The 1st Reconnaissance Squadron is the oldest squadron in the United States Air Force, and the first organization to be established as a U.S. military flying unit. Since 1922 the 1st Squadron has been associated with the USAAF 9th Bomb Group and the USAF 9th Reconnaissance Wing, where it continues to be an active component. A Squadron is a small unit or formation of cavalry, aircraft (including balloons), or naval vessels. ... The United States Air Force (or USAF) is the aerospace branch of the United States armed forces and one of the seven uniformed services. ... 1922 (MCMXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... The United States Army Air Forces, or USAAF, was a part of the U.S. military during World War II. The direct precursor to the U.S. Air Force, the USAAF formally existed between 1941 and 1947. ...

Creation and service 1913-1935

1st Aero Squadron on the Mexican US border, 1916

The squadron was created as the 1st Provisional Aero Squadron of the U.S. Army Signal Corps on March 5, 1913, when eight Curtiss JN2 and JN3 airplanes were brought together for the first time as a unit. Under the command of Captain Charles DeForest Chandler (Chief of the Aeronautical Division, U.S. Signal Corps) and led in the field by 1st Lt. Thomas D. Milling, the provisional unit was based in Texas City, Texas to support the U.S. Army ground forces gathering as a response to a possible war with the revolutionary forces of General Victoriano Huerta in Mexico. The 1st Aero Squadron was officially designated a unit of the U.S. Army on December 8, 1913. Image File history File links 1st_aero. ... Image File history File links 1st_aero. ... The U.S. Army Signal Corps was founded in 1861 by United States Army Major Albert J. Myer, a physician by training. ... March 5 is the 64th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (65th in leap years). ... 1913 (MCMXIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday. ... The Curtiss JN-4 biplane is possibly North Americas most famous World War I airplane. ... The Aeronautical Division, U.S. Signal Corps (1907-1914) was the first progenitor of the United States Air Force. ... Thomas DeWitt Milling was a pioneer of military aviation and a brigadier general in the U.S. Army Air Corps. ... Texas City is a city located in Galveston County in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown metropolitan area. ... The Army is the branch of the United States armed forces which has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. ... Term of office: February 19, 1913 – July 14, 1914 Preceded by: Pedro Lascuráin Interim Succeeded by: Francisco S. Carvajal Interim Date of birth: December 23, 1850 Place of birth: Colotlán, Jalisco Date of death: January 13, 1916 Place of death: El Paso, Texas, United States Profession: Soldier First... December 8 is the 342nd day (343rd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1913 (MCMXIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday. ...

The 1st Aero Squadron relocated to North Island, San Diego, California, as a flying training unit but detachments returned to Brownsville, Texas in April 1914 when the Tampico Affair threatened war again, and to Galveston in March 1915 when civil war broke out between Pancho Villa and the government of Venustiano Carranza. The entire squadron transferred by rail to Fort Sill, Oklahoma, to learn artillery spotting, and flew to Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas, in September 1915. Rockwell Field, located on North Island in San Diego, California, was originally called the Signal Corps Aviation School. ... San Diego County in the Southwest corner of California. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... Brownsville is the name of several places in the United States of America: Brownsville, Florida Brownsville, Kentucky Brownsville, Maryland Brownsville, Oregon Brownsville, Pennsylvania Brownsville, Tennessee Brownsville, Texas Brownsville, Vermont Brownsville is also a neighborhood in the borough of Brooklyn in Canada: Brownsville, British Columbia Brownsville, Nova Scotia Brownsville, Durham Region... Official language(s) See: Languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Area  Ranked 2nd  - Total 268,581 sq. ... 1914 (MCMXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... Combatants United States Mexico Strength 9 sailors Approx. ... Galveston redirects here. ... 1915 (MCMXV) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... A civil war is a war in which parties within the same culture, society or nationality fight for political power or control of an area. ... José Doroteo Arango Arámbula (June 5, 1878 (date disputed) – July 20, 1923) — better known by his nom de guerre Francisco Villa or, in its diminutive form, Pancho Villa — was one of the foremost leaders and best known generals of the Mexican Revolution, between 1911 and 1920, and provisional governor... Venustiano Carranza Garza (29 December 1859 - 21 May 1920) was one of the leaders of the Mexican Revolution. ... Fort Sill is a United States Army post near Lawton, Oklahoma; about 85 miles southwest of Oklahoma City. ... Official language(s) None Capital Oklahoma City Largest city Oklahoma City Area  Ranked 20th  - Total 69,960 sq. ... Fort Sam Houston is a U.S. Army post in San Antonio, Texas. ... San Antonio (the Spanish name of Saint Anthony) is a common toponym in parts of the world where the Spanish language is or was spoken: Argentina San Antonio, Jujuy province Belize San Antonio, Cayo District Chile San Antonio Mexico San Antonio, San Luis Potosí Philippines San Antonio, Quezon San Antonio... Official language(s) See: Languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Area  Ranked 2nd  - Total 268,581 sq. ...

