The 12th Aero Squadron was a

United States Army Air Service The United States Army Air Service (USAAS)Craven and Cate Vol. 1, p. 9 (also known as the ''"Air Service"'', ''"U.S. Air Service"'' and before its legislative establishment in 1920, the ''"Air Service, United States Army"'') was the aerial war ...

unit that fought on the Western Front during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. The squadron was assigned as a Corps Observation Squadron, performing short-range, tactical reconnaissance over the I Corps,

United States First Army First Army is the oldest and longest-established field army of the United States Army. It served as a theater army, having seen service in both World War I and World War II, and supplied the US army with soldiers and equipment during the Korea ...

sector of the Western Front in France, providing battlefield intelligence. After the

1918 Armistice with Germany The Armistice of 11 November 1918 was the armistice signed at Le Francport near Compiègne that ended fighting on land, sea, and air in World War I between the Entente and their last remaining opponent, Germany. Previous armistices ...

, the squadron was assigned to the

United States Third Army The United States Army Central, formerly the Third United States Army, commonly referred to as the Third Army and as ARCENT, is a military formation of the United States Army which saw service in World War I and World War II, in the 1991 Gulf Wa ...

as part of the Occupation of the Rhineland in Germany. It returned to the United States in June 1919 and became part of the permanent

in 1921, being redesignated as the 12th Squadron (Observation).Series "E", Volume 3, History of the 11–13th Aero Squadrons. Gorrell's History of the American Expeditionary Forces Air Service, 1917–1919, National Archives, Washington, D.C.(1988 Reprint), Order of Battle of the United States Land Forces in the First World War, Volume 3, Part 3, Center of Military History, United States Army The 12th Reconnaissance Squadron,

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Aerial warfare, air military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part ...

, now at Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota, traces its lineage and history to the 12th Aero Squadron.

History

World War I

The 12th Reconnaissance Squadron originated at Kelly Field, Texas in May 1917 when the unit was organized from men picked from about 5,000 aviation recruits being drilled in provisional training companies. Those men formed "H" Company and were selected for their mechanical ability and experience. On 2 June, the unit was given its official designation, 12th Aero Squadron.Brief History of the 12th Reconnaissance Squadron, 1917–1992. Edited by Wayne Pittman, Colonel, USAF, Retired. After several weeks of classes on aircraft engines and parts, the squadron went to

Wilbur Wright Field Wilbur Wright Field was a military installation and an airfield used as a World War I pilot, mechanic, and armorer training facility and, under different designations, conducted United States Army Air Corps and Air Forces flight testing. Loc ...

at Fairfield, Ohio. Arriving on 5 July 1917, the men began assembling Standard J-1 and

Curtiss JN-4 The Curtiss JN "Jenny" was a series of biplanes built by the Curtiss Aeroplane Company of Hammondsport, New York, later the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company. Although the Curtiss JN series was originally produced as a training aircraft for th ...

training airplanes shipped direct from the factory, and they took part in the training of the flying cadets that began pouring into the field in late July. The squadron’s first flight is supposed to have been made by a Captain Christy on 17 July 1917 in a Curtiss JN-4 "Jenny". At the end of October, preparations for overseas movement were made. The squadron left Wright Field on 31 October, for the Aviation Concentration Center,

Camp Mills Camp Albert L. Mills (Camp Mills) was a military installation on Long Island, New York. It was located about ten miles from the eastern boundary of New York City on the Hempstead Plains within what is now the village of Garden City. In September ...

, Garden City, New York, arriving at Field No. 1 on 2 November. At Garden City, the squadron remained for about a month awaiting transportation. On 5 December it boarded the SS Northland sailing from

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...

. After a week waiting at Halifax Nova Scotia, the trans-Atlantic crossing was made without incident, and the ship arrived at

Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a populat ...

, England on 25 December. The squadron then took a train to

Southampton Southampton () is a port city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. It is located approximately south-west of London and west of Portsmouth. The city forms part of the South Hampshire built-up area, which also covers Po ...

