The United States Army Air Service was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. It was established on May 24, 1918 after US entry into World War I, replacing the Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps which had been the nation's air force from 1914 to 1918. The United States Air Force (or USAF) is the aerospace branch of the United States armed forces and one of the seven uniformed services. ... May 24 is the 144th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (145th 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. ... Combatants Allies: Serbia, Russia, France, Romania, Belgium, British Empire, United States, Italy, and others Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, Ottoman Empire Casualties Military dead: 5 million Civilian deaths: 3 million Total of dead: 8 million Military dead: 4 million Civilian deaths: 3 million Total dead: 7 million The First... The Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps, was the name of the military aviation service of the United States Army from 1914 to 1918, and a direct ancestor of the United States Air Force. ...

Although the Army Air Service was recognized by the War Department on May 24, 1918, no Director of Air Service was appointed until August 28, when President Wilson made John D. Ryan a Second Assistant Secretary of War and civilian Director of Air Service. After World War I the Air Service was again directed by a military officer, and remained so until replaced by the United States Army Air Corps on July 1, 1926. War Department may refer to the military establishments of several different countries: British War Department Confederate War Department United States Department of War, under the leadership of the United States Secretary of War (until 1947) See also: defense minister This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other... May 24 is the 144th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (145th 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. ... August 28 is the 240th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (241st in leap years), with 125 days remaining. ... The Secretary of War was a member of the Presidents Cabinet, beginning with George Washingtons administration. ... 1. ... July 1 is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 183 days remaining. ... 1926 (MCMXXVI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Air Service of the AEF

Five days after the formation of the Army Air Service, separating it from the Signal Corps, General John J. Pershing, commanding the American Expeditionary Force, duplicated the action in Europe by creating the Air Service of the AEF and placing it in charge of all U.S. aviation units, personnel, and equipment in France. As Chief of Air Service, AEF, he chose a West Point classmate and non-aviator, Maj. Gen. Mason Patrick. The Signal Corps is a military branch, usually subordinate to a countrys army. ... General John Pershing John Joseph Black Jack Pershing (September 13, 1860 – July 15, 1948) was an officer in the United States Army. ... Officers of the American Expeditionary Force and the Baker mission The American Expeditionary Force or AEF was the United States military force in World War I. The AEF helped the French defend the Western Front during the Aisne Offensive in May. ... Alternate meanings: West Point (disambiguation). ... Mason M. Patrick (December 13, 1863–January 29, 1942) Born at Lewisburg, West Virginia, he graduated from West Point in 1886. ...

During the first year of U.S. participation in World War I, aviation detachments had been created without organization. General Pershing had at first called for creation of 260 U.S. air combat squadrons, reducing that to 202 by the time the Air Service was formed. In Pershing's view, the two functions of the AEF's Air Service were to repel German aircraft and conduct observation of enemy movements. 101 observation squadrons were to be assigned to 3 armies and 16 corps. 60 pursuit squadrons were planned, as were 27 night-bombardment and 14 day-bombardment squadrons. Combatants Allies: Serbia, Russia, France, Romania, Belgium, British Empire, United States, Italy, and others Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, Ottoman Empire Casualties Military dead: 5 million Civilian deaths: 3 million Total of dead: 8 million Military dead: 4 million Civilian deaths: 3 million Total dead: 7 million The First...

Without the time or infrastructure in the United States (referred to as the Zone of the Interior) to equip units to send overseas using aircraft designed and built in the US, the AEF Air Service ordered Allied aircraft designs already in service with the French and British air forces, including the Nieuport 28, SPAD XIII, SE5 and Sopwith Camel as pursuit aircraft, and the DeHaviland DH-4 and Salmson 2 for observation and bombing missions. Reproduction of the Nieuport 28 at the US Air Force Museum The Nieuport 28 (N.28C-1) was a French biplane fighter aircraft flown during World War I and designed by Gustave Delage. ... A SPAD S.XIII of the Lafayette Escadrille. ... The Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5 was a British biplane fighter aircraft of the First World War. ... A Sopwith Camel at the Imperial War Museum in London. ... The Airco DH.4 was a British two seat biplane day-bomber of the First World War. ...

