103d Aero Squadron

The 103rd Aero Squadron was an aviation pursuit squadron of the U.S. Air Service that served in combat in France during World War I. Its original complement included pilots from the disbanded Lafayette Escadrille and Lafayette Flying Corps. One of those pilots, Paul F. Baer, became the first ace of an American unit in World War I.See note below. Baer's fifth victory, as recognized by the Air Force Historical Research Agency, occurred 23 April, more than a month before the fifth of Douglas Campbell. Campbell at that date still had only a single victory.

The 103rd Aero Squadron was the first U.S. pursuit squadron in action during World War I and had the longest combat service, from 19 February to 11 November 1918. It earned six battle participation credits, flew 470 combat missions, engaged in 327 combats, destroyed 45 German aircraft in aerial combat and claimed an additional 40 as probably destroyed, shot down two balloons, flew 3,075 hours over the front lines, and dropped 4,620 pounds of bombs. Its casualties were five killed in action, two killed in flying accidents, four prisoners of war, three wounded in action, and one injured in a forced landing.

The commander of the 1st Pursuit Wing, in general orders, said of the 103rd:

"In February last the Lafayette Escadrille of the French Army was transferred to the 103rd Aero Squadron, United States Army. It was the first, and for nearly two months it was the only American Air Service organization on the front. Since that time it is not too much to say that pilots who served in this squadron have formed the backbone of American Pursuit Aviation on the front...No task was too arduous or too hazardous for it to perform successfully. In the recent decisive operations of the First American Army the 103rd Aero Squadron has done its share." – Lt. Col. Burt M. Atkinson, 16 November 1918

The history and lineage of the 103rd Aero Squadron continues as part of the 94th Fighter Squadron of the United States Air Force.

History

The 103rd Aero Squadron was organized on 31 August 1917 at Kelly Field, Texas, where its enlisted members, drawn from other units, trained until being moved to Garden City, New York for preparation for overseas movement. On 23 November 1917 the unit sailed on board the RMS ''Baltic'' from its port of embarkation at New York City. The ''Baltic'' joined a convoy at Halifax, Nova Scotia and arrived at Liverpool on 7 December 1917. Because of a measles outbreak, it was quarantined at Winnall Down Camp outside Winchester until 23 December 1917, when it proceeded to France through Southampton and Le Havre. The squadron arrived at Issoudun on 28 December 1917, where it spent the month of January constructing hangars for the instructional school being built there. On 1 February it resumed training for combat at the front.

On 11 February 1918 Major William Thaw, formerly with the Lafayette Escadrille, took command of the 103rd Squadron at the Ferme de La Noblette, near La Cheppe, followed on 18 February by the assignment of 17 former pilots of the Lafayette Escadrille and Lafayette Flying Corps.; later in 1918 the AEF standardized the Table of Organization and Equipment for pursuit squadrons at 18 pilots and 25 aircraft Combat operations began almost immediately in early March, using Spad VII fighters, and flying with the newly formed ''Groupe de Combat 21'' (21st Pursuit Group) of the ''Aéronautique Militaire'' in support of the French 4th Army, and the squadron recorded its first aerial victory on 11 March.

At La Noblette, the squadron was relieved by another French Escadrille and moved west on 10 April to the Reims area, in support of the French 6th Army, then north to the coast of the North Sea at Leffrinckoucke on 2 May, to support the French Detachment of Army of the North until 29 June. While at Leffrinckoucke its airdrome was subjected to frequent air attacks, and it received a citation 22 October 1918 from the commander in chief of the French Armies of the North and Northeast for its "brilliance" in operations in the face of adversity.

The display of its distinctive "Indian Head" insignia from the Lafayette Escadrille was authorized by the Chief of Air Service AEF, Brig. Gen. Benjamin Foulois, on 6 May 1918. Two days later 1st Lt. Paul F. Baer shot down two German airplanes to become the first ace of an American unit.Baer's kills were on 11 March, 16 March, 6 April, 12 April, 23 April (half), 8 May (two), 21 May (one quarter), and 22 May. AFHRA credits him with nine victories.
''Gorrell's History'', Series E (Squadron Histories) Volume 16, Part 1 Sheet 13
By mid-May the 103rd was the leading American pursuit squadron, with half of the AEF's 28 aerial victories. Baer was the sole ace of the AEF, with nearly one-third of all victories, but he was shot down in a fight with eight Albatros D.Va fighters of the ''Leutnant der Reserve'' August Raben-led Jasta 18 near Laventie on 22 May, after ''Gefreiter'' Deberitz of Jasta 18 severed the flight control cables of Baer's SPAD VII with the gunfire from his Albatros, and Baer was captured following his crash, with only a broken knee as his sole injury.

On 4 July 1918 the squadron relocated to Toul and was assigned to an American command, the 2nd Pursuit Group. On 29 July Thaw moved up to command of the new 3rd Pursuit Group and was replaced by Lafayette Escadrille veteran Capt. Robert L. Rockwell. The 103rd relocated to Vaucouleurs in the Meuse department of France for operations with the 3rd Pursuit Group. In September the squadron shifted northwest to Lisle-en-Barrois to support the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. On 18 October, Capt. Robert Soubiran, another Escadrille veteran and a former member of the 103rd, returned to the squadron to take command. The squadron recorded its last aerial combat on 4 November near Montmédy, claiming three aircraft destroyed. At the hour of the armistice, the squadron had 21 Spad XIIIs and 21 pilots available for operations.

Three of the five pursuit groups operational at the end of the war were commanded by former pilots of the 103rd Aero Squadron, and ten other pilots were selected to command pursuit squadrons.Thaw, Biddle, and Hill commanded the 3rd, 4th and 5th Groups, respectively, while Soubiran (103rd), Rockwell (103rd), Marr (94th), Peterson (95th), Hill (138th), Bridgman (22nd), Biddle (13th), Baker (141st), Low (185th), and C. M. Jones (28th) received squadron commands. 14 pilots received 21 awards of the French ''Croix de Guerre'', and eight received 17 awards of the Distinguished Service Cross. Seven pilots were recognized as aces with five recording all their kills with the 103rd. Beginning 13 September 1918, 1st Lt. Frank O'D. Hunter shot down eight German aircraft in six weeks, tying Baer for the lead in squadron victories, for which he received five awards of the DSC and the ''Croix de Guerre'' with palm. Baer was released at the Armistice by the Germans and returned to the squadron. He submitted a claim for a kill occurring on the morning he was shot down, which was confirmed, and became the leading ace of the 103rd with nine victories.

After the armistice, the squadron was based at Foucaucourt and assigned to the First Army, alerted for possible occupation service with the Third Army. It received nine new pilots in early December, but was taken off operations on 14 December. The squadron's SPAD aircraft were delivered to the Air Service American Air Service Acceptance Park No. 1