, and made the cross-channel crossing to

Le Havre Le Havre (, ; nrf, Lé Hâvre ) is a port city in the Seine-Maritime department in the Normandy region of northern France. It is situated on the right bank of the estuary of the river Seine on the Channel southwest of the Pays de Caux, very ...

, France, arriving at a British Rest Camp the next day. After a few days, it was moved by a French train south to the large American base at St. Maixent Aerodrome on 1 January 1918.Series "E", Volume 3, History of the 11–13th Aero Squadrons. Gorrell's History of the American Expeditionary Forces Air Service, 1917–1919, National Archives, Washington, D.C. After two weeks at St. Maixent, where the squadron largely performed guard duty and drills, orders were received to move to Chaumont-Hill 402 Aerodrome, arriving on 16 January. where its mechanics took charge of maintenance on French

Nieuport Nieuport, later Nieuport-Delage, was a French aeroplane company that primarily built racing aircraft before World War I and fighter aircraft during World War I and between the wars. History Beginnings Originally formed as Nieuport-Duplex in ...

s and SPAD aircraft. On 2 February, the 12th finally began its combat training, being moved to Amanty Airdrome in Lorraine where it joined the 1st, 91st and

88th Aero Squadron The 88th Aero Squadron was an Air Service, United States Army unit that fought on the Western Front during World War I. The squadron was assigned as a Corps Observation Squadron, performing short-range, tactical reconnaissance over the III Cor ...

s. At Amanty, the squadron was equipped with Avion de Reconnaissance 1 (AR 1) trainers. classes were held in radio and machine-gun work and ground training was conducted by French officers. In addition the squadron helped in airfield construction projects. The AR-1s were inferior, obsolete machines, called "Antique Rattletraps" by the pilots, which the French had retired to training duties. However, they were suitable for training and after several weeks of making do with the training provided, on 3 May orders were received to head to the front, being assigned to the

I Corps Observation Group The I Corps Observation Group was a United States Army Air Service unit that fought on the Western Front during World War I as part of the Air Service, First United States Army. It was demobilized in France after the 1918 Armistice with Germany ...

Ourches Aerodrome Ourches Aerodrome, was a temporary World War I airfield in France. It was West-Northwest of the commune of Ourches-sur-Meuse, in the Meuse department in Lorraine in north-eastern France. Overview The airfield was built by the French Army a ...

, where the 12th was designated as a Corps Observation squadron.

Combat in France

At Ourches, the 12th joined the 1st Aero Squadron and began active operations over the front. It was equipped with

SPAD S.XI The SPAD S.XI or SPAD 11 was a French two-seat biplane reconnaissance aircraft of the First World War. The SPAD 11 was the work of Louis Béchereau, chief designer of the Société Pour L'Aviation et ses Dérivés (SPAD), who also designed the hig ...

A.2s aircraft. In combat, the mission of the 12th Aero Squadron was general surveillance of the enemy rear areas by means of both visual and photographic reconnaissance. These missions were carried out for the purpose of intelligence-gathering and informing First Army headquarters informed of enemy movements and preparations for attacks or retreats of its infantry forces. The 12th identified enemy activity along roads and railroads, ground stations, various storage dumps and airfields; the numbers of fires and activities of enemy aircraft, and the amount of anti-aircraft artillery was also monitored and reported. Due to the nature of the missions and the depths of enemy area which was penetrated, the missions were carried out at high altitudes, usually between 4,500 and 5,500 meters. 12th Aero Squadron Salmson 2A2

