a>, pilot of The Around The Rim Flight 1919</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Arthur_Harvey" title="Arthur Harvey">Arthur Harvey</a>, oil pioneer, author</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Howard_Hawks" title="Howard Hawks">Howard Hawks</a>, film director</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Frank_Hawks" title="Frank Hawks">Frank Monroe Hawks</a>, barnstormer and aviation records-setter</li></ul> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Quentin_Roosevelt_in_Uniform_1917.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5a/Quentin_Roosevelt_in_Uniform_1917.jpg/220px-Quentin_Roosevelt_in_Uniform_1917.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="228" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5a/Quentin_Roosevelt_in_Uniform_1917.jpg 1.5x" data-file-width="296" data-file-height="307" /></a><figcaption>2d Lt. Quentin Roosevelt</figcaption></figure> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Field_Eugene_Kindley" title="Field Eugene Kindley">Field Kindley</a>, World War I ace</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Fiorello_La_Guardia" title="Fiorello La Guardia">Fiorello LaGuardia</a>, <a href="/wiki/United_States_House_of_Representatives" title="United States House of Representatives">U.S. Representative</a> and <a href="/wiki/Mayor_of_New_York_City" title="Mayor of New York City">Mayor of New York</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Reed_G._Landis" title="Reed G. Landis">Reed Gresham Landis</a>, ace while flying with <a href="/wiki/Royal_Flying_Corps" title="Royal Flying Corps">Royal Flying Corps</a> (RFC) and early airline executive</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Frederick_Libby" title="Frederick Libby">Frederick Libby</a>, first U.S. born ace, while flying with the RFC</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Charles_Lindbergh" title="Charles Lindbergh">Charles Lindbergh</a>, aviation pioneer; first trans-Atlantic solo pilot</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Raoul_Lufbery" title="Raoul Lufbery">Raoul Lufbery</a>, member of <a href="/wiki/Lafayette_Escadrille" title="Lafayette Escadrille">Lafayette Escadrille</a> and air tactics pioneer</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Frank_Luke" title="Frank Luke">Frank Luke</a>, ace and <a href="/wiki/Medal_of_Honor" title="Medal of Honor">Medal of Honor</a> recipient</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Norman_Z._McLeod" title="Norman Z. McLeod">Norman Z. McLeod</a>, Hollywood director</li> <li>James Ely Miller, first U.S. military aviator <a href="/wiki/Killed_in_action" title="Killed in action">killed in action</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Thomas_D._Milling" title="Thomas D. Milling">Thomas DeWitt Milling</a>, aviation pioneer and first certified U.S. military pilot</li> <li><a href="/wiki/John_Purroy_Mitchel" title="John Purroy Mitchel">John Purroy Mitchel</a>, mayor of <a href="/wiki/New_York_City" title="New York City">New York City</a> and advocate of universal military training</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Billy_Mitchell" title="Billy Mitchell">Billy Mitchell</a>, airpower visionary</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Odas_Moon" title="Odas Moon">Odas Moon</a>, pioneer in aerial refueling and bombing doctrine</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Charles_Nordhoff" title="Charles Nordhoff">Charles Nordhoff</a>, co-author of <i>Mutiny on the Bounty</i></li></ul> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Photos_chap1-12.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2f/Photos_chap1-12.jpg" decoding="async" width="182" height="250" class="mw-file-element" data-file-width="182" data-file-height="250" /></a><figcaption>Verville in January 1925</figcaption></figure> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Ralph_Ambrose_O%27Neill" title="Ralph Ambrose O'Neill">Ralph Ambrose O'Neill</a>, WWI flying ace, General of Mexican Air Force, commercial pioneer</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Clyde_Pangborn" title="Clyde Pangborn">Clyde Pangborn</a>, aviation pioneer, first non-stop flight across the Pacific Ocean</li> <li>Leonard J. Povey, barnstormer and inventor of the <a href="/wiki/Cuban_eight" title="Cuban eight">Cuban Eight</a> maneuver</li> <li><a href="/wiki/LeRoy_Prinz" title="LeRoy Prinz">LeRoy Prinz</a> – Hollywood choreographer</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Eddie_Rickenbacker" title="Eddie Rickenbacker">Eddie Rickenbacker</a>, highest ranking U.S. ace of World War I and <a href="/wiki/Medal_of_Honor" title="Medal of Honor">Medal of Honor</a> recipient</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Quentin_Roosevelt" title="Quentin Roosevelt">Quentin Roosevelt</a>, youngest son of President <a href="/wiki/Theodore_Roosevelt" title="Theodore Roosevelt">Theodore Roosevelt</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/John_Monk_Saunders" title="John Monk Saunders">John Monk Saunders</a>, author and screenwriter</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lowell_Smith" title="Lowell Smith">Lowell Smith</a> pioneer test pilot, who led the <a href="/wiki/First_aerial_circumnavigation" title="First aerial circumnavigation">first aerial circumnavigation</a> (1924)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Carl_Spaatz" title="Carl Spaatz">Carl Andrew Spaatz</a>, first <a href="/wiki/Chief_of_Staff_of_the_United_States_Air_Force" title="Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force">Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Albert_Spalding_(violinist)" title="Albert Spalding (violinist)">Albert Spalding</a>, classical violinist</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Delmar_T._Spivey" title="Delmar T. Spivey">Delmar T. Spivey</a>, gunnery expert, and highest ranking USAAF officer shot down and a <a href="/wiki/Prisoner_of_war" title="Prisoner of war">POW</a> in the <a href="/wiki/European_theatre_of_World_War_II" title="European theatre of World War II">ETO</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Elliott_White_Springs" title="Elliott White Springs">Elliott White Springs</a>, ace with RFC and USAS, post-war pulp fiction writer</li> <li><a href="/wiki/George_E._Stratemeyer" title="George E. Stratemeyer">George E. Stratemeyer</a>, USAF General</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Stephen_W._Thompson" title="Stephen W. Thompson">Stephen W. Thompson</a>, first U. S. military aerial victor</li> <li><a href="/wiki/George_Augustus_Vaughn_Jr." title="George Augustus Vaughn Jr.">George Augustus Vaughn, Jr.</a>, World War I Ace</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Alfred_V._Verville" title="Alfred V. Verville">Alfred V. Verville</a>, aircraft designer of two Pulitzer Trophy winning aircraft, the <a href="/wiki/Verville-Packard_R-1" title="Verville-Packard R-1">Verville-Packard R-1</a> and the <a href="/wiki/Verville-Sperry_R-3" title="Verville-Sperry R-3">Verville-Sperry R-3</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Eugene_Luther_Vidal" title="Eugene Luther Vidal">Eugene Luther Vidal</a>, Olympic athlete, commercial aviation pioneer, and <a href="/wiki/New_Deal" title="New Deal">New Deal</a> official</li> <li><a href="/wiki/William_A._Wellman" title="William A. Wellman">William Wellman</a>, Hollywood <a href="/wiki/Film_director" title="Film director">film director</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Charles_A._Willoughby" title="Charles A. Willoughby">Charles A. Willoughby</a>, World War II general in the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Army" title="United States Army">United States Army</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Albert_J._Winegar" title="Albert J. Winegar">Albert J. Winegar</a>, Wisconsin State Assemblyman</li> <li><a href="/wiki/John_Gilbert_Winant" title="John Gilbert Winant">John Gilbert Winant</a>, educator, <a href="/wiki/Governor_of_New_Hampshire" title="Governor of New Hampshire">governor of New Hampshire</a>, and <a href="/wiki/List_of_ambassadors_of_the_United_States_to_the_United_Kingdom" title="List of ambassadors of the United States to the United Kingdom">ambassador to Britain</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Lineage_of_the_United_States_Air_Force">Lineage of the United States Air Force</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=United_States_Army_Air_Service&action=edit&section=24" title="Edit section: Lineage of the United States Air Force"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Aeronautical_Division,_U.S._Signal_Corps" title="Aeronautical Division, U.S. Signal Corps">Aeronautical Division, Signal Corps</a> 1 August 1907 – 18 July 1914</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Aviation_Section,_U.S._Signal_Corps" title="Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps">Aviation Section, Signal Corps</a> 18 July 1914 – 20 May 1918</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Division_of_Military_Aeronautics" title="Division of Military Aeronautics">Division of Military Aeronautics</a>  20 May 1918 – 24 May 1918</li> <li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Air Service, U.S. Army</a>  24 May 1918 – 2 July 1926</li> <li>U.S. Army Air Corps  2 July 1926 – 20 June 1941*</li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_Army_Air_Forces" title="United States Army Air Forces">U.S. Army Air Forces</a>  20 June 1941 – 18 September 1947*</li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_Air_Force" title="United States Air Force">United States Air Force</a>  18 September 1947 – present</li></ul> <p>* The Air Corps became a subordinate component of the Army Air Forces on 20 June 1941, and was abolished as an administrative organization on 9 March 1942. It continued to exist as one of the combat arms of the Army (along with Infantry, Cavalry, Artillery, Corps of Engineers, and Signal Corps) until abolished by reorganization provisions of the National Security Act of 1947 (61 <i>Stat</i>. 495), 26 July 1947.<sup id="cite_ref-natarc_152-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-natarc-152"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>102<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=United_States_Army_Air_Service&action=edit&section=25" title="Edit section: See also"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1266661725">.mw-parser-output .portalbox{padding:0;margin:0.5em 0;display:table;box-sizing:border-box;max-width:175px;list-style:none}.mw-parser-output .portalborder{border:1px solid var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1);padding:0.1em;background:var(--background-color-neutral-subtle,#f8f9fa)}.mw-parser-output .portalbox-entry{display:table-row;font-size:85%;line-height:110%;height:1.9em;font-style:italic;font-weight:bold}.mw-parser-output .portalbox-image{display:table-cell;padding:0.2em;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .portalbox-link{display:table-cell;padding:0.2em 0.2em 0.2em 0.3em;vertical-align:middle}@media(min-width:720px){.mw-parser-output .portalleft{margin:0.5em 1em 0.5em 0}.mw-parser-output .portalright{clear:right;float:right;margin:0.5em 0 0.5em 1em}}</style><ul role="navigation" aria-label="Portals" class="noprint portalbox portalborder portalright"> <li class="portalbox-entry"><span class="portalbox-image"><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2a/Trumpet01.svg/32px-Trumpet01.svg.png" decoding="async" width="32" height="10" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2a/Trumpet01.svg/48px-Trumpet01.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2a/Trumpet01.svg/64px-Trumpet01.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="539" data-file-height="170" /></span></span></span><span class="portalbox-link"><a href="/wiki/Portal:1920s" title="Portal:1920s">1920s portal</a></span></li><li class="portalbox-entry"><span class="portalbox-image"><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/68/Aviacionavion.png/28px-Aviacionavion.png" decoding="async" width="28" height="28" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/68/Aviacionavion.png/42px-Aviacionavion.