On March 9, 1916, Villista forces raided Columbus, New Mexico, attacking units of the U.S. 13th Cavalry. Commanded by Captain Benjamin Foulois, the 1st Aero Squadron, consisting of 11 officers, 84 enlisted men, and a civilian mechanic, moved to Columbus and made its first reconnaissance sortie on March 16. On March 19, 1916, assigned to the Punitive Expedition commanded by Brig. Gen. John J. Pershing, the squadron entered Mexico, where it operated until February 1917. A forward base was established at Colonia Dublan, the field headquarters of the Expedition near Casas Grandes in northern Chihuahua. March 9 is the 68th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (69th in Leap years). ... 1916 (MCMXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... Columbus is a village located in Luna County, New Mexico. ... Benjamin Delahauf Foulois (December 9, 1879 - April 25, 1967), was a United States Army Officer and a pioneering airman. ... Mixed reconnaissance patrol of the Polish Home Army and the Soviet Red Army during Operation Tempest, 1944 Reconnaissance is the military term for the active gathering of information about an enemy, or other conditions, by physical observation. ... Sortie is a term for deployment of one military aircraft or a ship for the purposes of a specific mission, whether alone, or with other aircraft or vessels. ... March 16 is the 75th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (76th in Leap years). ... March 19 is the 78th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (79th in leap years). ... 1916 (MCMXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Punitive Expedition of 1897 was a military excursion by a British force of 1,200 under Admiral Sir Harry Rawson that captured, burned, and looted the city of Benin, incidentally bringing to an end the highly sophisticated West African Kingdom of Benin. ... General John Pershing John Joseph Black Jack Pershing (September 13, 1860 – July 15, 1948) was an officer in the United States Army. ... Casas Grandes ( Great Houses ), a small village of Mexico, in the state of Chihuahua, situated on the Casas Grandes or San Miguel river, about 35 m. ... The state of Chihuahua is the largest of the 31 states of Mexico and is located in the northwestern part of the country. ...

The squadron's 90-horsepower Curtiss JN2 and JN3 airplanes were unable to climb over the 10,000 to 12,000 foot mountains of the region or overcome the high winds of the passes through them. Dust storms frequently grounded the aircraft and wooden propellers de-laminated in the heat. The squadron carried mail and dispatches, flew limited reconnaissance, and acted as liaison between Pershing and forward units. By April 20, only two airplanes remained in service, four having crashed and three others condemned to provide replacement parts. Four new Curtiss N8 airplanes were delivered on April 22, but they were little better than the JN3's which they closely resembled and were soon transferred to North Island as trainers. Another Curtiss airplane, the R2, was sent to the 1st Aero Squadron with 12 delivered by late May. The R2 was the latest type available but it too proved unsatisfactory for use on the border. Between March 15 and August 15, 1916, the 1st Aero Squadron flew 540 missions in Mexico. SHP redirects here. ... April 20 is the 110th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (111th in leap years). ... April 22 is the 112th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (113th in leap years). ... March 15 is the 74th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (75th in Leap years). ... August 15 is the 227th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (228th in leap years), with 138 days remaining. ... 1916 (MCMXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ...