The first U.S. aviation squadron to reach France was the 1st Aero Squadron, an observation unit, which sailed from New York in August 1917 and arrived at Le Havre on September 3. As other squadrons were organized at home, they too were sent overseas, where they continued their training. It was February 1918 before any U.S. squadron entered combat, but by November 11, 1918, 45 squadrons (20 pursuit, 18 observation, and 7 bombardment) had been assigned to combat. During the war these squadrons played important roles in the Third Battle of the Aisne, the Battle of Saint-Mihiel, and the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. Several units, including the 94th Aero Squadron with Captain Eddie Rickenbacker commanding, and the 27th Aero Squadron that had "balloon buster" 1st Lt. Frank Luke as one of its pilots, made distinguished records in combat and became part of the future Air Corps. 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. ... 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. ... 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). ... 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. ... 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. ... The Third Battle of the Aisne was a German offensive during World War I that focused on capturing the Chemin des Dames Ridge before the American Expeditionary Force could arrive in France. ... Combatants United States Germany Commanders John J. Pershing Georg von der Marwitz Strength American Expeditionary Force German Fifth Army Casualties 7,000 2000 dead and 5500 wounded The Battle of Saint-Mihiel was a World War I battle fought between September 12 - 15, 1918, involving the American Expeditionary Force and... 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. ... Edward Vernon (Eddie) Rickenbacker (October 8, 1890 – July 27, 1973) was an American fighter pilot who flew in World War I. He was born Edward Rickenbacher in Columbus, Ohio to Swiss immigrants. ... Lt. ...

Observation planes often operated individually, as did pursuit pilots to attack a balloon or to meet the enemy in a dogfight. However the tendency was toward formation flying for pursuit as well as for bombardment operations. The dispersal of squadrons among the various army ground units made difficult, however, the coordination of air activities, so that squadrons were organized by functions into groups, the first of these being the 1st Corps Observation Group, organized in April 1918. On May 5, 1918, the 1st Pursuit Group was formed, and by the armistice the AEF had 14 groups (7 observation, 5 pursuit, and 2 bombardment). In July 1918 the AEF organized its first wing, made up of the 2d Pursuit, 3rd Pursuit, and 1st Day Bombardment Groups. Of these 14 groups, only the 1st Pursuit and 1st Day Bombardment Groups would have their lineage continued into the post-war Air Service. A dogfight or dog fight is a common term used to describe close-range aerial combat between military aircraft. ... For some other uses of the word group please see Group Group is a term used by different air forces for a unit of command. ... May 5 is the 125th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (126th 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. ... // 1st Fighter Group history. ... A white flag is traditionally used to represent a truce. ... A Laughing Gull on the beach in Atlantic City. ...

Col. William Mitchell and Col. Benjamin Foulois were advocates of the formation of an "air force" to centralize control over military aviation. In September 1918, for the Allied assault against the German salient at St. Mihiel, Mitchell brought together almost 1,500 U.S. and French planes for coordinated operations in which observation and pursuit supported ground forces, while the other two-thirds of the air force bombed and strafed behind the lines. Later, during the Meuse-Argonne offensive, Mitchell employed a smaller concentration of airpower to keep the German army on the defensive. William Mitchell refers to more than one historical figure: Billy Mitchell, father of the U.S. Air Force William A. Mitchell, corporate chemist responsible for Tang and Pop Rocks William D. Mitchell, U.S. Attorney General Sir William Mitchell, Oxford physicist who helped pioneer neutron scattering, and former scientific advisory... Benjamin Delahauf Foulois (December 9, 1879 - April 25, 1967), was a United States Army Officer and a pioneering airman. ... In military terms, a salient is a battlefield feature that projects into enemy territory. ... Saint-Mihiel is a commune of the Meuse département, in northeastern France. ... 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. ...

The 740 U.S. aircraft assigned to the AEF on November 11, 1918, were approximately 10% of the total aircraft strength of the Allied forces. The Air Service had conducted 150 bombing missions, the longest 160 miles behind German lines, and dropped 138 tons of bombs. It's squadrons had claimed 756 aerial victories against German aircraft and 76 balloons destroyed, creating 31 Air Service aces. Air Service losses were 289 aircraft, 48 balloons, and 237 airmen killed in action, 654 dead of illness or accidents, and 332 wounded. 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. ... This article is about the playing card. ...

