The 28th 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 Western Front or West Front may refer to: Military frontiers *Western Front (World War I), a military frontier to the west of Germany *Western Front (World War II), a military frontier to the west of Germany *Western Front (Russian Empire), a majo ...

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 Day Pursuit (Fighter) Squadron as part of the

3d Pursuit Group The 3rd Pursuit Group was a United States Army Air Service unit that fought on the Western Front during World War I as part of the First United States Army. Formed in France in July 1918, the group was assigned to the 1st Pursuit Wing and saw ac ...

First United States 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 ...

. Its mission was to engage and clear enemy aircraft from the skies and provide escort to reconnaissance and bombardment squadrons over enemy territory. It also attacked enemy observation balloons, and perform close air support and tactical bombing attacks of enemy forces along the front lines.Maurer, Maurer (1978), The US Air Service in World War I, The Office of Air Force History, Headquarters USAF Washington
/ref> 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 returned to the United States in June 1919 and was demobilized.Series "E", Volume 7, History of the 28th-43d Aero Squadrons. Gorrell's History of the American Expeditionary Forces Air Service, 1917–1919, National Archives, Washington, D.C.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, 1949 (1988 Reprint) The current

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air 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 of the United States Army Signal ...

unit which holds its lineage and history is the

28th Bomb Squadron The 28th Bomb Squadron is a squadron of the United States Air Force. It is assigned to the 7th Operations Group, Global Strike Command, stationed at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas. The squadron is equipped with the Rockwell B-1B Lancer. The 28th i ...

, assigned to the

7th Operations Group The 7th Operations Group is the operational flying component of the United States Air Force 7th Bomb Wing, stationed at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas. The 7th Operations Group currently flies the B-1 Lancer. The 7th Operations Group is a direct s ...

Dyess Air Force Base Dyess Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force (USAF) base located about southwest of downtown Abilene, Texas, and west of Fort Worth, Texas. The host unit at Dyess is the 7th Bomb Wing assigned to the Global Strike Command Ei ...

, Texas.AFHRA 28th Bomb Squadron lineage and history

History

Origins

The squadron was first assembled at

Kelly Field Kelly Field (formerly Kelly Air Force Base) is a Joint-Use facility located in San Antonio, Texas. It was originally named after George E. M. Kelly, the first member of the U.S. military killed in the crash of an airplane he was piloting. In ...

, San Antonio, Texas, on 10 February 1917. At the time, there were about 20 men assigned to the unit. The first few months were spent on learning the rudiments of soldiering, and it was not until 22 June that the squadron received its official designation. Orders were received that the squadron would be attached to the British

Royal Flying Corps "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colors = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , decorations ...

for training, and the 22d was assigned to their flying school in

Toronto, Ontario Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

, Canada. The squadron left Kelly Field on 22 August 1917, arriving at the recruiting depot at

Leaside Leaside (/'liːˌsaɪd/) is a neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located northeast of Downtown Toronto, in the vicinity of Eglinton Avenue East and Bayview Avenue. The area takes its name from William Lea and the Lea family, who se ...

, Toronto on the evening of the 25th. After a few days of rest to become accustomed to the new surroundings, the squadron was split up by the RFC to be placed at the different schools for instruction. Squadron Headquarters was assigned to the school at

Deseronto Deseronto is a town in the Canadian province of Ontario, in Hastings County, located at the mouth of the Napanee River on the shore of the Bay of Quinte, on the northern side of Lake Ontario. The town was named for Captain John Deseronto, a nativ ...

, for training under the 43d Wing, RFC. Another detachment proceeded to

Camp Borden Canadian Forces Base Borden (also CFB Borden, French: Base des Forces canadiennes Borden or BFC Borden), formerly RCAF Station Borden, is a large Canadian Forces base located in Ontario. The historic birthplace of the Royal Canadian Air Force, C ...

, Ontario under the 42d Wing, RFC. The remainder of the squadron were placed in different schools and on the flying fields in the vicinity of Toronto. In Canada, the squadron was trained in aircraft construction, overhaul, upkeep, motor transport work, aerial gunnery and other skills. At the end of October, the squadron was re-assembled at Leaside. New orders were received and the 28th was transferred to Everman Field (#1),

Camp Taliaferro Camp Taliaferro was a World War I flight-training center run under the direction of the Air Service, United States Army in the Fort Worth, Texas, area. Camp Taliaferro had an administration center near what is now the Will Rogers Memorial Cent ...