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/68/Aviacionavion.png/56px-Aviacionavion.png 2x" data-file-width="1600" data-file-height="1600" /></span></span></span><span class="portalbox-link"><a href="/wiki/Portal:Aviation" title="Portal:Aviation">Aviation portal</a></span></li><li class="portalbox-entry"><span class="portalbox-image"><span class="mw-image-border noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="flag" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a4/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg/32px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png" decoding="async" width="32" height="17" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a4/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg/48px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a4/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg/64px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1235" data-file-height="650" /></span></span></span><span class="portalbox-link"><a href="/wiki/Portal:United_States" title="Portal:United States">United States portal</a></span></li></ul> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/List_of_Air_Service_American_Expeditionary_Force_aerodromes_in_France" title="List of Air Service American Expeditionary Force aerodromes in France">List of Air Service American Expeditionary Force aerodromes in France</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_American_aero_squadrons" title="List of American aero squadrons">List of American Aero Squadrons</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Observation_Balloon_Service_in_World_War_I" class="mw-redirect" title="Observation Balloon Service in World War I">List of American Balloon Squadrons</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Organization_of_the_Air_Service_of_the_American_Expeditionary_Force" title="Organization of the Air Service of the American Expeditionary Force">Organization of the Air Service of the American Expeditionary Force</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Organization_of_the_U.S._Army_Air_Service_in_1925" title="Organization of the U.S. Army Air Service in 1925">Organization of the U.S. Army Air Service in 1925</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Philippine_Scouts" title="Philippine Scouts">Philippine Scouts</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_Army_World_War_I_Flight_Training" title="United States Army World War I Flight Training">United States Army World War I Flight Training</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=United_States_Army_Air_Service&action=edit&section=26" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <dl><dt>Footnotes</dt></dl> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist reflist-columns references-column-width" style="column-width: 24em;"> <ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-6">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">The airplane figure is variously given as 250 (<i>A History of the United States Air Force, 1907–1957</i>, Alfred Goldberg, editor; USAF Historical Study 138) to 280 by Hennessy. In any case, the Aviation Section had more than twice as many aircraft as pilots to fly them.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-8"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-8">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Approximately $14 billion in 2015 dollars. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.usinflationcalculator.com/">US Inflation Calculator</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-10"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-10">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">The overwhelming bulk of the appropriation, $525M, was allotted for equipment including 22,600 aircraft, with the next highest amount, $41M, for construction. Training received only $1M. The figures had been hastily assembled as a response to a telegram to President Wilson from French premier <a href="/wiki/Alexandre_Ribot" title="Alexandre Ribot">Alexandre Ribot</a> at the end of May urging the U.S. to contribute 4,500 aircraft; 5,000 pilots; and 50,000 mechanics to the war effort.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-18"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-18">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Nearly all of Ryan's time between his appointment and the armistice was spent in Europe familiarizing himself with the Air Service. (Holley, p. 69)</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-23"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-23">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">All cadets were enlisted into the Signal Corps or Reserve Signal Corps in the rank of <a href="/wiki/Private_first_class" title="Private first class">private first class</a> only for the duration of pilot training. Those that washed out were discharged and subject to the draft.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-25"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-25">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">The initial six were the <a href="/wiki/University_of_California,_Berkeley" title="University of California, Berkeley">University of California</a>, <a href="/wiki/Cornell_University" title="Cornell University">Cornell</a>, <a href="/wiki/University_of_Illinois" class="mw-redirect" title="University of Illinois">Illinois</a>, <a href="/wiki/Massachusetts_Institute_of_Technology" title="Massachusetts Institute of Technology">MIT</a>, <a href="/wiki/Ohio_State_University" title="Ohio State University">Ohio State</a>, and <a href="/wiki/University_of_Texas_at_Austin" title="University of Texas at Austin">Texas</a>. <a href="/wiki/Princeton_University" title="Princeton University">Princeton</a> and <a href="/wiki/Georgia_Institute_of_Technology" class="mw-redirect" title="Georgia Institute of Technology">Georgia Tech</a> were added shortly after.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-27"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-27">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Bingham's memoir <i>An Explorer in the Air Service</i> stated that the number of graduates in the first class was 132.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-30"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-30">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">The course of study could not "be predetermined as to length", dependent "in large measure on the weather, the supply of 'spares', and a man's own ability". <i>Air Service Journal</i>, September 27, 1917, Vol. I, No. 12, p. 370.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-32"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-32">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Bingham (1920), p. 80, gives the number as 1,800, but a table in <i>Gorrell's History</i> itemizes the total number sent overseas as 1,710, of which 300 were diverted in England, so his figure likely includes those who did receive their training. Bingham stated that the cadets sent to France had been Honor Graduates of the ground course. The failure of the French to train these best candidates came as a bitter disappointment to the Air Service and was extremely detrimental to their morale.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-35"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-35">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">999 were commissioned in France, 406 in Italy, and 204 in Britain. In addition, 178 graduated from RAF schools in Canada, and 975 graduated from schools in France between the armistice and January 1919.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-42"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-42">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">The five "schools of military aeronautics" still operating at the armistice were at Cornell, Princeton, Texas, Cal, and Illinois.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-51"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-51">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">The situation at Air Service headquarters was described as "a tangled mess" before Patrick brought order. Pershing acknowledges that Foulois requested relief before he was replaced, but the request came only after Foulois became aware of the severity of Pershing's displeasure and attempts in April to rein in his own staff had failed.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-54"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-54">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Pershing requested 125 balloon companies, and the United States manufactured nearly a thousand Caquot balloons in 1918–1919.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-56"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-56">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">The U.S. roundel had the same color order as that of the <a href="/wiki/Imperial_Russian_Air_Service" title="Imperial Russian Air Service">Imperial Russian Air Service</a> but in diameters of equal proportion.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-59"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-59">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">The first two squadrons so authorized were the 1st and 103rd Aero Squadrons in recognition of their prior service in Mexico and France, respectively.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-61"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-61">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Miller had assumed command of the 95th upon its arrival at its first station at the front, <a href="/wiki/Villeneuve-Renneville-Chevigny" title="Villeneuve-Renneville-Chevigny">Villeneuve-les-Vertus</a>, on February 20. The squadron had just received its Nieuport 28 aircraft but without guns mounted. To gain experience, Miller accompanied two other American officers on a voluntary patrol over the lines in SPADs borrowed from the French. They encountered a German patrol and Miller was killed when his German opponent gained the advantage on him. He was two weeks short of his 35th birthday.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-63"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-63">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Baer was also the first Air Service ace, not Campbell, his achievements preceding each of Campbell's by more than a month, fully credited by the USAF Historical Research Agency (AFHRA). The omission of these from so many accounts is almost certainly due to the attachment of the 103rd to French units until July 1918, of which observers such as Lahm were unaware at the time.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-64"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-64">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Until June 1918, designated Company B, 2nd Balloon Squadron. The 2nd Balloon Company is now the <a href="/wiki/2d_Special_Operations_Squadron" class="mw-redirect" title="2d Special Operations Squadron">2d Special Operations Squadron</a> (AFRC), an <a href="/wiki/MQ-9_Reaper" class="mw-redirect" title="MQ-9 Reaper">MQ-9 Reaper</a> UAV unit. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.afhra.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=14216">2 SOS fact sheet</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20110914013636/http://www.afhra.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=14216">Archived</a> 2011-09-14 at the <a href="/wiki/Wayback_Machine" title="Wayback Machine">Wayback Machine</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-68"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-68">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Each pursuit squadron was authorized 25 aircraft, including seven reserve spares, and 18 pilots.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-69"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-69">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Observation squadrons had 24 airplanes including 6 spares, 18 pilots, and 18 observers.