Air Service World War I Posters

Image File history File links Poster-aas2. ... Image File history File links Tr-ww1poster. ... Image File history File links Poster-aas3. ... Image File history File links Poster-aas4. ... Image File history File links Poster-aas1. ...

The re-organized Air Service

In France the "Air Service" was a component of Pershing's American Expeditionary Force. In the United States the Chief Signal Officer was responsible for organizing, training, and equipping aviation units until May 20, 1918. At that time the President separated aviation from the Signal Corps, creating a Bureau of Aircraft Production (BAP) to be responsible for aeronautical equipment and a Division of Military Aeronautics (DMA) to be responsible for the training of personnel and aviation units. An Aircraft Engineering Department was set up within the BAP and a Technical Section within the DMA, both under military officers and having similar responsibilities. Both the BAP and the DMA were then placed under the administration of the Air Service on May 24. May 20 is the 140th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (141st 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 Division of Military Aeronautics, Secretary of War was the name of the Armys aviation organization for a brief period during World War I, and therefore also an antecedent of the United States Air Force. ...

At the end of World War I the Air Service consisted of 185 flying, 44 construction, 114 supply, 11 replacement, and 150 spruce production squadrons; 86 balloon companies; six balloon group headquarters; 15 construction companies; 55 photographic sections; and a few miscellaneous units. Its personnel strength was 19,189 officers and 178,149 enlisted men. Its aircraft inventory consisted primarily of Curtiss JN-4 trainers, Airco DH.4 scout planes, SE-5 and Spad 7 fighters, and Martin MB-2 bombers. The Curtiss JN-4 biplane is possibly North Americas most famous World War I airplane. ... The Airco DH.4 was a British two seat biplane day-bomber of the First World War. ... The Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5 was a British biplane fighter aircraft of the First World War. ... The SPAD S.VII was the first of a series of highly successful biplane fighter aircraft produced by Société Pour LAviation et ses Dérivés during the First World War. ...

Complete demobilization of the Air Service was accomplished within a year. By November 22, 1919, the Air Service had been reduced to one construction, one replacement, and 22 flying squadrons; 32 balloon companies; 15 photographic sections; and 1,168 officers and 8,428 enlisted men. The combat strength of the Air Service was only four pursuit and four bombardment squadrons. Although the leaders of the reorganized Air Service persuaded the General Staff to increase the combat strength to 20 squadrons by 1923, the balloon force was deactivated, including dirigibles, and personnel shrank even further, to just 880 officers. By July 1924 the Air Service inventory was 457 observation planes, 55 bombers, 78 pursuit planes, and 8 attack aircraft, with trainers to make the total number 754. November 22 is the 326th day (327th on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1919 (MCMXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Dirigible can refer to : an airship -- a lighter-than-air aircraft that can be steered and propelled through the air. ...

The Air Service replaced its wartime structure with the formation of six groups in 1919, four of which were based in the United States and two overseas, and only two of which were combat groups. In 1920 a seventh group was formed to provide a headquarters for squadrons serving in the Philippines. The groups of the Air Service (the first permanent groups in the Air Force) were:

• 1st Surveillance Group — Ft. Bliss, Texas, July 1, 1919, — becasme 3rd Attack Group in 1921
• 2nd Observation Group — Luke Field, Hawaii, August 16, 1919, — became 5th Composite Group in 1922
• 1st Pursuit Group — Kelly Field, Texas, August 22, 1919
• 1st Day Bombardment Group — Kelly Field, Texas, September 18, 1919, — became 2nd Bomb Group in 1922
• 3rd Observation Group — France Field, Canal Zone, Panama, September 30, 1919, — became 6th Composite Group in 1922
• First Army Observation Group — Langley Field, Virginia, October 1, 1919, — became 7th Bomb Group in 1921, then inactivated
• 1st Observation Group — Ft. Stotsenburg, Luzon, March 3, 1920, — became the 4th Composite Group in 1922
• 9th Observation Group — Mitchel Field, New York, August 1, 1922

