Bernard Gineste: Sept escadrons étatsuniens à Etampes du 19 au 23 septembre 1917 (récits et clichés)

CORPUS HISTORIQUE ÉTAMPOIS

Bernard Gineste Sept escadrons étatsuniens à Étampes

du 19 au 23 septembre 1917

Soldats américains arrivés à Etampes le 19 septembre 1917 (© Corpus Étampois, 2004)

Indication portée au recto de cette carte postale

Configuration de la place de la gare à cette époque

Autre vue: défilé depuis la gare (collection Denis Decroix)

Cette page est consacrée et dédiée aux jeunes Étatsuniens qui traversèrent l’océan durant l’été 1917 pour venir combattre aux côtés de la France les Empire centraux. Sept escadrons aériens firent alors une escale de cinq jours à Étampes, sur la route d’Issoudun. Nous avons acheté à un vendeur étatsunien, parmi un lot de photographies anciennes, une carte-photo Rameau fort rare commémorant leur arrivée. Nous y avons joint ce que l’Abeille d’Étampes rapporte de cet événement, et tout ce que nous avons pu glaner sur la Toile au sujet de ces braves garçons. On y apprend notamment comment les hommes du Lieutenant Roosevelt, fils du président des États-Unis, se jouèrent malicieusement de leurs hôtes et firent le tour de chacun des 74 bistrots de notre bonne ville d’Étampes. Cette page a été mise à jour en mai 2005, grâce aux contributions de Denis Decroix et de Didier Lecoq dont les remercions chaleureusement ici.

ARRIVÉE DES ÉTATSUNIENS A ÉTAMPES
LE 19 SEPTEMBRE 1917      Mercredi matin 19 septembre 1917 arrivèrent en gare d’Étampes sept escadrons aériens de l’armée des États-Unis d’Amérique. Ils n’en repartirent que le dimanche suivant.

     Le Président Wilson avait déclaré la guerre à l’Allemagne le 6 avril. Entre le 12 et le 26 juin furent constitués, entre autres, les sept escadrons aériens qui nous occupent, à savoir les 30e, 31e, 32e, 33e, 35e, 36e et 37e, à Camp Kelly, au Texas. Ces unités étaient vouées à la maintenance des appareils et à la formation des aviateurs plutôt qu’à des missions de reconnaissance ou de combat. Elles paraissent avoir toutes embarqué à New York le 23 août pour Liverpool, à bord du steamship Basic, au sein d’un convoi escorté par un destroyer. Malgré un incident au large de l’Irlande qui leur fit redouter l’attaque d’un sous-marin allemand, elles arrivèrent saines et sauves à Liverpool et passèrent de là à Southampton où les 50 aviateurs du 36e effectuèrent deux jours d’entraînement à bord d’appareils britanniques.

     Ces unités débarquèrent au Havre vers le 18 septembre, où des prisonniers allemands refusèrent de croire qu’il s’agissait d’Américains, tant ils étaient persuadés de l’efficacité du blocus assuré par leurs sous-marins. De là nos escadrons arrivèrent à Étampes le mercredi 19 septembre au matin. Nous ne savons pas pour l’heure où ils tinrent leurs quartiers.

Le pilote Quentin Roosevelt

     Nous connaissons les noms de plusieurs de ces soldats et de leurs officiers. Le 31e était commandé par le capitaine Spatz, qui s’illustra plus tard comme général lors du débarquement allié de 1944 (sous le nom modifié de Spaatz). Le 32e était commandé par le First Lieutenant J. Dickinson Este, le 33e par le First Lieutenant Robert Haverty et le 36e par le First Lieutenant Quentin Roosevelt, fils du Président des Etats-Unis Theodore Roosevelt. Ce charmant jeune homme connu pour son humour fut abattu en plein vol à l’âge de vingt ans derrière les lignes ennemis le 14 juillet 1918 à Chamery près de Reims, et il repose désormais au cimetière militaire américain de Colville-sur-Mer à Omaha Beach, aux côtés de son frère Ted, mort en Normandie peu après le débarquement de 1944.

     Selon l’Abeille d’Étampes, la population admira leur jeunesse, leur apparence si caractéristique de grands enfants, leur gentillesse à l’égard des petits qui les guidaient pendant leurs heures de quartier libre, autant que leur discipline toute martiale en matière de défilé et de gardes, appréciée en connaisseurs par les poilus permissionnaires qui se trouvaient alors en ville.