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-70"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-70">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Day bombardment squadrons had 25 aircraft including spares, and 18 pilots. Night bombardment squadrons had 14 aircraft including spares, 10 pilots, and 10 observers.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-73"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-73">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">The 1st, 2nd, and 32nd Divisions formed the III Corps; the 3rd, 4th, and 42nd Divisions the IV Corps; and the 89th and 90th Divisions the VII Corps. Five other divisions (5th, 7th, 28th, 33rd, and 79th) guarded the line of communications through Belgium and Luxembourg.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-80"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-80">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">In contrast, the United States Navy operated ten anti-submarine/convoy patrol stations in France, five in Ireland, one in England, and four bombing bases: three in France and one in Italy. Four of the bases operated balloons and dirigibles. In addition it had reception bases in France and England, and training bases in France and Italy.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-82"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-82">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Quoting Mitchell, there were 196 American-made, 16 British-made, and 528 French-made aircraft. By function these were 330 pursuit, 293 observation and 117 day bombardment.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-84"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-84">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">In October 1919 Col. Edgar S. Gorrell appeared before the Frear subcommittee on aviation expenditures and presented a table showing that the Allies had a total of 6,748 combat ("service") aircraft of all types on the day of the armistice. The French had the most (3,321), followed by the British (1,758), the Italians (812) and then the U.S.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-87"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-87">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">The actual number of American aces is disputed. Gorrell's History reported 118 aces, when the Air Service followed the French practice of crediting each aviator participating in a kill with a whole victory, prompting a review by USAF from 1965–1969 to identify the actual number of aircraft destroyed. A preliminary assessment by the USAF (Historical Study 73) identified 69 Air Service aces using later accounting methods (the British practice of dividing kills into "partial credit" fractions for multiple shooters). Its final product, USAF Historical Study 133, placed the total at 71 aces. The studies did not change the original credits awarded, however, and official credits remain as published in World War I. The review distinguished between 491 kills made by one pilot against one aircraft, and an additional 342 kills that resulted in 1022 partial credits. None of the figures, however, includes kills made by members while they previously served in a foreign air service.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-89"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-89">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Colombey-les-Belles was located behind the lines near the front but its excellent camouflage kept it "remarkably free" from air attack. Maurer 1978, Vol. I, p. 119.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-92"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-92">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">The Air Service AEF established eight Aviation Instruction Centers in Europe: 1st (Paris, aviation mechanics), 2nd (Tours, primary flying), 3rd (Issoudun, advanced flying), 4th (<a href="/wiki/Avord" title="Avord">Avord</a>, a liaison detachment to the French air force), 5th (<a href="/wiki/Bron" title="Bron">Bron</a>, mechanics, closed soon after being opened), 6th (<a href="/wiki/Pau,_Pyr%C3%A9n%C3%A9es-Atlantiques" title="Pau, Pyrénées-Atlantiques">Pau</a>, French aviation school), 7th (Clermont-Ferrand, bombardment), and 8th (<a href="/wiki/Foggia" title="Foggia">Foggia</a>, Italy; primary flying).</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-99"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-99">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">U.S. balloon losses were 35 destroyed by German fighters, 12 by antiaircraft guns, and 1 that broke its cable and came down behind the lines. Balloons were attacked 89 times, resulting in 125 parachute jumps by balloon observers, but only one death occurred, that of 1st Lt. Cleo J. Ross, 8th Balloon Company. Allowing a new observer to jump first, Ross parachuted on the afternoon of September 26, 1918 when his balloon was set on fire by a <a href="/wiki/Fokker_D.VII" title="Fokker D.VII">Fokker D.VII</a>. The burning balloon descended at twice the rate of the parachute and enveloped Ross, who fell nearly 1000 meters.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-100"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-100">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Col. Bolling was the highest-ranked casualty, killed in action in ground combat on March 26, 1918, while on a tour of the Somme battlefield.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-102"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-102">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">The large number of DSC awards is due to it being the only other combat valor award at the time. The <a href="/wiki/Silver_Star" title="Silver Star">Silver Star</a> was not authorized until 1932 and the <a href="/wiki/Bronze_Star" class="mw-redirect" title="Bronze Star">Bronze Star</a> until 1944.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-105"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-105">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">The issue was so important that Wilson took the draft of the order with him to France to attend the <a href="/wiki/Treaty_of_Versailles#Negotiations" title="Treaty of Versailles">Versailles peace conference</a>, and cabled its promulgation to Washington.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-109"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-109">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">The Aviation Section of the Signal Corps was a statutory entity and would have legally resumed its functions without the action by Congress.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-112"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-112">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">The squadrons of the Army Surveillance Group were the <a href="/wiki/8th_Special_Operations_Squadron" title="8th Special Operations Squadron">8th</a> (<a href="/wiki/McAllen,_Texas" title="McAllen, Texas">McAllen</a> and <a href="/wiki/Laredo,_Texas" title="Laredo, Texas">Laredo, Texas</a>), <a href="/wiki/90th_Fighter_Squadron" title="90th Fighter Squadron">90th</a> (<a href="/wiki/Sanderson,_Texas" title="Sanderson, Texas">Sanderson</a> and <a href="/wiki/Eagle_Pass,_Texas" title="Eagle Pass, Texas">Eagle Pass, Texas</a>), and <a href="/wiki/104th_Fighter_Squadron" title="104th Fighter Squadron">104th</a> (<a href="/wiki/Fort_Bliss" title="Fort Bliss">Fort Bliss</a> and <a href="/wiki/Marfa,_Texas" title="Marfa, Texas">Marfa, Texas</a>) Surveillance Squadrons. In January 1920 the group, now re-designated the 1st Surveillance Group, was joined by the <a href="/wiki/12th_Reconnaissance_Squadron" title="12th Reconnaissance Squadron">12th Surveillance Squadron</a> based at <a href="/wiki/Nogales,_Arizona" title="Nogales, Arizona">Nogales</a> and <a href="/wiki/Douglas,_Arizona" title="Douglas, Arizona">Douglas, Arizona</a>. Maurer Maurer, <i>Aviation in the U.S. Army, 1919–1939</i>, Appendix 2, USAF Historical Research Center (1987), pp. 455–456.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-113"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-113">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">The 1st Day Bombardment Group: <a href="/wiki/11th_Bomb_Squadron" title="11th Bomb Squadron">11th</a>, <a href="/wiki/20th_Bomb_Squadron" title="20th Bomb Squadron">20th</a>, <a href="/wiki/96th_Bomb_Squadron" title="96th Bomb Squadron">96th</a>, and <a href="/wiki/49th_Test_and_Evaluation_Squadron" title="49th Test and Evaluation Squadron">166th Bombardment Squadrons</a>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-114"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-114">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">1st Pursuit Group: <a href="/wiki/27th_Fighter_Squadron" title="27th Fighter Squadron">27th</a>, <a href="/wiki/94th_Fighter_Squadron" title="94th Fighter Squadron">94th</a>, <a href="/wiki/95th_Fighter_Squadron" title="95th Fighter Squadron">95th</a>, and <a href="/wiki/147th_Air_Refueling_Squadron" title="147th Air Refueling Squadron">147th Pursuit Squadrons</a>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-116"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-116">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">The surveillance group and all of its surveillance squadrons, flying the DH-4B, were re-designated "attack" in September 1921.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-118"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-118">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">The National Defense Act of 1920 was a modification of the National Defense Act of 1916. It had its origins in and is often referred to by contemporary writings as the "Army Reorganization Act of May 18, 1920".</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-119"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-119">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">The chiefs of these four divisions correlate to the modern general staff positions G-1, −2, −3, and −4. The Engineering Division remained located at McCook Field, Ohio.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-120"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-120">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">The school squadrons were created in early 1923.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-123"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-123">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Other service schools established were the Pursuit School at Rockwell Field, the Bombardment School at <a href="/wiki/Ellington_Field" class="mw-redirect" title="Ellington Field">Ellington Field</a>, the Observation School at <a href="/wiki/Henry_Post_Army_Airfield" title="Henry Post Army Airfield">Henry Post Field</a>, the Balloon School at <a href="/wiki/Lee_Hall,_Virginia" title="Lee Hall, Virginia">Lee Hall, Virginia</a>, and the Airship School at Brooks.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-128"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-128">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Lt. Col. <a href="/wiki/Oscar_Westover" title="Oscar Westover">Oscar Westover</a>, a former infantryman and advocate of submission to "proper authority," was Menoher's deputy executive officer and urged him to relieve Mitchell and his followers if they did not cease their advocacy of an independent air force.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-130"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-130">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Foulois and Menoher testified together at subcommittee hearings on the bill, at which time Menoher characterized aviators as "temperamental" and suggested that their enthusiasm for an independent air service was the result of a desire for personal promotion, a theme often repeated by numerous opponents of an independent air force over the next two decades. Foulois, a firebrand who later learned to work within the system, had been reduced in rank from brigadier general to captain by the armistice and was stung by the comments. In a solicited statement following Menoher's, he acidly defied the General Staff to name one instance in which it had done anything constructive towards aviation.