The 8th Fighter Group was designated on March 23, 1923, but not activated until 1931. Fort Bliss is a census-designated place and United States Army post located in El Paso County, Texas. ... Official language(s) See: Languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Area  Ranked 2nd  - Total 268,581 sq. ... July 1 is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 183 days remaining. ... 1919 (MCMXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Ford Island is located in the middle of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. ... Official language(s) English, Hawaiian Capital Honolulu Largest city Honolulu Area  Ranked 43rd  - Total 10,941 sq. ... August 16 is the 228th day of the year (229th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1919 (MCMXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... // 1st Fighter Group history. ... Kelly Air Force Base was a United States Air Force base located in San Antonio, Texas. ... Official language(s) See: Languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Area  Ranked 2nd  - Total 268,581 sq. ... August 22 is the 234th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (235th in leap years), with 131 days remaining. ... 1919 (MCMXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... September 18 is the 261st day of the year (262nd in leap years). ... 1919 (MCMXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Around the world there are a number of canal zones. ... September 30 is the 273rd day of the year (274th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 92 days remaining. ... 1919 (MCMXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Shoulder Sleeve Insignia of the U.S. First Army. ... Langley Air Force Base is located at , in Hampton, Virginia is home of Air Combat Command. ... Official language(s) English Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Area  Ranked 35th  - Total 42,793 sq. ... October 1 is the 274th day of the year (275th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1919 (MCMXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Clark Air Base is a former U.S. Air Force base on Luzon Island in the Philippines, now known as the Clark Special Economic Zone. ... Map of the Philippines showing the island groups of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. ... March 3 is the 62nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (63rd in leap years). ... 1920 (MCMXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar) // Events January January 3 - Babe Ruth is traded by the Boston Red Sox to the New York Yankees for $125,000, the largest sum ever paid for a player at that time. ... Mitchel Field is a complex located in Uniondale, New York, and home to Nassau Coliseum, Mitchel Athletic Complex, Nassau Community College and Hofstra University. ... Official language(s) None, English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area  Ranked 27th  - Total 54,520 sq. ... August 1 is the 213th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (214th in leap years), with 152 days remaining. ... 1922 (MCMXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... March 23 is the 82nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (83rd in Leap years). ... 1923 (MCMXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1931 (MCMXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link is to a full 1931 calendar). ...

With the passage of the National Defense Act (June 4, 1920) the Air Service became a combatant arm of the Army. A Chief of the Air Service was authorized with the rank of major general to replace the previous Director of Air Service, and an assistant chief created in the rank of brigadier general (from 1920 to 1925 this position was held by Brig.Gen. Billy Mitchell). The primary missions of the Air Service were observation and pursuit aviation, and its tactical squadrons in the United States were controlled by the commanders of nine corps areas created by the Act, primarily in support of the ground forces. The Chief of the Air Service retained command of training schools, depots, and support activities exempted from corps control. June 4 is the 155th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (156th in leap years), with 210 days remaining. ... 1920 (MCMXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar) // Events January January 3 - Babe Ruth is traded by the Boston Red Sox to the New York Yankees for $125,000, the largest sum ever paid for a player at that time. ... Insignia of a United States Air Force Major General German Generalmajor Insignia Major General is a military rank used in many countries. ... A Brigadier General, or one-star general, is the lowest rank of general officer in the United States and some other countries, ranking just above Colonel and just below Major General. ... Brigadier General Billy Mitchell, United States Army Air Service William L. (Billy) Mitchell (December 28, 1879 – February 19, 1936) was an American general who is regarded as the father of the U.S. Air Force. ...

