The I Corps Observation Group 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 ...

as part of the Air Service,

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 ...

. It was demobilized in France 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 ...

on 15 April 1919. There is no modern

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 ...

Air National Guard The Air National Guard (ANG), also known as the Air Guard, is a federal military reserve force of the United States Air Force, as well as the air militia of each U.S. state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the ter ...

unit that shares its lineage and history.

Mission

The mission of the group was primarily to keep the friendly command informed of the general situation within the enemy lines by means of visual and photographic reconnaissances. It was called upon to effect, whenever necessary, the adjustment of U.S. Army artillery fire. In addition, it was expected that the group would serve to complete the schooling of pilots and observers and render them more competent to undertake intensive operations elsewhere on a larger and more complete scale.

History

Organized in April 1918 as 1st Corps Observation Group. The assigned

1st Aero Squadron First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1). First or 1st may also refer to: *World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement Arts and media Music * 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and reco ...

was the first American air unit to ever see action in France, being the same unit which served under General

John J. Pershing General of the Armies John Joseph Pershing (September 13, 1860 – July 15, 1948), nicknamed "Black Jack", was a senior United States Army officer. He served most famously as the commander of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) on the Wes ...

as part of the

Pancho Villa Expedition The Pancho Villa Expedition—now known officially in the United States as the Mexican Expedition, but originally referred to as the "Punitive Expedition, U.S. Army"—was a military operation conducted by the United States Army against the p ...

while chasing

Pancho Villa Francisco "Pancho" Villa (,"Villa"
''Collins English Dictionary''. ; ;

into

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

in 1916. Assigned to the

I Corps I Corps, 1st Corps, or First Corps may refer to: France * 1st Army Corps (France) * I Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * I Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French A ...

. Commenced active operations over the front occupied by the 26th Division, United States Army, between Flirey and Apremont on that portion of the front known as the Toul sector. The pilots of these squadrons, with one or two exceptions, had never before flown in combat. The group and squadron commanders were in every case men of long experience in training work but had never flown to an appreciable extent under war conditions. The mission of the group was primarily to keep the friendly command informed of the general situation within the enemy lines by means of visual and photographic reconnaissances. It was called upon to effect, whenever necessary, the adjustment of our own artillery fire. In addition, it expected that the group would serve to complete the schooling of pilots and observers and render them more competent to undertake intensive operations elsewhere on a larger and more complete scale.

Lineage

* Organized in France as: I Corps Observation Group, 21 April 1918 : Demobilized in France on 15 April 1919

Assignments

* Headquarters Air Service, I Corps, First Army, 21 April 1918 – 15 April 1919

Components

(Corps Observation), 4 April– 18 November 1918 *

12th Aero Squadron The 12th 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 I Corps, ...

(Corps Observation), 30 April 1918 – 18 November 1918 *

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 ...

(Corps Observation), 28 May 1918 - 25 July 1918 *

50th Aero Squadron 5 (five) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number, and cardinal number, following 4 and preceding 6, and is a prime number. It has attained significance throughout history in part because typical humans have five digits on eac ...

(Corps Observation), 8 September 1918 – 1 April 1919 * Photographic Section No. 1, Apr–Nov 1918 * Escadrille BR 211,

Aéronautique Militaire The French Air and Space Force (AAE) (french: Armée de l'air et de l'espace, ) is the air and space force of the French Armed Forces. It was the first military aviation force in history, formed in 1909 as the , a service arm of the French Arm ...

(Attached), June-Nov 1918The N 211 arrives in the area at the beginning of June

Stations

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 an ...

, France, 21 April 1918 *

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 towards ...

, 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 ...

, 6 July 1918 *

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 ...

(near La Ferté-sous-Jouarre) France, 30 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, 5 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 *

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 department in the Île-de-France region near Paris. Overview The airfield was a temporary facility built du ...

, France, 12 August 1918 * Croix de Metz Aerodrome (Toul), France, 22 August 1918 *

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 ...

, France, 20 September 1918 * Julvecourt Aerodrome, France, 5 November 1918 – 15 April 1919

Notes

References

* Series "D", Volume 2, List of Air Service Units Assigned to Tactical Operations and Table Showing Change of Stations for Air Service Units assigned to Armies before 11 November 1918. Gorrell's History of the American Expeditionary Forces Air Service, 1917–1919, National Archives, Washington, D.C.
usaworldwar1.com – 1st Observation Group

The American Army in the World War, A Divisional Record Of The American Expeditionary Forces in Europe, G Waldo Browne, Rosencrans W. Pillsbury, 1921, Overseas Book Co, Manchester, New Hampshire.
{{Wwi-air Groups of the Air Service, United States Army Reconnaissance units and formations of the United States Army 0001 Military units and formations established in 1918 Military units and formations disestablished in 1919