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-131"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-131">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">In all, 12 bills and resolutions for a separate air force/department were proposed in Congress between the end of World War I and June 1920, of which only Sen. New's S. 3348 ever emerged from committee. (Mooney and Layman, p. 53)</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-135"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-135">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">In 1923 Army doctrine was organized into <i><a href="/wiki/List_of_United_States_Army_Field_Manuals#Field_Service_Regulations" title="List of United States Army Field Manuals">Field Service Regulations</a></i>, which were general in character, and <i>Training Regulations</i> (TR), which stated combat principles for each combatant arm.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-138"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-138">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Under the terminology of the day, in TR 440-15, "air service aviation" denoted an auxiliary force (primarily observation units) supporting the ground forces, while "air force aviation" described a combat force whose primary mission was to gain control of the air, then destroy the most important enemy forces on land or sea. (Futrell, p. 40)</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-140"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-140">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">The policy set forth by Patrick was published in the <i>Tenth Annual Report</i> of NACA.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-142"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-142">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">The Coolidge administration boasted of cutting the War Department's budget by 75%.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-144"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-144">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">"The Select Committee of Inquiry into the Operations of the U.S. Air Services", chaired by Rep. Florian Lampert (Republican, Wisconsin).</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-151"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-151">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">High altitude testing was extremely dangerous. "Shorty" Schroeder conducted a number of tests in February 1920 and twice lost consciousness when exceeding 30,000 feet, once when his oxygen regulator failed, and the second (the record setter) when the supply was exhausted and he was subjected to <a href="/wiki/Carbon_monoxide" title="Carbon monoxide">carbon monoxide</a> from the engine exhaust. On this second attempt, the Le Peré fell more than 30,000 feet in three minutes (the climb to altitude had taken 107 minutes). When he regained consciousness at 3,000 feet, Schroeder was nearly blind from frozen eyes because he had raised his frosted goggles to locate his backup oxygen supply just before losing consciousness. Schroeder began his aviation career as a civilian mechanic in 1910, an exhibition flyer in 1913, and joined the Aviation Section in 1916, becoming the Army's chief test pilot at McCook in 1918. He left the service in 1925, joined Curtiss-Wright in 1928, and became vice president of safety for <a href="/wiki/United_Air_Lines" class="mw-redirect" title="United Air Lines">United Air Lines</a> in 1940.</span> </li> </ol></div> <dl><dt>Citations</dt></dl> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239543626"><div class="reflist reflist-columns references-column-width" style="column-width: 24em;"> <ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-cc9-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-cc9_1-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-cc9_1-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-cc9_1-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Craven and Cate Vol. 1, p. 9</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-tg149-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-tg149_2-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-tg149_2-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-tg149_2-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite id="CITEREFGreer1985" class="citation book cs1">Greer, Thomas H. (1985). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130313132536/http://www.afhra.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-090601-130.pdf"><i>USAF Historical Study 89, The Development of Air Doctrine in the Army Air Arm, 1917–1941</i></a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span>. <a href="/wiki/Maxwell_Air_Force_Base" title="Maxwell Air Force Base">Maxwell Air Force Base</a>: Center For Air Force History. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.afhra.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-090601-130.pdf">the original</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span> on 13 March 2013<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">10 November</span> 2010</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=USAF+Historical+Study+89%2C+The+Development+of+Air+Doctrine+in+the+Army+Air+Arm%2C+1917%E2%80%931941&rft.place=Maxwell+Air+Force+Base&rft.pub=Center+For+Air+Force+History&rft.date=1985&rft.aulast=Greer&rft.aufirst=Thomas+H.&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.afhra.af.mil%2Fshared%2Fmedia%2Fdocument%2FAFD-090601-130.pdf&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AUnited+States+Army+Air+Service" class="Z3988"></span>, p. 149, Appendix 2 Redesignations of the Army Air Arm, 1907–1942.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-3">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Finney, Robert T. (1955). USAF Historical Studies No. 100: <i>History of the Air Corps Tactical School</i>, Center for Air Force History, March 1955 edition, pp. 4–5.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-4">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1978). <i>The U.S. Air Service in World War I</i>, "Volume II: Early Concepts of Military Aviation", Diane Publishing, <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-4289-1604-0" title="Special:BookSources/1-4289-1604-0">1-4289-1604-0</a>, pp. 105 and 240.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-5">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Hennessy, Juliette A. (1958). USAF Historical Study No. 98: <i>The United States Army Air Arm, April 1861 to April 1917</i>, USAF Historical Division, p. 196</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-7">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Craven and Cate Vol. 1, p.8</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-9"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-9">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFMooney1944" class="citation web cs1">Mooney, Charles C. and Layman, Martha E. (1944). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101227081644/http://www.afhra.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-090602-051.pdf">"Origin of Military Aeronautics, 1907–1935"</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span>. <i>U.S.A.F. Historical Studies No. 25</i>. Maxwell AFB: Historical Research Division, Air University. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.afhra.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-090602-051.pdf">the original</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span> on 27 December 2010<span class="reference-accessdate">. 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U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 55.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Annual+Report+of+the+Secretary+of+War&rft.pages=55&rft.pub=U.S.+Government+Printing+Office&rft.date=1919&rft.au=United+States.+War+Dept&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DbZcsAAAAIAAJ%26pg%3DPA55&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AUnited+States+Army+Air+Service" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-71"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-71">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Maurer (1978), Vol. I., p. 171.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-72"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-72">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Maurer (1978), Vol. I, p.391.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-74"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-74">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Cooke, James J. (1996). <i>The U.S. Air Service in the Great War, 1917–1919</i>. Preager Press. <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-275-94862-5" title="Special:BookSources/0-275-94862-5">0-275-94862-5</a>. P. 204.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-75"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-75">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Cooke (1996), p. 208.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-76"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-76">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Cooke (1996), p. 216.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-77"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-77">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Maurer(1978). Volume I, p. 51.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-78"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-78">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Maurer (1978), Vol. I, p.85.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-79"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-79">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Maurer (1978), Vol. I, p.26.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-81"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-81">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Cooke (1996), p. 198</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Maurer,_p.17-83"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Maurer,_p.17_83-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Maurer,_p.17_83-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Maurer (1978), Vol. I, p.17.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-thomas387-85"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-thomas387_85-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-thomas387_85-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Thomas (1920), p. 387.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-86"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-86">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.airforce-magazine.com/MagazineArchive/Magazine%20Documents/2010/May%202010/0510aces.pdf"><i>AIR FORCE Magazine</i> 2010 Almanac</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-thomas390-88"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-thomas390_88-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Thomas (1920), p. 390.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-mm119126-90"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-mm119126_90-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-mm119126_90-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Maurer, Vol. I, pp.119 and 126.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-91"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-91">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Maurer (1978), Vol. I, p. 119.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-93"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-93">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Maurer (1978), Vol. I, p.78.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-94"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-94">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Maurer (1978), Vol. I, p.105.