The General Staff produced a mobilization plan in the 1920 reorganization that in the event of war would create an expeditionary force of six armies, eighteen corps, and 54 divisions. Each army would have an Air Service attack wing (one attack and two pursuit groups) and an observation group, each corps and division would have an observation squadron, and a seventh attack wing-observation group would be reserved for the Expeditionary Force's general headquarters. A single bombardment group was planned for, relegating bombardment to the most minor of roles. All aviation units would be under the command of ground officers at all levels. This structure provided the principles under which the Air Service and Air Corps operated until 1935. Army (from French armée) can, in some countries, refer to any armed force. ... A corps (a word that immigrated from the French language, pronounced IPA: , but originating in the Latin corpus, corporis meaning body; plural same as singular) is either a large military unit or formation, an administrative grouping of troops within an army with a common function (such as artillery or signals... Look up division in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Aeronautical development became the responsibility of the Technical Section, Air Service, created January 1, 1919, with the consolidation of the Aircraft Engineering Department BAP, the Technical Section DMA, and the Testing Squadron at Wilbur Wright Field, which was named the Engineering Division on March 19 and located at McCook Field, Dayton, Ohio. January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ... 1919 (MCMXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... National Museum of the United States Air Force at WPAFB Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is a U.S. Air Force base in Greene and Montgomery counties, adjacent to Fairborn and Dayton, Ohio. ... March 19 is the 78th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (79th in leap years). ... McCook Field was an airfield and aviation experimentation station operated by the Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps (later United States Army Air Service) of the United States Army from 1917-1927. ... Dayton is a name shared by many people, places, and things. ... Official language(s) None Capital Largest city Columbus Columbus (largest metropolitan area is Cleveland) Area  Ranked 34th  - Total 44,825 sq. ...

A formal training establishment was also created by the Air Service. Flying training took place in Texas and technical schools were at located at Chanute Field, Illinois. The Air Service Tactical School was established at Langley Field, Virginia, to train officers for higher command and to instruct in doctrine and the employment of military aviation. It also formed the basis for the Air Corps Tactical School established in 1931 at Maxwell Field, Alabama. The Engineering Division created an air engineering school at McCook Field and moved it to Wright Field when that base was established in 1924. Chanute Air Force Base was a United States Air Force base located in Rantoul, Illinois. ... Official language(s) English Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Area  Ranked 25th  - Total 57,918 sq. ... Langley Air Force Base is located at , in Hampton, Virginia is home of Air Combat Command. ... Official language(s) English Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Area  Ranked 35th  - Total 42,793 sq. ... Maxwell Field was the football stadium located behind the former location of Louisville Male High School, 911 S. Brook St. ... Official language(s) English Capital Montgomery Largest city Birmingham Area  Ranked 30th  - Total 52,423 sq. ... Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is a U.S. Air Force base in Greene and Montgomery counties, adjacent to Fairborn and Dayton, Ohio. ...

The principal pursuit planes of the Air Service were the MB-3A (250 acquired 1920-23) and Curtiss PW-8/P-1 Hawk (48 acquired in 1924-25). The standard bombers were the Martin MB-2 and the Keystone B-5. The Thomas-Morse MB-3A was an open-cockpit bi-plane fighter primarily manufactured by the Boeing Company for the U.S. Army Air Service in 1922. ... The Curtiss P-1 Hawk was an open-cockpit bi-plane fighter of the U.S. Army Air Corps. ... The Glenn L. Martin Company was an aircraft company founded by aviation pioneer Glenn L. Martin on August 16, 1912. ... Up until 1930, Light bomber planes were given the designation LB-. At that time the LB- designation was dropped, and the LB-14 was renamed the B-5. ...

The debate over an independent Air Force

The seven year history of the Air Service was essentially a prolonged debate between adherents of airpower and the supporters of the traditional military services about the value of an independent Air Force, spurred by the creation of the Royal Air Force in 1918. On one side were Brig. Gen. Billy Mitchell, Brig. Gen. Benjamin Foulois, a cadre of young former Reserve officers who made up the overwhelming majority of Army pilots, and a few like-minded politicians and newspapers. Opposed were the General Staff of the U.S. Army, its senior leadership from World War I, and the United States Navy. The Royal Air Force (often abbreviated to RAF) is the air force branch of the British Armed Forces. ... Brigadier General Billy Mitchell, United States Army Air Service William L. (Billy) Mitchell (December 28, 1879 – February 19, 1936) was an American general who is regarded as the father of the U.S. Air Force. ... Benjamin Delahauf Foulois (December 9, 1879 - April 25, 1967), was a United States Army Officer and a pioneering airman. ... Army reserves are a part of an army which is normally activated only during emergencies such as a war. ... A General Staff is a group of professional military officers who act in a staff or administrative role under the command of a general officer. ... The Army is the branch of the United States armed forces which has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. ... Combatants Allies: Serbia, Russia, France, Romania, Belgium, British Empire, United States, Italy, and others Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, Ottoman Empire Casualties Military dead: 5 million Civilian deaths: 3 million Total of dead: 8 million Military dead: 4 million Civilian deaths: 3 million Total dead: 7 million The First... The United States Navy (USN) is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for conducting naval operations. ...

