Parois Airdrome, was a temporary
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 ...
airfield in France. It was located near the
commune
A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to:
Administrative-territorial entities
* Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township
** Communes of ...
of
Aubréville, in the
Lorraine
Lorraine , also , , ; Lorrain: ''Louréne''; Lorraine Franconian: ''Lottringe''; german: Lothringen ; lb, Loutrengen; nl, Lotharingen is a cultural and historical region in Northeastern France, now located in the administrative region of Gra ...
region
In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics ( physical geography), human impact characteristics ( human geography), and the interaction of humanity an ...
in northeastern
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
.
Overview
The airfield was built during the early fall of 1918 as a forward operations base, and was used during the last days of the war by the United States
First Army Air Service
The First Army Air Service 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. The First Army Air Service was the largest and most diverse Air Se ...
V Corps Observation Group
The V Corps Observation 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 15 February 1919. There is no mod ...
during the
Meuse-Argonne Offensive. Two squadrons of aircraft operated from the field, primarily taking aerial photography, performing battlefield adjustments and making artillery adjustments. It likely consisted of a few tents and perhaps some canvas and steel-tubing hangars. After the 11 November Armistice, the Group was reassigned to the
Rhineland
The Rhineland (german: Rheinland; french: Rhénanie; nl, Rijnland; ksh, Rhingland; Latinised name: ''Rhenania'') is a loosely defined area of Western Germany along the Rhine, chiefly its middle section.
Term
Historically, the Rhinelands ...
as part of the Third Army of Occupation and Parois Airdrome was turned over to the French Government.
Almost at the same time, two French "escadrilles", BR 214 and SPA 215, were stationed at Parois, flying missions for US First Army (they were actually French Second Army Air Service, which Army was fighting under American command). They moved away on 25 November 1918.
Subsequently, the airfield was returned to agricultural use. Its exact location in the Parois area is undetermined.
Known units assigned
*
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 ...
(Observation with I Corps Obs. Group) 28 November - 6 December 1918
[some sources say "Clermont en Argonne", the largest town near Parois, about which no other airfield used by the US Air Service is known]
* Headquarters,
V Corps Observation Group
The V Corps Observation 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 15 February 1919. There is no mod ...
, 4–11 November 1918
*
99th Aero Squadron
The 99th 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 V Corps ...
(Observation) 4–31 November 1918
*
104th Aero Squadron
The 104th 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 V Corp ...
(Observation) 4–30 November 1918
See also
*
References
* Series "D", Volume 2, Squadron histories,. Gorrell's History of the American Expeditionary Forces Air Service, 1917–1919, National Archives, Washington, D.C.
External links
{{authority control
World War I sites of the United States
World War I airfields in France