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-95"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-95">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Maurer (1978), Vol. I, p.112.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-96"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-96">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Maurer (1978), Vol. I, p.106.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-97"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-97">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Maurer (1978), Vol. I, p.110.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-98"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-98">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFLebow,_Eileen_F.1998" class="citation book cs1">Lebow, Eileen F. (1998). <i>A Grandstand Seat: the American Balloon Service in World War I</i>. Praeger. pp. <span class="nowrap">135–</span>136. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-275-96255-5" title="Special:BookSources/0-275-96255-5"><bdi>0-275-96255-5</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=A+Grandstand+Seat%3A+the+American+Balloon+Service+in+World+War+I&rft.pages=%3Cspan+class%3D%22nowrap%22%3E135-%3C%2Fspan%3E136&rft.pub=Praeger&rft.date=1998&rft.isbn=0-275-96255-5&rft.au=Lebow%2C+Eileen+F.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AUnited+States+Army+Air+Service" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-101"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-101">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Maurer (1978), Vol. I, p.27.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-103"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-103">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Maurer (1978), Vol. I, p.46-47.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-104"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-104">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFMooneyLayman1944">Mooney & Layman 1944</a>, p. 37</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-106"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-106">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Cooke, James J. (2002). <i>Billy Mitchell (The Art of War)</i>, Lynne Rienner Press, <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-58826-082-8" title="Special:BookSources/1-58826-082-8">1-58826-082-8</a>, pp. 108–109.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-107"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-107">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">""Director of Army Air Service Explains the Organization", <i>The Official U.S. Bulletin</i>, Friday, March 21, 1919, Vol. 8 No. 567, p. 5.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-108"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-108">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Hurley, Alfred (2006). <i>Billy Mitchell: Crusader for Air Power</i>, Indiana University Press, <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-253-20180-2" title="Special:BookSources/0-253-20180-2">0-253-20180-2</a>, p. 41.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-sqs-110"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-sqs_110-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-sqs_110-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.afhra.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet_print.asp?fsID=10944">"THE BIRTH OF THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE"</a>. AFHRA<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">6 Apr</span> 2016</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=THE+BIRTH+OF+THE+UNITED+STATES+AIR+FORCE&rft.pub=AFHRA&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.afhra.af.mil%2Ffactsheets%2Ffactsheet_print.asp%3FfsID%3D10944&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AUnited+States+Army+Air+Service" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-shinerstats-111"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-shinerstats_111-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-shinerstats_111-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Shiner, Lt. Col. John F. (1997). "From Air Service to Air Corps: The Era of Billy Mitchell," <i>Winged Shield, Winged Sword: A History of the United States Air Force Vol. I</i>, <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-16-049009-X" title="Special:BookSources/0-16-049009-X">0-16-049009-X</a>, p. 70-71.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-115"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-115">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Maurer Maurer, <i>Aviation in the U.S. Army, 1919–1939</i>, USAF Historical Research Center (1987), pp. 99–101</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEMooneyLayman1944116-117"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMooneyLayman1944116_117-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFMooneyLayman1944">Mooney & Layman 1944</a>, p. 116.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-121"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-121">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation journal cs1">"United States Army Air Service Posts". <i>U.S. Army Recruiting News, A Bulletin of Recruiting Information Issued by the Direction of the Adjutant General of the Army</i>. February 15, 1925.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=U.S.+Army+Recruiting+News%2C+A+Bulletin+of+Recruiting+Information+Issued+by+the+Direction+of+the+Adjutant+General+of+the+Army&rft.atitle=United+States+Army+Air+Service+Posts&rft.date=1925-02-15&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AUnited+States+Army+Air+Service" class="Z3988"></span>, p.2.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-122"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-122">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><i>Air Service News Letter</i>, March 18, 1920, Vol. V No. 12, p. 1</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-124"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-124">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Shiner (1997), pp. 72, 74.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-125"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-125">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Tate (1998), pp. 185–188.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Shiner,_p._73-126"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Shiner,_p._73_126-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Shiner,_p._73_126-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Shiner (1997), p. 73.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-127"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-127">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Greer (1985), p. 23</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-129"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-129">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Tate(1998), pp. 8–9</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-132"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-132">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Tate(1998), pp. 9–10.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-133"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-133">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Shiner (1997), p. 82.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-134"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-134">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Greer (1985), p. 16</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-136"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-136">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Shiner (1997), p. 96.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-137"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-137">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Futrell (1991), pp. 40–41</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-139"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-139">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Maurer (1987), pp. 72–73</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-141"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-141">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Tate (1998), p. 30</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Shiner,_p.97-143"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Shiner,_p.97_143-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Shiner (1997), p.97.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-145"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-145">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Greer (1985), p. 28.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-146"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-146">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Shiner (1997), p. 102-103.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-147"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-147">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation news cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1919/07/23/97104708.pdf">"Army Orders"</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span>. <i><a href="/wiki/The_New_York_Times" title="The New York Times">The New York Times</a></i>. July 23, 1919<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2011-04-06</span></span>. <q><i>Grower, 1st Lt. R. W., to Hazelhurst Field, to accompany the Air Service Transcontinental Recruiting Convoys, then to station in this city.</i></q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=The+New+York+Times&rft.atitle=Army+Orders&rft.date=1919-07-23&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Ftimesmachine.nytimes.com%2Ftimesmachine%2F1919%2F07%2F23%2F97104708.pdf&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AUnited+States+Army+Air+Service" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-148"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-148">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1919/08/14/118156967.pdf">WEATHER DELAYS FLIGHT TO COAST – Squadron of Pathfinders Will Start on Transcontinental Trip Today. PLANE BIDS CITY GOOD-BYE Dance to Tunes from Radio Telephone as Craft Circles OverTimes Building. – View Article – NYTimes.com</a>. New York Times (1919-08-14). Retrieved on 2013-08-17.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-149"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-149">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><i>Air Service News Letter</i>, April 12, 1921, Vol. V No. 4, p. 6-7.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-awcaf-150"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-awcaf_150-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.alaskawingcaf.org/Alaska%20Heritage/September3-9.pdf">"Remembering Our Heritage"</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span>. Alaska Wing, Commemorative Air Force<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">28 January</span> 2010</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Remembering+Our+Heritage&rft.pub=Alaska+Wing%2C+Commemorative+Air+Force&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alaskawingcaf.org%2FAlaska%2520Heritage%2FSeptember3-9.pdf&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AUnited+States+Army+Air+Service" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-natarc-152"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-natarc_152-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/018.html">"Records of the Army Air Forces (AAF)"</a>. National Archives.gov<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">22 November</span> 2010</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Records+of+the+Army+Air+Forces+%28AAF%29&rft.pub=National+Archives.gov&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.archives.gov%2Fresearch%2Fguide-fed-records%2Fgroups%2F018.