While this debate focused largely on the controversial Mitchell, its early star was Foulois. Both returned from France with combat leadership experience in aviation, expecting to become the peacetime leaders of the Air Service. Instead the War Department had appointed Maj.Gen. Charles Menoher, who had commanded an infantry division in France, to be Director of the Air Service to replace Secretary Ryan, signalling to the nation and the airpower proponents its intent to keep the air arm under the direction of the ground forces. War Department may refer to the military establishments of several different countries: British War Department Confederate War Department United States Department of War, under the leadership of the United States Secretary of War (until 1947) See also: defense minister This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other...

In 1919 Mitchell proposed a Cabinet-level Department of Aviation equal to the War and Navy Departments to control all aviation, including sea-based air, airmail and commercial operations. His goal was not only independent and centralized control of airpower, but encouragement of the peacetime U.S. aviation industry. However Mitchell insisted that the debate be both broad and civil. Foulois, however, complained bitterly to Congress about the historical neglect and indifference of the Army to its air service. Although a bill actually was introduced in the U.S. Senate to create Mitchell's proposed department and initially garnered strong support, the opposition of the Army's wartime leaders (especially General Pershing) frustrated the effort at the start and resulted in the passage of the less radical though still significant National Defense Act of 1920. Cabinet meeting on May 16, 2001. ... Seal The United States Department of the Navy was established by an Act of Congress on April 30, 1798, to provide administrative and technical support, and civilian leadership to the United States Navy. ... Airmail (or air mail) is mail that is transported by aircraft. ... A congress is a gathering of people, especially a gathering for a political purpose. ... The United States Senate is the upper house of the U.S. Congress, smaller than the United States House of Representatives. ...

Mitchell was not discouraged by the failure of his first proposal. He recognized the value of public opinion in the debate and changed tactics, embarking on a publicity campaign on behalf of military aviation. General Menoher, when he was unable to persuade the Secretary of War, John Weeks to silence Mitchell, resigned his position on October 4, 1921, and was replaced by Maj.Gen. Mason Patrick. Although an engineer and not an aviator, Patrick had been Pershing's Chief of Air Service in France where his primary duty had been to coordinate the activities of Foulois and Mitchell, then rivals. Patrick had also testified before Congress against Mitchell's plan for an independent air force. Time magazine, October 22, 1923 John Wingate Weeks (April 11, 1860–July 12, 1926) was an American politician in the Republican Party. ... October 4 is the 277th day of the year (278th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1921 (MCMXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Mason M. Patrick (December 13, 1863–January 29, 1942) Born at Lewisburg, West Virginia, he graduated from West Point in 1886. ...

Patrick was not hostile to aviation, however. He underwent flight training and obtained his wings, then issued a series of reports to the War Department emphasizing the need to expand and modernize the Air Service. Patrick was also critical of the policy that placed air units under the command of corps commanders and proposed that only observation squadrons should be part of the ground forces, with all combat forces centralized under the command of a "General Headquarters Air Force".

The response to the proposal were three boards and committees. The Secretary of War convened the Lassiter Board in 1923, composed of general staff officers who fully endorsed Patrick's views, and adopted the proposal as policy. However he proposed that appropriations for the GHQ Air Force be merged with those for Naval aviation, which the Navy rejected, and the reorganization could not be implemented. Naval aviation is the application of manned military air power by the navies of the world such as those operated by the United States Navy. ...

