In support of an official event 

The Museum will be closed Sunday, May 25
In addition, the Fourth Hangar will be closed Saturday, May 24

Access to the Presidential Gallery will be limited from May 15 to June 5
 

Fact Sheet Alphabetical List

Fact Sheet Search

  • Capt. William C. Lambert

    Capt. William C. Lambert of Ironton, Ohio, was the second-ranking American ace of World War I. He was officially credited with 21 1/2 air-to-air victories, only 4 1/2 victories fewer than the 26 of top American ace Eddie Rickenbacker. Lambert joined the Royal Flying Corps in Canada in 1916 and

  • Lt. Erwin R. Bleckley

    Note: This is currently off public display.Erwin R. Bleckley of Wichita, Kan., was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Kansas National Guard Field Artillery in July 1917. He was sent to France in March 1918, and when the Air Service needed artillery officers to serve as aerial observers,

  • Lt. Frank Luke Jr.

    Note: This is currently off public displayFrank Luke Jr., nicknamed "The Arizona Balloon Buster," was born in Phoenix, Ariz. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in September 1917, learned to fly and arrived on the front in France in July 1918. Assigned to the 27th Aero Squadron, his exceptional bravery

  • Sergeant's Field Uniform, U.S. Army Air Service, WWI

     The intertwined "ASM" at the top of his left sleeve identifies him as an Air Service Mechanician. His rank is on his right sleeve, while the red chevron on his left sleeve is a postwar addition, denoting service in the Great War. This sergeant served one year overseas, as denoted by two six-month

  • Regulation U.S. Army Air Service Pilot's Flying Outfit, WWI

    The goggles, leather helmet and long leather coat were standard items, though airmen used a wide variety of styles. The silk scarf protected the pilot's neck from chafing as he constantly scanned the sky for enemy aircraft. Boots, leather leggings and riding-style breeches were standard items from

  • Aircraft Recognition Collage

    Note: This item is currently in storage.This aircraft recognition collage, created by the 4th Photo Section, IV Corps Observation Group, assisted AEF personnel in identifying different types of operational German aircraft.Click here to return to the Featured World War I Artifacts index.

  • Air Service Enters Combat

    The first U.S. air unit sent to Europe was the 1st Aero Squadron, the same outfit that had served under Pershing on the Mexican border in 1916. Under command of Maj. Ralph Royce, it arrived in France on Sept. 3, 1917. Other squadrons gradually arrived, but all had to be equipped with airplanes and

  • WWI Prisoners of War

    One hundred twenty-three flyers of the U.S. Air Service were forced down inside enemy lines and captured. Also, two officers were captured when their balloon drifted into German territory. In addition, 19 Americans flying with the British, 10 with the French and one with the Italians became

  • Combat Record

    The combat record of the relatively small Air Service, AEF, was most impressive. It had logged thousands of combat sorties, flown 150 bombing missions, taken more than 18,000 photos of enemy positions, and had shot down 781 aircraft and 73 observation balloons. Lastly, 72 Air Service flyers had

  • U.S. Cadets in Italy

    Meanwhile, in Italy, 406 U.S. cadets had been graduated as pilots from the Italian primary flying course at Foggia. Of these 406 new pilots, 121 had received advance training as bombardment pilots at Italian schools. Most of these Americans were immediately transferred to France, but 65 of them