With few exceptions, the 12th’s pilots had never flown combat, but most of the observers had spent a number of weeks flying with French squadrons on active missions. One of these, Lieutenant Stephen W. Thompson, was at the 1st Squadron Gunnery School at Cazaux Airdrome, near Bordeaux when he was loaned on 5 February to the 123d French Breguet Squadron due to a shortage of observers in that unit. Returning from a bombing raid on Saarbrücken, the aircraft in which Lt Thompson was operating the rear guns was attacked by German Albatross pursuit ships. He shot one down, becoming the first man in an American uniform to shoot down an enemy airplane. Later, on 28 July 1918, as a member of the 12th, he was credited with two more "kills." The 12th’s operations in the Toul Sector was a seasoning period for the squadron as it gained experience over a relatively inactive front with almost no enemy air opposition. "On the other hand," according to an Air Service report after the war, "the enemy antiaircraft fire in the sector was exceedingly dense, active and accurate. Pilots of the Group were adept at evading antiaircraft fire after a month in the sector." On 10 June, the 12th Aero Squadron moved to the Baccarat Sector and to the unfinished Flin Aerodrome, from which they supported the 42d American and 167th French Divisions. There, the 12th began to receive the latest in French observation aircraft, the

Salmson 2A2 The Salmson 2 A.2, (often shortened to Salmson 2) was a French biplane reconnaissance aircraft developed and produced by Salmson to a 1916 requirement. Along with the Breguet 14, it was the main reconnaissance aircraft of the French army in 1918 ...

. This front, too, was considered "stabilized" or quiet, but the opposing German air force, while not flying the latest types, was active and aggressive. The 12th flew visual and photographic reconnaissance, adjusted artillery fire, and staged "infantry-contact patrols" to locate the front lines.

=Battle of Château-Thierry

By 29 June, the squadron had relocated to

Saints Aerodrome Saints Aerodrome, was a temporary World War I airfield in France. It was located North of Saints, in the Île-de-France region in north-central France. Overview The airfield was one of the many built to cope with the German offensive toward ...

in the Marne Sector to participate in the Battle of Château-Thierry. The 12th encountered intense opposition in the air from a concentration of German squadrons equipped with the most advanced Fokker aircraft. Encounters with up to 20 enemy aircraft on a patrol was a daily occurrence. On 5 July, the squadron moved again to a neighboring field at Francheville in support of the 26th Division, but because of its distance from the front, what would later be known as a "forward operating location," or FOL, was established at

Ferme de Moras Aerodrome Ferme de Moras Aerodrome, was a temporary World War I airfield in France. It was East of the commune of La Ferté-sous-Jouarre, in the Île-de-France region in north-central France. Overview The airfield was a temporary facility created by th ...

. Two 12th Squadron aircraft and two from the

were flown to it at daybreak each day and held ready for developing requirements. The Allied counteroffensive was launched on 18 July and the squadron's support was vital in photographing targets ahead of the advance according to priorities set by corps intelligence. It was during this operation that oblique photography, sometimes from as low as 400 meters, began to be used; previously all photos had been vertical. The Ferme de Moras location was upgraded to a full airfield on 22 July when the squadron occupied it to participate in the Chateau-Thierry offensive, during which it lost five officers. On 28 July 1918 the Squadron had two Salmson Observation aircraft shot down near Villers Sur Fere:2/Lt AP Baker WIA/PoW and 2/Lt JC Lumsden KIA, {shot down by German ace Carl Bolle (27th victory); and Pilot John C. Miller died of wounds and Observer Lt. Stephen W. Thompson was shot in the leg.(Shot down by Lt Sergy Frommherz, (10th Victory) of

Jagdstaffel 2 Jasta 2 (Jagdstaffel Zwei in full and also known as ''Jasta Boelcke'') was one of the best-known German Luftstreitkräfte Squadrons in World War I. Its first commanding officer was the great aerial tactician Oswald Boelcke, and it was the incubator ...

=St. Mihiel offensive

= In the first half of August, the unit moved three times, finally being withdrawn from the sector on 12 August for a brief rest at

Chailly-en-Brie Aerodrome Chailly-en-Brie Aerodrome was a temporary World War I airfield in France. It was located East of Chailly-en-Brie, in the Seine-et-Marne Departments of France, department in the Île-de-France (region), Île-de-France Regions of France, region ne ...