When the United States declared war on Germany on April 6, 1917, the 1st Aero Squadron was still based at Columbus, New Mexico. The Army ordered the 1st Aero Squadron to Fort Jay, New York City to accompany the 1st Division to France. The squadron arrived in August 1917, too late to join the 1st Division, but sailed for France on its own under the command of Major Henry Royce. It arrived at Le Havre on September 3, 1917, the first U.S. squadron in France. A declaration of war by the United States is the statement of purpose traditionally requested by the President of the United States and granted by Congress to engage military force against another nation. ... April 6 is the 96th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (97th in leap years). ... 1917 (MCMXVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar. ... Fort Jay is a historical United States Army fort on Governors Island in New York City. ... Official language(s) None, English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area  Ranked 27th  - Total 54,520 sq. ... The 1st Infantry Division of the United States Army —nicknamed the Big Red One after its shoulder patch—is the oldest continuously serving division in the American Army. ... Location within France Abbey of Graville, Le Havre An old house in Le Havre Church of St. ... September 3 is the 246th day of the year (247th in leap years). ... 1917 (MCMXVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar. ...

Untested U.S. squadrons were initially sent to a fairly inactive sector of the Front north of Toul to acquire combat experience at minimum risk. On April 8, 1918, the 1st Aero Squadron was assigned to an aerodrome at Ourches, and was joined shortly after by the 12th and 88th Aero Squadrons to form the 1st Corps Observation Group, the first U.S. air group. Cathédrale Saint-Étienne de Toul Toul is a historic fortified town of France, a sous-préfecture of the Meurthe-et-Moselle département. ... April 8 is the 98th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (99th in leap years). ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... The I Corps (First Corps), nicknamed Americas Corps, is a corps of the United States Army with headquarters in Fort Lewis, Washington. ...

Early in July, when a German buildup was noted, the 1st Corps Observation group moved westward to reinforce the French on the Marne River. Flying new Salmsons over the Champagne-Marne region, the 1st Aero Squadron supported U.S. Marines at Chateau-Thierry to prevent the German Army from crossing the Marne. The squadron also fought at Aisne-Marne (July 18 to August 6, 1918), St. Mihiel (September 12 to 16, 1918), and in the Meuse-Argonne offensive (September 26 to November 11, 1918). The four Maltese crosses on the 9th Reconnaissance Wing's emblem represent these battles. Although the squadron's primary duties were reconnaissance and artillery surveillance, squadron pilots recorded 13 aerial victories during the war, commemorated by 13 Maltese crosses encircling the 1st's squadron emblem. The 1st Aero squadron lost 16 pilots killed in action and 3 missing-in-action. The Marne is a river in France, a tributary of the Seine in the area east and southeast of Paris. ... United States Marine Corps Emblem The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is the second smallest of the five branches of the United States armed forces, with 170,000 active and 40,000 reserve Marines as of 2002. ... Ch teau-Thierry is a commune of north-eastern France, about 56 miles east-northeast of Paris. ... July 18 is the 199th day (200th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 166 days remaining. ... August 6 is the 218th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (219th in leap years), with 147 days remaining. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... Saint-Mihiel is a commune of the Meuse département, in northeastern France. ... September 12 is the 255th day of the year (256th in leap years). ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... The Meuse-Argonne Offensive was a major battle of World War I. It was the biggest operation and victory of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) in that war. ... September 26 is the 269th day of the year (270th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 96 days remaining. ... November 11 is the 315th day of the year (316th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 50 days remaining. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ...

1st Bombardment Squadron 1935-1944

World War II combat operations 1944-1946

United States Air Force operations 1947-present

External links

• Photos of the 1st Aero Squadron, 1913-1915 hosted by the Portal to Texas History