The U.S. House of Representatives then appointed the Lampert Committee in 1924 to investigate Patrick's criticisms. Mitchell testified before the committee and, upset by the failure of the War Department to even negotiate with the Navy in order to save the reforms of the Lassiter Board, harshly criticized Army leadership and attacked other witnesses. He had already antagonized the senior flag officers of both services with speeches and articles delivered in 1923 and 1924, and the Army refused to retain him as Assistant Chief of the Air Service when his term expired in March, 1925. He was reduced in rank to colonel by Secretary Weeks and exiled to the VIII Corps in San Antonio as air officer, where his continuing criticisms caused President Calvin Coolidge to order his court-martial. Mitchell was convicted in December 1925 and the Lampert Committee, shortly after, issued a compromise recommendation that both military air arms be expanded. The House of Representatives is the larger of two houses that make up the U.S. Congress, the other being the United States Senate. ... A court-martial (plural courts-martial) is a military court that determines punishments for members of the military subject to military law. ...

The third board was the Morrow Board, convened by President Coolidge to make a general inquiry into U.S. aviation. Headed by an investment banker and personal friend of Coolidge's, Dwight Morrow, the board was made up of a federal judge, the head of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, former military officers now in industry, and the wartime head of the Board of Aircraft Production. The actual purpose of the Morrow Board was to minimize the political impact of the Mitchell trial and Coolidge directed that it issue its findings by the end of November, to pre-empt the findings of not only the military court but any recommendations by the Lampert Committee that might be contrary to the Morrow Board. The major result of the Morrow Board was a recommendation, adopted in 1926, that the Air Service be abolished and replaced by an Air Corps equal within the Army to the Signal Corps, but without the autonomy of the Marine Corps within the Navy Department. An investment banker works for an investment bank. ... Time Magazine, October 12, 1925 Dwight Whitney Morrow (January 11, 1873–October 5, 1931) was an American businessman, politician, and diplomat. ... NACA official seal The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) was a U.S. federal agency founded on March 3, 1915 to undertake, promote, and institutionalize aeronautical research. ... The Signal Corps is a military branch, usually subordinate to a countrys army. ... The UKs Royal Marines in a Rigid Raider assault watercraft A marine corps is a branch of a nations armed forces incorporating Marines, intended to be capable of mounting amphibious assaults using infantry, armour, aircraft, and watercraft. ...

Directors of Air Service:

• John D. Ryan (August 28, 1918--November 27, 1918)
• Maj.Gen. Charles T. Menoher (January 2, 1919--June 4, 1920)

Chiefs of Air Service: August 28 is the 240th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (241st in leap years), with 125 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. ... November 27 is the 331st day (332nd on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 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. ... January 2 is the second day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1919 (MCMXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... June 4 is the 155th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (156th in leap years), with 210 days remaining. ... 1920 (MCMXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar) // Events January January 3 - Babe Ruth is traded by the Boston Red Sox to the New York Yankees for $125,000, the largest sum ever paid for a player at that time. ...

• Maj.Gen. Charles T. Menoher (June 4, 1920--October 4, 1921)
• Maj.Gen. Mason M. Patrick (October 5, 1921--July 2, 1926)

June 4 is the 155th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (156th in leap years), with 210 days remaining. ... 1920 (MCMXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar) // Events January January 3 - Babe Ruth is traded by the Boston Red Sox to the New York Yankees for $125,000, the largest sum ever paid for a player at that time. ... October 4 is the 277th day of the year (278th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1921 (MCMXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... October 5 is the 278th day of the year (279th in Leap years). ... 1921 (MCMXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... July 2 is the 183rd day of the year (184th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 182 days remaining. ... 1926 (MCMXXVI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Advances in aviation

To positively influence U.S. public opinion and thereby enlist political support in Congress in his crusade for an independent air force, General Mitchell conducted a publicity campaign on behalf of airpower. While using public pronouncements for propaganda purposes, Mitchell also fostered within the Air Service advances in aeronautical science that would not only increase its effectiveness as a military service, but would also generate public support.

His first project, undertaken at McCook Field, in Dayton, Ohio, was for the creation of a heavily armored attack plane for supporting ground forces. Although the designs that resulted were not practical and did not meet Mitchell's specifications for aircraft that could land troops behind enemy lines, the project led Mitchell to closely supervise aircraft development, not only at McCook but in Europe as well.