. The 12th moved to Croix de Metz Airdrome near

Toul Toul () is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department. Geography Toul is between Commercy and Nancy, and the river Moselle and Canal de la Marne au Rhin. Climate Toul ...

on 23 August and operated in support of the

St. Mihiel offensive The Battle of Saint-Mihiel was a major World War I battle fought from 12–15 September 1918, involving the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) and 110,000 French troops under the command of General John J. Pershing of the United States against ...

. During that offensive, 12–13 September, the unit was equipped with 16 additional Salmsons and flew continuously to support the rapidly advancing 5th Division. Two aircraft, one piloted by Major Lewis Brereton, commander of the I Corps Observation Group and former 12th C.O., were lost, but all four crewmembers survived after landing inside friendly lines. Immediately after the St. Mihiel salient was reduced, the squadron was assigned to support the 90th Division.

=Meuse-Argonne offensive

On 20 September, the 12th was transferred to

Remicourt Aerodrome Remicourt Aerodrome was a temporary World War I airfield in France. It was located West of Remicourt,Two French "escadrilles" were stationed at a "Noirlieu" airfield - 4 km west of Remicourt, in July - September 1918, which might be the same ...

to prepare for the Meuse-Argonne offensive which began on 26 September. During the Argonne operation the 12th Aero Squadron was very much in demand. One morning after many assignments had been made, a call came in for a photographic mission. Five planes were ordered for the flight, but only four observers were available. Eddie Foy, a radio officer, volunteered to serve as an observer for the mission. The planes encountered a large formation of Germans near the target and three were shot down, one carrying Eddie Foy, who had been wounded. It is believed that he had the distinction of being the only non-flyer in the Air Service to be wounded and taken prisoner as a result of aerial combat. In the last few months of the war, the 12th was called in many times to help locate Allied troops that had been cut off from their units. On one such occasion during the Argonne offensive, the 82d Division reported that troops near Verpel, just east of Grand Pre were out of contact with division headquarters. Because of the foul weather and approaching darkness, Captain Steve N. Noyes, squadron commander of the 12th would not send any of his pilots on the mission, going himself instead. Flying in dense fog and rain, Captain Noyes located the troops and landed near the division HQ after dark. The information proved to be exact, and the squadron was highly commended for this as well as many other missions. The 12th completed its World War I operations from Julvecourt Aerodrome, where it moved on 5 November in order to operate closer to the front lines.

Third Army of occupation

After the signing of the Armistice on 11 November 1918, the 12th Aero Squadron became a part of the Army of Occupation. The unit was located at several different places in France and Germany until 30 December, when it went to Fort Alexander (Feste Kaiser Alexander) at Koblenz, Germany, to take part in construction work.Series "P", Volume 1, History of Headquarters, Third Army Air Service. Gorrell's History of the American Expeditionary Forces Air Service, 1917–1919, National Archives, Washington, D.C.

Demobilization

The squadron received orders from Third Army on 16 April 1919 to demobilize. It was ordered to report to the 1st Air Depot at

Colombey-les-Belles Airdrome : ''see also: Organization of the Air Service of the American Expeditionary Force'' When the United States entered World War I on 6 April 1917, the Air Service of the United States Army existed only as a branch of the Signal Corps, and was kno ...

, to turn in all of its supplies and equipment and was relieved from duty with the AEF. The squadron's Salmson aircraft were delivered to the American Air Service Acceptance Park No. 1 at Orly Aerodrome to be returned to the French. There practically all of the pilots and observers were detached from the squadron.Series "O", Volume 22, Weekly Statistical Reports on progress of Air Service Activities, October 1918 – May 1919. Gorrell's History of the American Expeditionary Forces Air Service, 1917–1919, National Archives, Washington, D.C. Personnel at Colombey were subsequently assigned to the Commanding General, Services of Supply and ordered to report to the

Le Mans, France Le Mans (, ) is a city in northwestern France on the Sarthe River where it meets the Huisne. Traditionally the capital of the province of Maine, it is now the capital of the Sarthe department and the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese of Le ...

