List of Air Service American Expeditionary Force aerodromes in France

Air Service recruiting poster, 1917-1918

see also: Organization of the Air Service of the American Expeditionary Force

At the time of the United States entry into World War I on 6 April 1917, the Air Service of the United States Army existed only as a branch of the Signal Corps, and was known by the name of Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps. Its personnel consisted of 1,120 personnel of which 65 were officers. The Army was entirely unprepared for the deployment of aviation forces to Europe, and it became necessary to prepare after President Woodrow Wilson's declaration of war.^[1]

Overview

Locations of major Air Service, United States Army stations in France, 1918

As part of the buildup of forces, Aviation units were formed into Aero Squadrons primarily at Kelly Field, San Antonio, Texas, with additional units being formed at Rockwell Field, San Diego California.^[1]

Once formed, and prior to their deployment to Europe, Camp Taliaferro, north of Fort Worth, Texas and several airfields near Toronto, Ontario, Canada were used by the British Royal Flying Corps (RFC) to perform flight training for new Aero Squadrons. Camp Hancock, near Augusta, Georgia was used for training Service Squadrons of aircraft mechanics as well as flight training.^[2]

When ordered deployed to Europe, units were deployed though Garden City, New York, which was the primary port of embankment. Units there were loaded onto transport ships for the transatlantic crossing. Liverpool, England and Brest, France were the primary ports of dismemberment, although other ports were used. Some Aero Squadrons arriving in England received additional training from the Royal Flying Corps (later Royal Air Force (RAF)), then were attached to RAF squadrons and deployed with them to France. Others received training and were sent to Winchester, Hampshire where they awaited their cross-channel transfer to France, using the port of Southampton.^[1]

Upon their arrival in France, St. Maixent Aerodrome was the primary reception center for new Aero Squadrons assigned to the American Expeditionary Force (AEF). There, units were classified as Pursuit, Bombardment or as Observation units. Once processed, units were sent to the 1st Air Depot at Colombey-les-Belles Airdrome where the initial supply and equipment was issued to the units. If necessary, units were assigned to one of several Air Instructional Centers (AIC) for additional combat and gunnery training provided by the French, then once prepared for combat, Gengault Aerodrome (Toul) was used as assignment center for the new Squadrons, from which they were transferred to their initial combat station.^[1]

8th Aero Squadron (Observation), Saizerais Aerodrome, France, 11 November 1918

Below is a list of the airdromes used by the American Expeditionary Force that were sent to France during World War I.^[3] Operating from primarily French Air Force (French: Armée de l'Air (ALA) aerodromes (airfields), the deployed units of the Air Service, United States Army operated from these grass facilities. Many of locations of these aerodromes are approximate, given the fact they were all temporary facilities and today many are agricultural fields that have been in production for nearly a century since their wartime use. Locations have been ascertained via aerial photography, maps and other ancillary information.^[2]

After the 1918 Armistice, an almost complete demobilization of the Air Service was accomplished within a year. The National Defense Act of 1920 created the United States Army Air Service on a permanent basis being formed with new units. Later, some of the temporary wartime units were consolidated to retain the lineage and honors of their wartime service with the AEF.

Stations

American Sector

Command and Control

• Headquarters, Air Service, AEF, Chaumont, Champagne-Ardenne^[1]

• First Army Air Service ^[1]

Organized at: La Ferté-sous-Jouarre, Île-de-France, 10 August 1918

Moved to: Ligny-en-Barrois, Lorraine, 25 August 1918

Moved to: Souilly, Lorraine, 21 September-11 November 1918

• Second Army Air Service ^[1]

Organized at: Toul, Lorraine, 12 October-11 November 1918

Combat Airdromes

Support Aerodromes

• Colombey-les-Belles Aerodrome

Headquarters, Commanding General, Services of Supply

1st Air Depot. 48°31′51″N 05°53′02″E / 48.53083°N 5.88389°E / 48.53083; 5.88389 (Colombey-les-Belles Depot)

Airfield: 48°31′28″N 05°54′28″E / 48.52444°N 5.90778°E / 48.52444; 5.90778 (Colombey-les-Belles Airfield)

Initial supply and equipment depot for new units. Army personnel/medical center

Located 0.6 miles (0.97 km) WNW of Colombey-les-Belles, Lorraine^[2]

Training Schools

British Sector

^{[2] [4] [5]}

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

External links