, near

Fort Worth Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Texas and the 13th-largest city in the United States. It is the county seat of Tarrant County, covering nearly into four other counties: Denton, Johnson, Parker, and Wise. According ...

, Texas, for additional RFC training. At Everman Field, those men selected as pilots were taught to fly the

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 ...

"Jenny" trainer. Late in December, flying training practically ceased on account of cold weather and rumors abounded about being sent overseas. Upon completion of the flying training, the cadets were commissioned as officers and assigned to the squadron as

First Lieutenant First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment. The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a s ...

s. On 21 January 1918 the squadron was ordered to proceed to Garden City, Long Island, New York for overseas deployment. The 22d arrived on the 26th. Due to an epidemic of fever, the squadron was immediately quarantined, although the men was allowed to spend time in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

as passes were plentiful. Finally on 25 February, the squadron was embarked on the troop transport HMS 527, better known as the

White Star Line The White Star Line was a British shipping company. Founded out of the remains of a defunct packet company, it gradually rose up to become one of the most prominent shipping lines in the world, providing passenger and cargo services between t ...

r RMS ''Olympic'' at New York Harbor, Pier 54. The trans-Atlantic trip was uneventful until the second day out of Liverpool, England when the ship was picked up by four US Navy destroyers. That afternoon, all on board were suddenly alarmed by a heavy explosion, followed by several smaller detonations which shook the big ship from bow to stern. A German

U-boat U-boats were naval submarines operated by Germany, particularly in the First and Second World Wars. Although at times they were efficient fleet weapons against enemy naval warships, they were most effectively used in an economic warfare role ...

was being attacked by the destroyers, with one of them passing directly over the destroyer, dropping depth charges in the attack. The trip to England ended the next day about noon, however the 22d did not disembark the ship until the following morning, 6 March 1918. After disembarking, the squadron was marched from the docks to the Liverpool railway station where it boarded a

London and North Western Railway The London and North Western Railway (LNWR, L&NWR) was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. In the late 19th century, the L&NWR was the largest joint stock company in the United Kingdom. In 1923, it became a constituent of the Lo ...

train which took them to

Winchester Winchester is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city in Hampshire, England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government Districts of England, district, at the western end of the South Downs Nation ...

Hampshire Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants) is a ceremonial county, ceremonial and non-metropolitan county, non-metropolitan counties of England, county in western South East England on the coast of the English Channel. Home to two major English citi ...

, near the south coast of England. Arriving in the late afternoon the squadron was moved to the Romsey Rest Camp. At

Romsey Romsey ( ) is a historic market town in the county of Hampshire, England. Romsey was home to the 17th-century philosopher and economist William Petty and the 19th-century British prime minister, Lord Palmerston, whose statue has stood in the t ...

, the squadron was split up into four flights and the pilots were ordered transferred to Royal Air Force Airdromes in England for combat flying training. On 17 March the non-flying personnel were moved to the

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 ...

docks and embarked on the Channel boat "Archimdos", leaving about 18:30. Overnight was spent on the boat and daybreak found the ship in the harbor of

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 cl ...

, Upper Normandy, France. The men disembarked about 16:30 and were moved to a rest camp on the hills above the city.

Training in France

At the rest camp, orders were received for "C" Flight to proceed to

Villers-Bretonneux Villers-Bretonneux () is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. Geography Villers-Bretonneux is situated some 19 km due east of Amiens, on the D1029 road and the A29 motorway. Villers-Bretonneux border ...

, Picardy, to be attached to

No. 25 Squadron RAF Number 25 (Fighter) Squadron (alternatively Number XXV (F) Squadron) is squadron of the Royal Air Force, having reformed on 8 September 2018. During the First World War, No. 25 Squadron operated as a fighter-reconnaissance unit and later as a ...

. 25 Sqn was equipped with

Airco DH-4 The Aircraft Manufacturing Company Limited (Airco) was an early British aircraft manufacturer. Established during 1912, it grew rapidly during the First World War, referring to itself as the largest aircraft company in the world by 1918. Air ...

s and doing day bombing. The flight entrained at once and arrived at the Airdrome on the 20th. The remainder of the squadron entrained on the morning of 19 March for

Hazebrouck Hazebrouck (, nl, Hazebroek, , vls, Oazebroeke) is a commune in the Nord department, Hauts-de-France. It was a small market town in Flanders until it became an important railway junction in the 1860s. West Flemish was the usual language until 1 ...

, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, arriving there on the 20th. Here the Flights were met and told to get out of the town rapidly as possible as the Germans were shelling the town with 15-inch shells once a minute. Headquarters and "A" Flight went to join No. 57 Squadron RFC at Sainte-Marie-Cappel, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, "B" Flight went to join No. 18 Squadron RFC at the Treizennes Aerodrome, south of Aire sur la Lys, and "C" Flight further east at the Villers-Bretonneux aerodrome with No. 25 Squadron RFC. The officers and men were growing accustomed to the work and surroundings when the German 1918 Spring Offensive began on 21 March. This necessitated movements and a great deal of work as all Flights were attached to bombing units and three or four raids were being carried out daily. On the late afternoon of 25, 25 March Sqn, to which Flight "C" was attached, was hurriedly moved back as the Germans were driving on

Amiens Amiens (English: or ; ; pcd, Anmien, or ) is a city and commune in northern France, located north of Paris and south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme department in the region of Hauts-de-France. In 2021, the population of ...

. On 1 April, Headquarters and "A" Flight were detached from 57 Squadron and attached to

No. 20 Squadron RAF ("Deeds not Words") , colors = , colors_label = , march = , mascot = , battles = , anniversaries = , decora ...

, equipped with the

Bristol F.2 Fighter The Bristol F.2 Fighter is a British First World War two-seat biplane fighter and reconnaissance aircraft developed by Frank Barnwell at the Bristol Aeroplane Company. It is often simply called the Bristol Fighter, ''"Brisfit"'' or ''"Biff"'' ...

. On 7 April "B" Flight was reassigned to

No. 40 Squadron RAF No. 40 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was formed in 1916 at Gosport as No. 40 Squadron Royal Flying Corps and was disbanded for the last time in 1957. The squadron also included many non-British members, including volunteers from the Royal Austra ...

. During this time the Germans had started their drive for the French

Channel Channel, channels, channeling, etc., may refer to: Geography * Channel (geography), in physical geography, a landform consisting of the outline (banks) of the path of a narrow body of water. Australia * Channel Country, region of outback Austral ...

ports in the region south of

Ypres Ypres ( , ; nl, Ieper ; vls, Yper; german: Ypern ) is a Belgian city and municipality in the province of West Flanders. Though the Dutch name is the official one, the city's French name is most commonly used in English. The municipality co ...

. Enemy artillery was shelling the Airdrome at Treizennes, forcing 18 Squadron, 40 Squadron and "B" Flight to move to safer quarters on 8 April on Bruay aerodrome (?). By 12 April, the Germans were in light artillery range of Sainte-Marie-Cappel. There Headquarters Flight was moved out and attached to

No. 206 Squadron RAF No. 206 Squadron is a Test and Evaluation Squadron of the Royal Air Force. Until 2005 it was employed in the maritime patrol role with the Nimrod MR.2 at RAF Kinloss, Moray. It was announced in December 2004 that 206 Squadron would disband on ...

, equipped with

Airco DH.9 The Airco DH.9 (from de Havilland 9) – also known after 1920 as the de Havilland DH.9 – was a British single-engined biplane bomber developed and deployed during the First World War. The DH.9 was a development of Airco's earlier successful ...

day bombers on Boisdinghem aerodrome. "A" Flight was re-attached to

No. 98 Squadron RAF No. 98 Squadron was a Royal Air Force bomber squadron during World War I and World War II. It flew fighter-bombers post-war, and converted to fighters in 1955. Reformed as a ballistic missile unit between 1959 and 1963, its final incarnation wa ...

, also equipped with DH.9s at Alquines. On 15 April, Headquarters Flight also was assigned to 98 Sqn. On 25 May 98 Squadron and "A" Flight were moved to the Coudekerque aerodrome, in the outskirts of

Dunkirk Dunkirk (french: Dunkerque ; vls, label=French Flemish, Duunkerke; nl, Duinkerke(n) ; , ;) is a commune in the department of Nord in northern France.Ruisseauville Ruisseauville () is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of France. Geography Ruisseauville lies 15 miles (24 km) east of Montreuil-sur-Mer, just to the south of Fruges, on the D928 road. History It was li ...

where 98 Sqn joined with 25 Sqn and "C" Flight. By the end of June, rumors were persistent that the 28th Squadron would be re-assembled and work at a unit. These rumors turned out to be true and on the 24th the squadron was re-assembled at Wizernes aerodrome, near St. Omer, and then proceeded by train to the 3rd Aviation Instruction Center, on

Issoudun Aerodrome Issoudun Aerodrome was a complex of military airfields in the vicinity of Issoudun, Centre, France. They were used during World War I as part of the Third Air Instructional Center, American Expeditionary Forces for training United States airmen ...