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AUnited+States+Army+Air+Service" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> </ol></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Reference_sources">Reference sources</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=United_States_Army_Air_Service&action=edit&section=27" title="Edit section: Reference sources"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>Bowman, Martin W., "Background to War", <i>USAAF Handbook 1939–1945</i>, <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-8117-1822-0" title="Special:BookSources/0-8117-1822-0">0-8117-1822-0</a></li> <li>Browne, G Waldo, and Pillsbury, Rosencrans W. (1921). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=xQ0gAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA239">The American Army in the World War, A Divisional Record Of The American Expeditionary Forces in Europe</a>, Overseas Book Co, Manchester, New Hampshire.</li> <li>Craven, Wesley Frank, and Cate, James Lea, editors (1983). <i>The Army Air Forces In World War II</i>, Air Force Historical Studies Office, <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-912799-03-X" title="Special:BookSources/0-912799-03-X">0-912799-03-X</a> (Vol. 1).</li></ul> <dl><dd>(1948). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.afhso.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-101105-005.pdf"><i>Volume One – Plans and Early Operations: January 1939 – August 1942</i></a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20161018133446/http://www.afhso.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-101105-005.pdf">Archived</a> 2016-10-18 at the <a href="/wiki/Wayback_Machine" title="Wayback Machine">Wayback Machine</a></dd></dl> <ul><li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFHolley1997" class="citation book cs1">Holley, I.B. Jr. (1997). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_HZ9uM6wRoOUC"><i>Ideas and Weapons</i></a>. Washington, D.C.: Air Force History and Museums Program. p. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_HZ9uM6wRoOUC/page/n45">84</a>. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-912799-11-0" title="Special:BookSources/0-912799-11-0"><bdi>0-912799-11-0</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Ideas+and+Weapons&rft.place=Washington%2C+D.C.&rft.pages=84&rft.pub=Air+Force+History+and+Museums+Program&rft.date=1997&rft.isbn=0-912799-11-0&rft.aulast=Holley&rft.aufirst=I.B.+Jr.&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Farchive.org%2Fdetails%2Fbub_gb_HZ9uM6wRoOUC&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AUnited+States+Army+Air+Service" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=XKLqV_IC1BoC">Maurer Maurer (ed.) (1978). <i>The U.S. Air Service in World War I, Volume I: The Final Report and A Tactical History</i></a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.afhso.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-101013-007.pdf">PDF</a> This source is four volumes on Air Service activities in World War I, reproduced from summary reports of the 30-volume "Gorrell's History" of the Air Service, AEF. Compiled and written in 1919 by Col. Edgar S. Gorrell, AS, USA, and a staff of several hundred at Tours, it has been updated by research from the USAF Center for Air Force History, Maxwell AFB. OCLC 564839002</li> <li>Maurer, Maurer (1986), <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20080530104246/http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/numbered_studies/916794.pdf"><i>Combat squadrons of the Air Force, World War II</i>, USAF Historical Study 82</a>, Air University Press, Maxwell AFB, Alabama (large PDF file).</li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFMooneyLayman1944" class="citation web cs1">Mooney, Charles C.; Layman, Martha E. (1944). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101227081644/http://www.afhra.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-090602-051.pdf">"Origin of Military Aeronautics, 1907–1935"</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span>. U.S.A.F. Historical Studies (No. 25). Maxwell AFB: Historical Research Division, Air University. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.afhra.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-090602-051.pdf">the original</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span> on 27 December 2010<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">28 October</span> 2012</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Origin+of+Military+Aeronautics%2C+1907%E2%80%931935&rft.series=U.S.A.F.+Historical+Studies+%28No.+25%29&rft.pub=Maxwell+AFB%3A+Historical+Research+Division%2C+Air+University&rft.date=1944&rft.aulast=Mooney&rft.aufirst=Charles+C.&rft.au=Layman%2C+Martha+E.&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.afhra.af.mil%2Fshared%2Fmedia%2Fdocument%2FAFD-090602-051.pdf&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AUnited+States+Army+Air+Service" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li>Mortenson, Daniel R., "The Air Service in the Great War," <i>Winged Shield, Winged Sword: A History of the United States Air Force</i>, Vol. I, Chapter 2 (1997), <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-16-049009-X" title="Special:BookSources/0-16-049009-X">0-16-049009-X</a></li> <li>Shiner, Lt. Col. John F., "From Air Service to Air Corps: The Era of Billy Mitchell," <i>Winged Shield, Winged Sword: A History of the United States Air Force</i> Vol. I, Chapter 3 (1997), <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-16-049009-X" title="Special:BookSources/0-16-049009-X">0-16-049009-X</a></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFTate1998" class="citation book cs1">Tate, James (1998). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://media.defense.gov/2017/Apr/07/2001728467/-1/-1/0/B_0062_TATE_ARMY_AIR_CORPS.PDF"><i>The Army and Its Air Corps: Army Policy toward Aviation, 1919–1941</i></a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span>. <a href="/wiki/Maxwell_Air_Force_Base" title="Maxwell Air Force Base">Maxwell Air Force Base</a>, <a href="/wiki/Alabama" title="Alabama">Alabama</a>: <a href="/wiki/Air_University_(United_States)" class="mw-redirect" title="Air University (United States)">Air University</a><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2018-05-20</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Army+and+Its+Air+Corps%3A+Army+Policy+toward+Aviation%2C+1919%E2%80%931941&rft.place=Maxwell+Air+Force+Base%2C+Alabama&rft.pub=Air+University&rft.date=1998&rft.aulast=Tate&rft.aufirst=James&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.defense.gov%2F2017%2FApr%2F07%2F2001728467%2F-1%2F-1%2F0%2FB_0062_TATE_ARMY_AIR_CORPS.PDF&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AUnited+States+Army+Air+Service" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.afa.org/magazine/almanacs.asp">"2006 Almanac," <i>Air Force Magazine</i>, May 2006, Vol. 89, No. 5, the Air Force Association, Arlington, Virginia</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/world_war2/world_war2.html"><i>Army Air Forces Statistical Digest, Table 3</i></a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="External_links">External links</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=United_States_Army_Air_Service&action=edit&section=28" title="Edit section: External links"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1235681985">.mw-parser-output .side-box{margin:4px 0;box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid #aaa;font-size:88%;line-height:1.25em;background-color:var(--background-color-interactive-subtle,#f8f9fa);display:flow-root}.mw-parser-output .side-box-abovebelow,.mw-parser-output .side-box-text{padding:0.25em 0.9em}.mw-parser-output .side-box-image{padding:2px 0 2px 0.9em;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .side-box-imageright{padding:2px 0.9em 2px 0;text-align:center}@media(min-width:500px){.mw-parser-output .side-box-flex{display:flex;align-items:center}.mw-parser-output .side-box-text{flex:1;min-width:0}}@media(min-width:720px){.mw-parser-output .side-box{width:238px}.mw-parser-output .side-box-right{clear:right;float:right;margin-left:1em}.mw-parser-output .side-box-left{margin-right:1em}}</style><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1237033735">@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .sistersitebox{display:none!important}}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .sistersitebox img[src*="Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg"]{background-color:white}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .sistersitebox img[src*="Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg"]{background-color:white}}</style><div class="side-box side-box-right plainlinks sistersitebox"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1126788409">.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul{line-height:inherit;list-style:none;margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol li,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul li{margin-bottom:0}</style> <div class="side-box-flex"> <div class="side-box-image"><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Commons-logo.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png" decoding="async" width="30" height="40" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/45px-Commons-logo.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/59px-Commons-logo.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1024" data-file-height="1376" /></a></span></div> <div class="side-box-text plainlist">Wikimedia Commons has media related to <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:United_States_Army_Air_Service" class="extiw" title="commons:Category:United States Army Air Service">United States Army Air Service</a></span>.</div></div> </div> <ul><li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/search.php?service=6">Military Times Hall of Fame</a>, listing of 567 citations for gallantry for Air Service members</li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.acepilots.com/wwi/us_1st_pursuit.html">1st Pursuit Group history at www.acepilots.com</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.usaww1.com">United States Air Service overview, history and 90th Anniversary celebration photos at www.usaww1.com</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.usaww1.com/American_wwi_air_force_USAS_Map.php4">United States Air Service interactive Google Map of bases, etc. at www.usaww1.com</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.1stfighter.com/history/1stpursuit.html">1st Pursuit Group history at www.1stfighter.com</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.usaww1.com/50th-Aero-Squadron-Harold-Goettler-Erwin-Bleckley-Remicourt.php4">50th Aero Squadron Harold Goettler and Erwin Bleckley to be Honored October 7, 2009</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.angelfire.com/ct/US22/History_of_US22nd_Aero_Sq.pdf">History of the US 22nd Aero Squadron by Arthur R. Brooks (.pdf)</a></li> <li>The short film <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/gov.archives.arc.65873"><i>THE CALL OF THE AIR</i></a> is available for free viewing and download at the <a href="/wiki/Internet_Archive" title="Internet Archive">Internet Archive</a>.</li> <li>The short film <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/gov.archives.arc.65711"><i>ACTIVITIES OF THE U.S. ARMY AIR SERVICE (1925)</i></a> is available for free viewing and download at the <a href="/wiki/Internet_Archive" title="Internet Archive">Internet Archive</a>.</li> <li>The short film <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/gov.dod.dimoc.26140"><i>AIR FORCE STORY, THE – AFTER THE WAR, 1918–1923</i></a> is available for free viewing and download at the <a href="/wiki/Internet_Archive" title="Internet Archive">Internet Archive</a>.