     Le 36e escadron a conservé le souvenir que l’accueil reçu fut royal, et que chaque homme reçut un bon pour une boisson gratuite prise dans n’importe quel café de la ville; ils s’aperçurent vite qu’ils pouvaient redemander leur ticket à titre de souvenir... pour en fait le réutiliser ensuite dans un autre des 74 cafés de la ville. Le manège aurait duré toute une nuit. Inutile de dire que l’Abeille ne nous dit rien de tout cela.

     Elle nous apprend en revanche que le vendredi soir 21 septembre, les Étatsuniens donnèrent de manière improvisée une parade militaire suivie d’un concert vocal et instrumental place de l’Hôtel-de-Ville, en rameutant la population par un défilé rue Saint-Jacques depuis l’École du Centre jusqu’à la Mairie, au son du tambour et de la grosse caisse. Le concert fort apprécié se termina comme il convenait par la Marseillaise, suivie de l’hymne américain. La Municipalité offrit alors des fleurs et une coupe de champagne à chacun des musiciens, dans la salle d’honneur de la Mairie.

     Les Étampois vinrent nombreux à la gare assister au départ de ces troupes dans la journée du dimanche 23 septembre. Il semble que presque tous partirent pour Issoudun, leur nouveau quartier général et quelques autres pour Paris, d’où ils ne gagnèrent Issoudun que deux mois plus tard. Une photographie dans notre lot montre montre bien effectivement un avion victime d’un mauvais artterrissage à Issoudun. Cependant une autre montre aussi l'entrée de l’aérodrome militaire de Tours.

B. G.

Toute critique, toute correction ou toute information seront les bienvenues.

L'Abeille d'Etampes et 29 septembre 1917

L’Arrivée des Américains en gare d’…
Cliché Rameau.
Les… Sammies arrivés mercredi matin en notre ville, en sont repartis dans la journée du dimanche. Leur trop courte présence nous aura cependant permis d’apprécier à nouveau l’urbanité, l’affabilité des citoyens des Etats-Unis, et la force, la discipline, l’organisation de la nouvelle armée alliée. Si ce fut un réel plaisir que de voir ces grands enfants — car tous paraissaient être dans le printemps de la vie — flâner à travers nos rues, mordre voluptueusement dans les délicieux fruits de nos vergers beaucerons ou presser tendrement, dans leurs rudes mains, la menotte délicate de leurs petits guides français, c’en fut une autre, un grand et réconfortant plaisir, que d’admirer l’allure martiale et la tenue parfaite de ces futurs combattants. — Ils n’ont rien du «bleu», disaient les poilus qui les virent défiler par les rues, arme sur l’épaule, ou monter la garde. Vendredi soir, en particulier, ils nous offrirent une véritable parade militaire, agrémentée d’un concert vocal et instrumental des mieux réussis. Cette agréable cérémonie se déroula place de l’Hôtel-de-Ville; bien qu’elle n’eût pas été annoncée à la population, elle réunit une foule nombreuse, les quelques initiés en ayant rapidement répandu le bruit en ville. D’autre part, les musiciens, suivis de soldats en armes, se rendirent de l’École du Centre à la Mairie par la rue Saint-Jacques accompagnés en cadence par le tambour et la grosse caisse, ce qui attira un grand nombre de curieux aux fenêtres, puis à la suite de la petite troupe. Le concert se composa de plusieurs chants et morceaux orchestrés; les uns et les autres furent vigoureusement applaudis. Mais c’est surtout l’exécution de la Marseillaise qui arracha les bravos de l’assistance et suscita, à l’égard de nos hôtes, un vif mouvement de sympathie qui se traduisit par des acclamations. Dès qu’eurent retenti les premières notes de notre hymne national, tous les Sammies, qu’ils fussent groupés ou dispersés à travers la place, se mirent au garde-à-vous et saluèrent militairement, gardant cette position jusqu’à la fin du morceau. A cette marque de respect pour la France qu’ils viennent venger, les quelques civils qui se trouvaient présents répondirent en se découvrant bien bas lorsqu’éclata l’Hymne américain. Le concert terminé, la Municipalité offrit des fleurs et une coupe de champagne bien gagnée à chacun des musiciens, dans la salle d’honneur de la Mairie. Pour les remercier de cette gracieuse audition les Étampois vinrent nombreux, dimanche, assister à leur départ et leur souhaiter bonne chance. Nos vœux les accompagnent également dans leurs diverses étapes vers la Victoire.	Traduction en anglais à venir. English Translation: coming.