This resulted in the development of a monoplane with retractable landing gear, a metal propeller, and a streamlined engine design, the Verville R-3 racer. Economy measures by the Air Service prevented the project from being fully completed, but contributed to a growing determination within the Air Service to set new aviation records for speed, altitude, distance, and endurance, which in turn contributed not only to technical improvements (and favorable publicity) but also advancements in aviation medicine. A monoplane is an aircraft with one main set of wing surfaces, in contrast to a biplane or triplane. ... Main and nosewheel undercarriage of a Qatar Airways Airbus A330 The undercarriage or landing gear is equipment which supports an aircraft when it is not flying. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Altitude is the elevation of an object from a known level or datum. ... Aviation medicine is a branch of medicine that applies medical knowledge to the human factors in aviation. ...

Air Service pilots established world records in altitude, distance, and speed. Speed in particular attracted public attention, and although a number of records were set in speed averages flying cross-country, records were also set on measured courses. Among those setting a new world speed record as 1st Lt. James H. Doolittle in winning the 1925 Schneider Trophy at the National Air Races. The practical and military applications of speed were not ignored, however. In the summer of 1924 Mitchell staged a "Dawn-to-dusk" transcontinental flight across the United States by a Curtiss PW-8 fighter acquired for the purpose. Brig. ... This article or section is missing references or citation of sources. ... 1930 1931 1932 The National Air Races were a series of pylon and cross-country races that took place from 1924 to 1949. ... The Dawn to dusk transcontinental flight across the United States was a pioneering aviation record established June 23, 1924. ... The Curtiss P-1 Hawk was an open-cockpit bi-plane fighter of the U.S. Army Air Corps. ...

Despite the emphasis in the press on speed, the Air Service also established a number of distance and endurance records. The first nonstop flight across the United States, taking almost 27 hours, was made in May 1923 by two Air Service pilots. The feat was followed in August by a flight in which a DeHavilland DH-4 stayed aloft for more than 37 hours by means of aerial refueling. BASIC INFORMATION : Designation: DH-4 Type: Bomber / Observation Aircraft Manufacturer: Dayton-Wright Airplane Company Country: United States Service Date: 1918 Crew: 2 DIMENSIONS: Length: 30 feet 6 inches Wingspan: 43 feet, 6 inches Height: 10 feet, 4 inches Weight (Empty): NA Weight (Loaded): 3,557 lbs PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS: Powerplant: 1... USAF KC-135R Stratotanker, two F-15s (twin fins) and two F-16s, on an aerial refueling training mission Aerial refueling, also called in-flight refueling (IFR) or air-to-air refueling (AAR), is the practice of transferring fuel from one aircraft to another during flight. ...

The greatest achievement of these projects, however, was the first flight around the world. The Air Service set up support facilities along the proposed route and in April 1924 sent a flight of four aircraft west from Seattle, Washington. Six months later two aircraft completed the flight. Even if considered as primarily a publicity stunt, the flight was a brilliant accomplishment in which five nations had already failed. The first circumnavigation of the world by air was conducted in 1924 by a team of aviators of the United States Army Air Service, the precursor of the United States Air Force. ... City nickname Emerald City City bird Great Blue Heron City flower Dahlia City mottos The City of Flowers The City of Goodwill City song Seattle, the Peerless City Mayor Greg Nickels County King County Area   - Total   - Land   - Water   - % water 369. ... Official language(s) None Capital Olympia Largest city Seattle Area  Ranked 18th  - Total 71,342 sq. ... The media itself often stages stunts for movies and television shows. ...

References

• Bowman, Martin W., "Background to War", USAAF Handbook 1939-1945, ISBN 0-8117-1822-0
• Mortenson, Daniel R., "The Air Service in the Great War," Winged Shield, Winged Sword: A History of the United States Air Force Vol. I Chapter 2 (1997), ISBN 0-16-049009-X
• Shiner, John F., "From Air Service to Air Corps: The Era of Billy Mitchell," Winged Shield, Winged Sword: A History of the United States Air Force Vol. I Chapter 3 (1997), ISBN 0-16-049009-X
• Craven, Wesley Frank, and Cate, James Lea, The Army Air Forces in World War II, Volume I: Plans and Early Operations, "Chapter 2: The Army Air Service Between Two Wars 1919-1939". University of Chicago press, 1948