, staging camp on 5 May 1919. There, personnel awaited scheduling to report to one of the Base Ports in France for transport to the United States and subsequent demobilization.Series "D", Weekly Statistical Reports of Air Service Activities, October 1918 – May 1919. Gorrell's History of the American Expeditionary Forces Air Service, 1917–1919, National Archives, Washington, D.C. Orders were received to report to the port at

Brest, France Brest (; ) is a port city in the Finistère department, Brittany. Located in a sheltered bay not far from the western tip of the peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French m ...

, 20 May. The squadron sailed aboard the USS Liberator on 3 June, arriving at Garden City, New York, on 17 June 1919. There, most members of the squadron were demobilized and returned to civilian life.

Lineage

* Organized as 12th Aero Squadron on 2 June 1917 : Redesignated: 12th Aero Squadron (Corps Observation), 3 May 1918 : Redesignated: 12th Aero Squadron, 17 June 1919 : Redesignated: 12th Squadron (Observation) on 14 March 1921

Assignments

* Post Headquarters, Kelly Field, 2 June 1917 * Post Headquarters, Wilbur Wright Field, 8 July 1917 * Aviation Concentration Center, 5 October 1917 * Replacement Concentration Center, AEF, 1–16 January 1918 * Chief of Air Service, AEF, 16 January 1918 *

, 30 April 1918 * VII Corps Observation Group, 18 November 1918 * Commanding General, Services of Supply, 16 April – 16 June 1919 * Post Headquarters, Mitchell Field, 17 June 1919

Stations

* Kelly Field, Texas, 2 June 1917 *

, Ohio, 8 July 1917 *

Aviation Concentration Center Camp Albert L. Mills (Camp Mills) was a military installation on Long Island, New York. It was located about ten miles from the eastern boundary of New York City on the Hempstead Plains within what is now the village of Garden City. In September ...

, Garden City, New York, 2 November – 3 December 1917 * Port of Entry,

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

:: Overseas transport, SS Northland, 5–25 December 1918 *

, England, 25 December 1917 * St. Maixent Replacement Barracks, France, 1 January 1918 * Chaumont-Hill 402, France, 16 January 1918 * Amanty Airdrome, France, 2 February 1918 *

, France, 3 May 1918 * Flin Aerodrome, France, 13 June 1918 *

, France, 29 June 1918 *

Francheville Aerodrome Francheville Aerodrome was a temporary World War I airfield in France. It was located north of Coulommiers, in the Île-de-France region in north-central France. Overview The airfield was built in June 1918 in some haste as the German armies w ...

, France, c. 6 July 1918 *

, France, 22 July 1918 *

May-en-Multien Aerodrome May-en-Multien Aerodrome, was a temporary World War I airfield in France. It was located 1/2 miles south of the commune of May-en-Multien, in the Île-de-France region in north-central France. Overview The airfield was a temporary facility use ...

, France, 3 August 1918 *

Coincy Aerodrome Coincy Aerodrome was a temporary World War I airfield in France. It was located W of Coincy, in the Aisne department in north-eastern France. Overview The airfield was established by the French "Aéronautique Militaire" in early 1918 and used ...

, France, 10 August 1918 *

, France, 12 August 1918 * Croix de Metz Airdrome, France, 22 August 1918 *

, France, 20 September 1918 * Julvecourt Airdrome, France, 3 November 1918 * Mercy-le-Haut Airdrome, France, 21 November 1918 * Trier Airdrome, Germany, 6 December 1918 * Fort Alexander, Koblenz, Germany, 30 December 1918 *

, France, 16 April 1919 * Le Mans, France, 5 May 1919 *

, 20 May – 2 June 1919 *

Mitchel Field Mitchell may refer to: People *Mitchell (surname) *Mitchell (given name) Places Australia * Mitchell, Australian Capital Territory, a light-industrial estate * Mitchell, New South Wales, a suburb of Bathurst * Mitchell, Northern Territor ...