, arriving on the 28th. Here, the men were placed in training for major aircraft repair, and were hard at work learning new skills. On 7 July, the squadron was moved to

Orly Orly () is a commune in the southern suburbs of Paris, Île-de-France. It is located from the center of Paris. The name of Orly came from Latin ''Aureliacum'', "the villa of Aurelius". Orly Airport partially lies on the territory of the comm ...

, Paris for additional training. Also at Orly, the Air Echelon, which had been training with the RAF was reassigned to the squadron. On 14 July, the squadron entrained at Paris for

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 h ...

to return to the front.

Combat operations

The 28th Aero Squadron arrived at Croix de Metz Aerodrome, Toul, on 15 July and was assigned to the

, First Army, being moved to

Vaucouleurs Aerodrome 'VaucouleursAerodrome, was a temporary World War I airfield in France. It was located West-Northwest of Vaucouleurs, in the Meuse department of France, located approximately from Paris. Overview The airfield was built during the spring of 19 ...

in Lorraine. At Vaucouleurs, the squadron was equipped initially with

SPAD S.VII The SPAD S.VII was the first of a series of highly successful biplane fighter aircraft produced by ''Société Pour L'Aviation et ses Dérivés'' (SPAD) during the First World War. Like its successors, the S.VII was renowned as a sturdy and rug ...

pursuit aircraft, which were later replaced by

SPAD S.XIII The SPAD S.XIII is a French biplane fighter aircraft of the First World War, developed by ''Société Pour L'Aviation et ses Dérivés'' (SPAD) from the earlier and highly successful SPAD S.VII. During early 1917, the French designer Louis Béc ...

s. Training flights were carried out performing line patrols and staying in friendly territory. By 1 September, everything was in readiness; the following day the squadron would begin active combat operations. The squadron's first combat patrol, from 10:00 to 11:55 on 2 September was at an altitude of . Three planes patrolled the Toul Sector in the region of Saint-Mihiel and Pent-a-Heussen. Between 15:35 and 17:45 planes again patrolled the same region and reported a significant amount of anti-aircraft fire, but inaccurate. For the next week, the squadron continued patrolling over the sector, but did not engage in any offensive operations until the 12th when the squadron equipped with bombs crossed the line into enemy territory as part 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 Army in World War I, French troops under the command of General (United States), Ge ...

and flying at an altitude of about 50 meters attacked troops and transport vehicles. A horse-drawn convoy was also spotted and attacked. The patrol returned to Vaucouleurs without losses. Additional bombing and strafing attacks with machine guns on roads and troop encampments were made for the next two days as part of the Offensive, and on 15 September a special mission came through for one plane to take off at 10:45. This mission was to attack an enemy observation balloon north-east of Chambley however the pilot did not find a balloon in the area and returned safely. Later that same day, a second special patrol was ordered for the protection of two

135th Aero Squadron The 135th Aero Squadron was a United States Army Air Service 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 IV Corp ...

Airco DH.4 The Aircraft Manufacturing Company Limited (Airco) was an early British aircraft manufacturer. Established during 1912, it grew rapidly during the First World War, referring to itself as the largest aircraft company in the world by 1918. Air ...

day bombers. The escort mission followed a route from Thiacourt, then to the northwest. It was accomplished successfully with no losses. 28th Aero Squadron - NCOs 1918

On 20 September, the squadron was moved to

Lisle-en-Barrois Lisle-en-Barrois (, literally ''Lisle in Barrois'') is a commune in the Meuse department in Grand Est in north-eastern France. See also *Communes of the Meuse department The following is a list of the 499 communes of the Meuse department of Fr ...

aerodrome, about 30 miles to the north-west of Vaucouleurs to move closer to the front after the advance from St. Mihiel. Following several non-flying days due to rain, defense patrols along the line in this sector continued until 26 September when eight aircraft flew a reconnaissance mission deep behind German lines to the area around Hernoment in which a long train was spotted heading south. A large number of trucks were also seen and reported back upon return. Another patrol by the squadron to escort seven DH.4s on a bombing mission. Seven German Fokkers were intercepted, however no aircraft were shot down by either side. With the Meuse-Argonne offensive starting on 26 September, more bomber escort missions were undertaken though the end of the month. Combat missions were undertaken throughout October supporting the offensive with bombing and escort missions over enemy territory in support of First Army. On 6 November orders were received to move the squadron to a new Airdrome at Foucaucourt, with the squadron being reassigned to the

2d Pursuit Group The 2nd Pursuit Group was an Air Service, United States Army 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 on 10 April 1919. There is no modern United ...