SOUVENIRS ÉTAMPOIS DU 36th AERO SQUADRON

The 36th Aero Squadron was formed at Kelly Field, Texas on 12 June 1917 by a group of aviation pioneers who desired to go to Europe and prove the value of air power in World War I. By August, they had relocated to New York and continued their training and other preparation for their overseas assignment. En route, they drilled and paraded at Texarkana, Arkansas; Chattanooga, Tennessee; and Hagerstown Maryland.

By the light of a full moon on 23 August 1917, the 36th sailed for Europe, specifically Liverpool, England aboard the S.S. Baltic. Additional ships in the convoy were met at Halifax, Nova Scotia. The voyage would not be completely without incident. While rounding the coast of Ireland, a large explosion was felt aboard the Baltic and immediate fears were that a German "U-Boat" was in the area. A diary read:

…It was just after supper, quite a few of us were up on the deck while others were below playing cards or reading. When a terrific crash was heard, followed by five blasts of the ships whistle which meant – to the boats! This was followed by a hastened but orderly movement to the lifeboats. An accompanying destroyer steamed over to the position of the alleged submarine and dropped depth charges. Further examination of the Baltic revealed only minor damage and the ship proceeded on to Liverpool where we were discharged…

The convoy continued into Southampton, where the 36th set up a temporary rest headquarters. While there, the fifty flyers assigned to the unit spent two days TDY, or as they called it the, detached duty, with the Royal Flying Corps for training. Other personnel continued preparations for the move to France. By 18 September 1917 the 36th had reached Le Havre, France. German Prisoners of War at Le Havre refused to believe that the men of the 36th were part of the US Army. They had been certain that German submarines were blockading all attempts to move US troops overseas.

Two days later the men of the 36th received a royal welcome at the town of Etamps, France. Civic leaders and military officials conducted a welcoming ceremony. Each man of the 36th received a ticket, which was good for one free drink, which could be used at any café in town. The men soon found out that they could present the ticket, imbibe one drink, and then ask for the ticket back to keep as a souvenir. This process was repeated throughout the night, and as the town had about 74 cafés, the squadron was temporarily immobilized.

En gare d'Issoudun

The 36th Squadron was dispersed to various French airplane factories and motor schools for continued training: One detachment went to Paris, another to Lyon, while the Commander and his headquarters element remained at Issoudum, France. Commanding the 36th at this time was 1Lt Quentin Roosevelt. In a letter to his father, the former President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt, the young Lieutenant stated:
Father, I command a wilder bunch of roughnecks that your roughriders ever dared to be! And rough they were.

TSgt John Sullivan

Le 36e escadron aérien fut constitué à Kelly Field, au Texas, le 12 juin par un groupe de pionniers de l’aviation qui désiraient gagner l’Europe et prouver l’efficacité de la puissance aérienne à l’occasion de la deuxième guerre mondiale. Vers le mois d’août il furent cantonnés à New York et poursuivirent leur entraînement et d’autres préparatifs en vue de leur affectation outremer. En route ils effectuèrent des manœuvres et des parades à Texarkana en Arkansas, à Chattanooga au Tennessee et à Hagerstown dans le Maryland.

A la lueur de la pleine lune, le 23 août 1917, le 36e s’embarqua pour l’Europe, précisément pour Liverpool en Angleterre, à bord du steamship Baltic. On rencontra des navires qui se joignirent au convoi à Halifax en Nouvelle Écosse. Ce voyage ne devait pas se dérouler tout à fait sans incident. Alors qu’on longeait l’Irlande, on ressentit une grosse explosion à bord du Baltic et on eut immédiatement la crainte qu’un sous-marin allemand ne soit dans les parages. Un journal porte:
Destroyer escortant le SS Basic

....C’était juste après le souper. Seuls quelques-uns d’entre nous étaient sur le pont tandis que les autres était en bas à jouer aux cartes ou à lire, lorsqu’on entendit un terrifiant craquement, suivi de cinq coups de sirène qui signifiaient: aux canots! Il s’ensuivit un mouvement rapide mais discipliné vers les canots de sauvetage. Un destroyer qui nous escortait se dirigea vers la position du supposé sous-marin et largua des torpilles. Un examen approfondi du Baltic révéla seulement des dégâts mineurs et le navire poursuivit sa route vers Liverpool où nous fûmes débarqués...