</li></ul> <table class="wikitable succession-box noprint" style="margin:0.5em auto; font-size:small;clear:both;"> <tbody><tr style="text-align:center;"> <td style="width:30%;" rowspan="1">Preceded by<div style="font-weight: bold"><a href="/wiki/Division_of_Military_Aeronautics" title="Division of Military Aeronautics">Division of Military Aeronautics</a></div> </td> <td style="width: 40%; text-align: center;" rowspan="1"><b> United States Army Air Service </b><br />1918–1926 </td> <td style="width: 30%; text-align: center;" rowspan="1">Succeeded by<div style="font-weight: bold"><a href="/wiki/United_States_Army_Air_Corps" title="United States Army Air Corps">United States Army Air Corps</a></div> </td></tr> </tbody></table> <div class="navbox-styles"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1129693374">.mw-parser-output .hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul{margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt,.mw-parser-output .hlist li{margin:0;display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline,.mw-parser-output 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href="/wiki/List_of_United_States_Air_Force_lieutenant_generals_since_2020" title="List of United States Air Force lieutenant generals since 2020">2020–present</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_House_Committee_on_Armed_Services" title="United States House Committee on Armed Services">House Armed Services Committee</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/United_States_House_Armed_Services_Subcommittee_on_Tactical_Air_and_Land_Forces" title="United States House Armed Services Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces">House Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_House_Armed_Services_Subcommittee_on_Strategic_Forces" title="United States House Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces">House Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_Senate_Committee_on_Armed_Services" title="United States Senate Committee on Armed Services">Senate Committee on Armed Services</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/United_States_Senate_Armed_Services_Subcommittee_on_Airland" title="United States Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Airland">Senate Subcommittee on Airland</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_Senate_Armed_Services_Subcommittee_on_Strategic_Forces" title="United States Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces">Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces</a></li></ul></li></ul> </div></td><td class="noviewer navbox-image" rowspan="5" style="width:1px;padding:0 0 0 2px"><div><span typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1a/U.S._Air_Force_service_mark.svg/80px-U.S._Air_Force_service_mark.svg.png" decoding="async" width="80" height="80" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1a/U.S._Air_Force_service_mark.svg/120px-U.S._Air_Force_service_mark.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1a/U.S._Air_Force_service_mark.svg/160px-U.S._Air_Force_service_mark.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="580" data-file-height="580" /></span></span></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;"><a href="/wiki/Structure_of_the_United_States_Air_Force" title="Structure of the United States Air Force">Structure</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0;;wide"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;">Commands</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Air_Force_Reserve_Command" title="Air Force Reserve Command">Reserve</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Air_National_Guard" title="Air National Guard">Air National Guard</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_United_States_Air_Force_Field_Operating_Agencies" title="List of United States Air Force Field Operating Agencies">Field Operating Agencies</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_United_States_Air_Force_installations" title="List of United States Air Force installations">Installations</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;">Direct Reporting Units</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Air_Force_District_of_Washington" title="Air Force District of Washington">District of Washington</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Air_Force_Operational_Test_and_Evaluation_Center" title="Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center">Operational Test and Evaluation Center</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_Air_Force_Academy" title="United States Air Force Academy">USAF Academy</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;"><a href="/wiki/List_of_major_commands_of_the_United_States_Air_Force" title="List of major commands of the United States Air Force">Major commands</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Air_Combat_Command" title="Air Combat Command">ACC</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Air_Education_and_Training_Command" title="Air Education and Training Command">AETC</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Air_Force_Global_Strike_Command" title="Air Force Global Strike Command">AFGSC</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Air_Force_Materiel_Command" title="Air Force Materiel Command">AFMC</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Air_Force_Reserve_Command" title="Air Force Reserve Command">AFRC</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Air_Force_Special_Operations_Command" title="Air Force Special Operations Command">AFSOC</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Air_Mobility_Command" title="Air Mobility Command">AMC</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pacific_Air_Forces" title="Pacific Air Forces">PACAF</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_Air_Forces_in_Europe_%E2%80%93_Air_Forces_Africa" title="United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa">USAFE–AFAFRICA</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;"><a href="/wiki/Numbered_Air_Force" title="Numbered Air Force">Numbered Air Forces</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/First_Air_Force" title="First Air Force">First</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Second_Air_Force" title="Second Air Force">Second</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Third_Air_Force" title="Third Air Force">Third</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Fourth_Air_Force" title="Fourth Air Force">Fourth</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Fifth_Air_Force" title="Fifth Air Force">Fifth</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Seventh_Air_Force" title="Seventh Air Force">Seventh</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Eighth_Air_Force" title="Eighth Air Force">Eighth</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ninth_Air_Force" title="Ninth Air Force">Ninth</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tenth_Air_Force" title="Tenth Air Force">Tenth</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Eleventh_Air_Force" title="Eleventh Air Force">Eleventh</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Twelfth_Air_Force" title="Twelfth Air Force">Twelfth</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Thirteenth_Expeditionary_Air_Force" title="Thirteenth Expeditionary Air Force">Thirteenth Expeditionary</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Fifteenth_Air_Force" title="Fifteenth Air Force">Fifteenth</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sixteenth_Air_Force" title="Sixteenth Air Force">Sixteenth</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Eighteenth_Air_Force" title="Eighteenth Air Force">Eighteenth</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nineteenth_Air_Force" title="Nineteenth Air Force">Nineteenth</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Twentieth_Air_Force" title="Twentieth Air Force">Twentieth</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Twenty-Second_Air_Force" title="Twenty-Second Air Force">Twenty-Second</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/List_of_wings_of_the_United_States_Air_Force" title="List of wings of the United States Air Force">Wings</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/List_of_groups_and_wings_of_the_United_States_Air_National_Guard" title="List of groups and wings of the United States Air National Guard">ANG</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_United_States_Air_Force_Groups" title="List of United States Air Force Groups">Groups</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/List_of_groups_and_wings_of_the_United_States_Air_National_Guard" title="List of groups and wings of the United States Air National Guard">ANG</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_United_States_Air_Force_squadrons" title="List of United States Air Force squadrons">Squadrons</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/List_of_United_States_Air_National_Guard_Squadrons" title="List of United States Air National Guard Squadrons">ANG</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_United_States_Air_Force_Security_Forces_squadrons" title="List of United States Air Force Security Forces squadrons">Security Forces</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Reserve_components_of_the_United_States_Armed_Forces#Civilian_auxiliaries_distinguished" title="Reserve components of the United States Armed Forces">Civilian auxiliary</a>: <a href="/wiki/Civil_Air_Patrol" title="Civil Air Patrol">Civil Air Patrol</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;">Personnel and<br /> training</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/List_of_United_States_Air_Force_personnel" title="List of United States Air Force personnel">Personnel</a></li> <li>Rank <ul><li><a href="/wiki/United_States_Air_Force_officer_rank_insignia" title="United States Air Force officer rank insignia">officers</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_Air_Force_Academy_Cadet_Insignia" title="United States Air Force Academy Cadet Insignia">cadets</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_Air_Force_enlisted_rank_insignia" title="United States Air Force enlisted rank insignia">enlisted</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Air_Force_Specialty_Code" title="Air Force Specialty Code">Specialty Code</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/U.S._Air_Force_aeronautical_rating" title="U.S. Air Force aeronautical rating">Aeronautical ratings</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_Air_Force_Judge_Advocate_General%27s_Corps" title="United States Air Force Judge Advocate General's Corps">Judge Advocate General's Corps</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Rapid_Engineer_Deployable_Heavy_Operational_Repair_Squadron_Engineers" title="Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers">RED HORSE</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_Air_Force_Security_Forces" title="United States Air Force Security Forces">Security Forces</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_Air_Force_Medical_Service" title="United States Air Force Medical Service">Medical Service</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Chief_of_Chaplains_of_the_United_States_Air_Force" title="Chief of Chaplains of the United States Air Force">Chief of Chaplains</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Chief_Scientist_of_the_United_States_Air_Force" title="Chief Scientist of the United States Air Force">Chief Scientist</a></li></ul> <ul><li>Training: <a href="/wiki/United_States_Air_Force_Academy" title="United States Air Force Academy">Air Force Academy</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Air_Force_Officer_Training_School" title="Air Force Officer Training School">Officer Training School</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Air_Force_Reserve_Officer_Training_Corps" title="Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps">Reserve Officer Training Corps</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_Air_Force_Basic_Military_Training" title="United States Air Force Basic Military Training">Basic Training</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Airman_Leadership_School" title="Airman Leadership School">Airman Leadership