. From there bombing escort missions and raids against enemy forces in their territory north of

Verdun Verdun (, , , ; official name before 1970 ''Verdun-sur-Meuse'') is a large city in the Meuse department in Grand Est, northeastern France. It is an arrondissement of the department. Verdun is the biggest city in Meuse, although the capital ...

as the ground forces advance to the north continued. The last patrols of the war were carried out on the morning of 10 November when bombing raids was ordered to attack any of these following points: Merge, Meulin, Billy, Seus Magines, St. Laurent, Marville, Quiny, Lamsuilly, Reute, Feucaucourt, Verdun Etain, Maranville, and Feuancourt. The 28th carried out escort missions for the bombers and also machine-gunned enemy troops and vehicles when located. Upon the return of the aircraft that afternoon a great joy spread over the entire field and everyone was out to greet the good news about the pending

armistice An armistice is a formal agreement of warring parties to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, as it may constitute only a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace. It is derived from the La ...

. The pilots and staff of the squadron celebrated by gathering in the mess hall and "had a jovial time". A patrol was scheduled for the early morning of 11 November, however it was cancelled due to rain. As 11:00, it was announced by the Squadron Commander that flying over enemy territory would cease from that moment on, as the armistice had been signed and the war was over.

Demobilization

After the signing of the Armistice on 11 November 1918, the 28th Aero Squadron awaited demobilization. On 16 April 1919 orders were received from HQ AEF that the Second Army Air Service was being demobilized and for the squadron to report to the 1st Air Depot,

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 SPAD aircraft were delivered to the Air Service 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 "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. Personnel at Colombey were subsequently assigned to the commanding general, services of supply, and ordered to report to a staging camp at Le Mans, France. There, personnel awaited scheduling to report to one of the Base Ports in France for transport to the United States. Sailing from Brest aboard the USS ''Liberator'' on 3 June, the 12th arrived at Garden City, New York, on 17 June 1919Series "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. The squadron was demobilized on 16 June 1919.

Lineage

* Organized as 28th Aero Squadron on 22 June 1917 : Re-designated: 28th Aero Squadron (Pursuit), 15 July 1918 : Demobilized on 16 June 1919

Commanding officers

* Captain J. R. Alfonte * Major P. Frissell: 14 July 1917 * Major C. A. Brown * Captain C. Maury Jones

Assignments

* Post Headquarters, Kelly Field, 22 June 1917 *

Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps The Aviation Section, Signal Corps, was the aerial warfare service of the United States from 1914 to 1918, and a direct statutory ancestor of the United States Air Force. It absorbed and replaced the Aeronautical Division, Signal Corps, and co ...

, 22 August 1917 : Attached to the

Royal Flying Corps "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colors = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , decorations ...

for training entire period * Aviation Concentration Center, 26 January – 5 March 1918 * Air Service Headquarters, AEF, British Isles, : Attached to:

Royal Flying Corps "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colors = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , decorations ...

for training, 19 March – 24 June 1918 * 3d Air Instructional Center, 24 June 1918 * Air Service Acceptance Park No. 1, 8 July 1918 *

, 15 July 1918 *

, 6 November 1918 (to be confirmed). * Second Army Air Service, 11 December 1918 * 1st Air Depot, AEF, 15 April – 4 May 1919 * Commanding General, Services of Supply, 2 May – 1 June 1919 * Post Headquarters, Hazelhurst Field, 15–17 June 1919

Stations

, Texas, 22 June 1917 *

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

, Ontario, Canada, 22 August 1917 : Detachment at:

, Ontario : Detachment at:

, Ontario * Everman Field (#2),

, Texas, 28 October – 21 January 1918 *

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 1 ...

