Air Service Enters Combat

Published April 08, 2015

PHOTO DETAILS / DOWNLOAD HI-RES 1 of 1

Planes of the 135th Aero Squadron line up on Aug. 7, 1918, for the first mission flown over the Front by U.S.-built DH-4s. (U.S. Air Force photo)

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 trained, a time-consuming process.

Meanwhile, most of the American pilots of the Escadrille Lafayette were commissioned as U.S. Army officers, and on Feb. 18, 1918, when the unit became the 103rd Aero Squadron of the Air Service, AEF, its French enlisted ground personnel were replaced by U.S. troops. Since the 103rd remained on the Front under French control without any interruption in its combat activity, it had the honor of being the first U.S. Air Service in aerial combat over the Western Front.

Click on the following links for more information about the Air Service during WWI.

Maj. Raoul Lufbery
Lts. Alan Winslow and Douglas Campbell
Lt. Quentin Roosevelt
Lt. Walter B. Wanamaker
Lt. Fred Norton
Combat over the Marne
St. Mihiel Offensive
Meuse-Argonne Offensive
U.S. Cadets in Italy
Combat Record
WWI Prisoners of War

Click here to return to the Early Years Gallery.

Find Out More

Related Fact Sheets

Pancho Villa Attacks New Mexico

Escadrille Lafayette

Other Resources

USAF Historical Study No. 141: WWI Diary of Col. Frank Lahm (Provided by AFHRA)

Note: The appearance of hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by the National Museum of the USAF, the U.S. Air Force, or the Department of Defense, of the external website, or the information, products or services contained therein.

Air Service Enters Combat

Featured Links