, New York, 17 June 1919

Combat sectors and campaigns

{, class="wikitable" , - bgcolor="#efefef" ! Streamer !! Sector/Campaign !! Dates !! Notes , - , , Toul Sector , 10 May – 12 June 1918, 22 August – 11 September 1918 , United States War Department (1920), Battle Participation of Organizations of the American Expeditionary Forces in France, Belgium and Italy, 1917–1919, Washington, Government Printing Office, 1920 , - , , Baccarat (Luneville) Sector , 13–28 June 1918 , , - , , Aisne-Marne Sector , 30 June – 14 July 1918 , , - , Streamer CHAMPAGNE-MARNE 1918 ARMY

, Champagne-Marne Defensive Campaign , 15–18 July 1918 , , - , Streamer AISNE-MARNE 1918 ARMY

Aisne-Marne Offensive Campaign The United States campaigns in World War I began after American entry into World War I, American entry in the war in early April 1917. The American Expeditionary Forces, American Expeditionary Force (AEF) served on the Western Front (World War ...

, 18 July – 6 August 1918 , , - , , Vesle Sector , 7–12 August 1918 , , - , Streamer ST

, St. Mihiel Offensive Campaign , 12–16 September 1918 , , - , Streamer MEUSE-ARGONNE 1918 ARMY

, Meuse-Argonne Offensive Campaign , 26 September – 11 November 1918 ,

Notable personnel

Capt. Dogan H. Arthur, DSC (2x), 3 aerial victories
{WIA} * Lt. Samuel A. Bowman, DSC * Lt. Clinton S. Breese, DSC, SSC * Maj. Lewis H. Brereton, DSC * Lt. Robert L. Davidson, SSC (2x)
Lt. Howard T. Fleeson, DSC (2x), 3 aerial victories
* Lt. Justin P. Follette, DSC * Lt. Clifford E. Gregory, SSC * Lt. Benjamin P. Harwood, DSC * Capt. Elmer R. Haslett, DSC * Lt. Kenneth H. Holden, DSC, SSC * Lt. Leslie J. McClurg, SSC (2x) * Capt. Stephen H. Noyes, DSC
Lt. Edward Orr, DSC, (KIA)
* Lt. Frank Over Jr., SSC * Lt. Maurice C. Owen, SSC * Lt. Robert C. Paradise, DSC, SSC
Capt. William H. Saunders, DSC, SSC, (KIFA)
* Lt. Eugene E. Stuck, SSC * Lt. Cassius H. Styles, SSC * Lt. Sigourney Thayer, SSC * Lt. William C. Thomas, SSC * Lt. Stephen W. Thompson, 3 aerial Victories, Croix de Guerre with palm (WIA) * Lt. Burdette S. Wright, DSC, SSC DSC:

Distinguished Service Cross The Distinguished Service Cross (D.S.C.) is a military decoration for courage. Different versions exist for different countries. *Distinguished Service Cross (Australia) The Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) is a military decoration awarded to ...

; SSC:

Silver Star Citation The Citation Star was a Department of War personal valor decoration issued as a ribbon device which was first established by the United States Congress on July 9, 1918 (Bulletin No. 43, War Dept. 1918). When awarded, a silver star was placed o ...

; KIA: Killed in ActionMilitary Times Hall of Valor Search, 12th Aero Squadron
/ref> KIFA: illed in Flying Accident

References

{{Reflist Squadrons of the United States Army Air Service

012 012 may refer to: * Tyrrell 012, a Formula One racing car * The dialing code for Pretoria Pretoria () is South Africa's administrative capital, serving as the seat of the executive branch of government, and as the host to all foreign embassie ...