, Garden City, New York, 26 January 1918 * Port of Entry,

Hoboken, New Jersey Hoboken ( ; Unami: ') is a city in Hudson County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the city's population was 60,417. The Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program calculated that the city's population was 58,690 i ...

:: Trans-Atlantic crossing: RMS ''Olympic'' (HMS 527) * Liverpool, England, 5 March 1918 * Romsey RC, Winchester, England, 6 March 1918 :: Air Echelon attached to RAF for continued combat flight training * Le Havre, France, 19 March 1918 * Hazebrouck Airdrome, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, 20 March 1918 :: Ground Echelon separated into Flights for support training with RAF Headquarters and "A" Flight * Attached to:

No. 57 Squadron RAF Number 57 Squadron, also known as No. LVII Squadron, is a Royal Air Force flying training squadron, operating the Grob Prefect T1 from RAF Cranwell, Lincolnshire. History First World War No. 57 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps was formed fr ...

: Sainte-Marie-Cappel Aerodrome, 21 March – 1 April 1918 * Attached to:

No. 20 Squadron RAF ("Deeds not Words") , colors = , colors_label = , march = , mascot = , battles = , anniversaries = , decora ...

: Sainte-Marie-Cappel Aerodrome, 1–12 April 1918 * HQ Flight attached to:

: Boisdinghem Aerodrome 12–15 April 1918. * Attached to:

: Alquines Aerodrome, 12 April – 25 May 1918 : Coudekerque Aerodrome 25 May – 6 June 1918 : Ruisseauville Aerodrome 6–24 June 1918 "B" Flight * Attached to:

No. 18 Squadron RAF No. 18 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Boeing Chinook (UK variants), Boeing Chinook from RAF Odiham. Owing to its heritage as a bomber squadron, it is also known as No. 18 (B) Squadron. History First World War The squadron was fo ...

: Treizennes Aerodrome, 21 March – 7 April 1918 * Attached to:

: Bruay Aerodrome 7 April – 23 June 1918 "C" Flight * Attached to:

: Villers-Bretonneux Airdrome, 20–25 March 1918 : Hazebrouck Aerodrome, 25 March – 8 April 1918 : Ruisseauville Aerodrome, 8 April – 23 June 1918 * Saint-Omer Aerodrome, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, 24–27 June 1918 *

, Centre, 24–27 June 1918 *

Orly Airport Paris Orly Airport (french: Aéroport de Paris-Orly), commonly referred to as Orly , is one of two international airports serving the French capital, Paris, the other one being Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG). It is located partially in Orly an ...

, Paris, 8 July 1918 * Croix de Metz Aerodrome, Toul, 15 July 1918 *

, Lorraine, 16 July 1918 *

Lisle-en-Barrois Aerodrome Lisle-en-Barrois Aerodrome was a temporary World War I airfield in France. It was located on the plateau north of the commune of Lisle-en-Barrois, in the Meuse department in north-eastern France. Overview In 1915, the French escadrille MS 37 staye ...

, Lorraine, 20 September 1918 *

Foucaucourt Aerodrome :''Please note there was another temporary WWI aerodrome called Foucaucourt at Foucaucourt-en-Santerre in the Somme department, used by the Germans, then by the RAF at the very end of the war'' Foucaucourt Aerodrome was a temporary World War I ai ...

, Lorraine, 6 November 1918 * Grand Airdrome, 15 February 1919 *

, 15 April 1919 * Le Mans, Airdrome, 4–19 May 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 Territory ...

, New York, 31 May – 16 June 1919.

Combat sectors and campaigns

Notable personnel

* Captain

Thomas Cassady Captain Thomas Gantz Cassady (1896-1972) was an American fighter pilot who served in two World Wars, and was successful in business during peacetime. World War I Cassady graduated from Chicago University and went to France in the Ambulance Corps d ...

, DSC (2x), POW, air ace, Nine confirmed victories (four while with squadron) * Captain

Martinus Stenseth Brigadier General Martinus Stenseth began his career in the Minnesota National Guard in June 1916, before the United States entered World War I. He remained in the military as a professional soldier, rising to the rank of brigadier general. World ...

, DSC, SSC, air ace, Seven confirmed aerial victories 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) *Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom) *Distinguished Service Cross (U ...

; 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 ...

; POW:

Prisoner of War A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of wa ...

References

{{Wwi-air 028 Squadrons of the United States Army Air Service in World War I Military units and formations established in 1917 Military units and formations disestablished in 1919