School</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Survival,_Evasion,_Resistance_and_Escape" title="Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape">SERE</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_Air_Force_Fitness_Assessment" title="United States Air Force Fitness Assessment">Fitness Assessment</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;">Uniforms and<br /> equipment</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Awards_and_decorations_of_the_United_States_Department_of_the_Air_Force" title="Awards and decorations of the United States Department of the Air Force">Awards and decorations</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Badges_of_the_United_States_Air_Force" title="Badges of the United States Air Force">Badges</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_equipment_of_the_United_States_Air_Force" title="List of equipment of the United States Air Force">Equipment</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_Air_Force#Aircraft_inventory" title="United States Air Force">Aircraft</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Uniforms_of_the_United_States_Air_Force" title="Uniforms of the United States Air Force">Uniforms</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;">History and<br /> traditions</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/History_of_the_United_States_Air_Force" title="History of the United States Air Force">History</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Aeronautical_Division,_U.S._Signal_Corps" title="Aeronautical Division, U.S. Signal Corps">Aeronautical Division</a> / <a href="/wiki/Aviation_Section,_U.S._Signal_Corps" title="Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps">Aviation Section</a> / <a href="/wiki/Division_of_Military_Aeronautics" title="Division of Military Aeronautics">Division of Military Aeronautics</a> / <a class="mw-selflink selflink">Army Air Service</a> / <a href="/wiki/United_States_Army_Air_Corps" title="United States Army Air Corps">Army Air Corps</a> / <a href="/wiki/United_States_Army_Air_Forces" title="United States Army Air Forces">Army Air Forces</a></li> <li>"<a href="/wiki/The_U.S._Air_Force_(song)" title="The U.S. Air Force (song)">The U.S. Air Force</a>"</li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_Air_Force_Band" title="United States Air Force Band">Air Force Band</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Airman%27s_Creed" title="Airman's Creed">Airman's Creed</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_Air_Force#Core_missions" title="United States Air Force">Core Values</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Flag_of_the_United_States_Air_Force" title="Flag of the United States Air Force">Flag</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_Air_Force_Symbol" title="United States Air Force Symbol">Symbol</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_Air_Force_Memorial" title="United States Air Force Memorial">Memorial</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/National_Museum_of_the_United_States_Air_Force" title="National Museum of the United States Air Force">National Museum</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Women_Airforce_Service_Pilots" title="Women Airforce Service Pilots">Women Airforce Service Pilots</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Air_Force_One" title="Air Force One">Air Force One</a> / <a href="/wiki/Air_Force_Two" title="Air Force Two">Air Force Two</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_Air_Force_Honor_Guard" title="United States Air Force Honor Guard">Honor Guard</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_Air_Force_Thunderbirds" title="United States Air Force Thunderbirds">Thunderbirds</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Service_number_(United_States_Air_Force)" title="Service number (United States Air Force)">Service numbers</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Air_%26_Space_Forces_Association" title="Air & Space Forces Association">Air & Space Forces Association</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow" colspan="3" style="background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;"><div> <ul><li><b><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><span title="Category"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/96/Symbol_category_class.svg/16px-Symbol_category_class.svg.png" decoding="async" width="16" height="16" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/96/Symbol_category_class.svg/23px-Symbol_category_class.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/96/Symbol_category_class.svg/31px-Symbol_category_class.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="180" data-file-height="185" /></span></span> <a href="/wiki/Category:United_States_Air_Force" title="Category:United States Air Force">Category</a></b></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236075235"></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox" aria-labelledby="Aviation_in_World_War_I1989" style=";wide;padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks mw-collapsible autocollapse navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2" style="background-color:#C3D6EF;color:inherit;"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239400231"><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Aviation_in_World_War_I" title="Template:Aviation in World War I"><abbr title="View this template" style="color:inherit">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Aviation_in_World_War_I" title="Template talk:Aviation in World War I"><abbr title="Discuss this template" style="color:inherit">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Aviation_in_World_War_I" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Aviation in World War I"><abbr title="Edit this template" style="color:inherit">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="Aviation_in_World_War_I1989" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="/wiki/Aviation_in_World_War_I" title="Aviation in World War I">Aviation in World War I</a></div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;">People and aircraft</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Air_commanders_of_World_War_I" title="Air commanders of World War I">Commanders</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lists_of_World_War_I_flying_aces" title="Lists of World War I flying aces">Aces</a> (<a href="/wiki/Aerial_victory_standards_of_World_War_I" title="Aerial victory standards of World War I">accuracy</a>)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_World_War_I_Entente_aircraft" title="List of World War I Entente aircraft">Aircraft of the Entente Powers</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_World_War_I_Central_Powers_aircraft" title="List of World War I Central Powers aircraft">Aircraft of the Central Powers</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Zeppelin#During_World_War_I" title="Zeppelin">Zeppelins</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;">Campaigns<br />and battles</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Strategic_bombing_during_World_War_I" title="Strategic bombing during World War I">Strategic bombing</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/German_bombing_of_Britain,_1914%E2%80%931918" title="German bombing of Britain, 1914–1918">German</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Raid_on_Cuxhaven" title="Raid on Cuxhaven">Cuxhaven</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Aerial_bombing_of_cities#World_War_I" title="Aerial bombing of cities">Bombing of cities</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Aerial_reconnaissance_in_World_War_I" title="Aerial reconnaissance in World War I">Aerial reconnaissance</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Fokker_Scourge" title="Fokker Scourge">Fokker Scourge</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Airstrike_on_Zonguldak" title="Airstrike on Zonguldak">Zonguldak</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Flight_over_Vienna" title="Flight over Vienna">Flight over Vienna</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bloody_April" title="Bloody April">Bloody April</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Category:Aerial_operations_and_battles_of_World_War_I" title="Category:Aerial operations and battles of World War I">Battles</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;">Entente Powers<br />air services</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li>British air services <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Royal_Flying_Corps" title="Royal Flying Corps">Royal Flying Corps</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Royal_Naval_Air_Service" title="Royal Naval Air Service">Royal Naval Air Service</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Royal_Air_Force" title="Royal Air Force">Royal Air Force</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Australian_Flying_Corps" title="Australian Flying Corps">Australian Flying Corps</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Canadian_Air_Force_(1918%E2%80%931920)" title="Canadian Air Force (1918–1920)">Canadian Air Force (1918–1920)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/History_of_the_Arm%C3%A9e_de_l%27Air_(1909%E2%80%931942)" title="History of the Armée de l'Air (1909–1942)">French Air Service</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Imperial_Russian_Air_Service" title="Imperial Russian Air Service">Imperial Russian Air Service</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Corpo_Aeronautico_Militare" title="Corpo Aeronautico Militare">Royal Italian Air Corps</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Romanian_Air_Corps" title="Romanian Air Corps">Romanian Air Corps</a></li> <li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">United States Army Air Service</a></li> <li>Greek air services <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Hellenic_Air_Force" title="Hellenic Air Force">Army Air Service</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Naval_Air_Service_(Greece)" title="Naval Air Service (Greece)">Naval Air Service</a></li></ul></li> <li>Japanese air services <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Imperial_Japanese_Army_Air_Service" title="Imperial Japanese Army Air Service">Imperial Japanese Army Air Service</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Imperial_Japanese_Navy_Air_Service" title="Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service">Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service</a></li></ul></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;">Central Powers<br />air services</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Luftstreitkr%C3%A4fte" title="Luftstreitkräfte">Imperial German Air Service</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Austro-Hungarian_Aviation_Troops" title="Austro-Hungarian Aviation Troops">Austro-Hungarian Imperial and Royal Aviation Troops</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ottoman_Aviation_Squadrons" title="Ottoman Aviation Squadrons">Ottoman Aviation Squadrons</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bulgarian_Air_Force#World_War_I_(1914–1918)" title="Bulgarian Air Force">Bulgarian Army Aeroplane Section</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></div>    </div><noscript><img src="https://login.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?useformat=desktop&type=1x1&usesul3=0" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border: none; position: absolute;"></noscript> <div class="printfooter" data-nosnippet="">Retrieved from "<a dir="ltr" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=United_States_Army_Air_Service&oldid=1272837603">https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=United_States_Army_Air_Service&oldid=1272837603</a>"</div></div> <div id="catlinks" class="catlinks" data-mw="interface"><div id="mw-normal-catlinks" class="mw-normal-catlinks"><a href="/wiki/Help:Category" title="Help:Category">Categories</a>: <ul><li><a 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