Le convoi continua sa route vers Southampton, où le 36e établit provisoirement ses quartiers de repos. Là, pendant que les cinquante volants affectés à cette unité passaient deux jours de TDY, ou comme ils appelaient ça, de service détaché avec les Royal Flying Corps, les autres personnels continuèrent les préparatifs pour le départ en France. Vers le 18 septembre 1917, le 36e escadron aérien arriva au Havre en France. Des prisonniers de guerre allemands au Havre refusèrent de croire que les hommes du 36e faisaient partie de l’armée des États-Unis. Ils étaient convaincus que les sous-marins allemands contrecaraient toute tentative de transporter sur mer des troupes étatsuniennes.

Deux jours plus tard les hommes du 36e reçurent un accueil royal à Étampes, en France. Les autorités civiles et militaires organisèrent une cérémonie de bienvenue. Chaque homme du 36e reçut un ticket qui donnait droit à une boisson gratuite, qui pouvait être utilisé dans n’importe quel café en ville. Les hommes s’aperçurent vite qu’ils pouvaient présenter le ticket, avaler une boisson, puis demander à ce qu’on leur rende le ticket pour le garder en souvenir. Ce système fut exploité toute la nuit, et comme la ville comptait à peu près 74 cafés, l’escadron fut immobilisé quelque temps.

En gare d'Issoudun

     Le 36e escadron fut dispersé dans différente usines aéronautiques et école de mécaniques françaises afin de compléter sa formation: un détachement gagna Paris, un autre Lyon, tandis que le chef de l’unité et une partie de son QG resta à Issoudun en France. Celui qui commandait le 36e à cette époque était le premier lieutenant Quentin Roosevelt. Dans une lettre à son père, l’ancien président des États-Unis, Theodore Roosevelt, le jeune lieutenant déclara:
     Père, je commande une bande de durs à cuire plus farouches que vos dresseurs de chevaux n’ont jamais osé l’être!
     Et c’était bien de rudes gaillards.

Trad. B. G., 2004

DEUX LOTS DE PHOTOGRAPHIES

MIS EN VENTE SUR INTERNET EN NOVEMBRE 2003

AYANT APPAREMMENT APPARTENU À UN MEMBRE DE L’UN DE CES ESCADRONS

1er lot: Note du vendeur en ligne
(Erin, Tennessee)

GROUP OF PHOTO’S FROM WORLD WAR I

This is a group of vintage photo’s from World War I. Some are identified with such captions as: BOCHE "77" WITH DEAD GUNNER AT SIDE, BREECH OF LONG RANDE GUN, FRENCH AIRPLANE LISTENING POST, BRITISH TANK AFTER ENGAGEMENT, AFTER THE ATTACK ENEMY DEAD IN TRENCH, SENEGALESE TROOPS GOING INTO ACTION IN ALSACE (french), the shelled towns are identified as RHEIMS and YPRES. The one with a train has written on the back R.R. STATION ISSOUDUN, FRANCE and the one with a ship has written on the back IN THE DANGER ZONE. AMERICAN DESTROYER. There are pictures that are not identified. These photo’s come from a recent estate and I have another group I will list next that contains mostly Aircraft from WWI and includes a picture of American Ace Frank Bruggner.

Ce lot nous a échappé. On y remarquera la photographie du destroyer qui escorta le navire de transport de troupe S.S. Basic de New York à Liverpool, et une photographie de la gare d’Issoudun, où arrivèrent le 23 septembre 1917 certains des escadrons qui avaient quitté Étampes le même jour après y avoir séjourné trois jours durant.

B.G.

Lot de photographies vendues avec cette carte

2e lot: Note du vendeur en ligne
(Erin, Tennessee)

GROUP OF PHOTO’S FROM WORLD WAR I-AIRPLANE’S
and AMERICAN ACE FRANK BRUGGNER

This is a group of vintage photo’s from World War I. Some are identified with such captions as: ARRIVAL OF 30-31-32-33-35-36-37th AERO SQUADRONS AT ETAMPES, FRANCE, SEPTEMBER 18, 1917 (this is a French postcard with the previous hand written on the back) OBSERVATION BALLOON IN HANGER,CAUDRON PLANE DAMAGED BY MACHINE GUN FIRE, A FINAL NOSE DIVE OF AN AR PLANE, RESULT OF SIDESLIP INTO GROUND, BAD LANDING 3rd A.I.C., CRACK UP ALBANY, MO. 5-30-20 PLANE STANDARD J1 PILOT LT. V.C. BOYD PASSENGER GEO. ROSS (this picture is after WWI). The last picture at the bottom of the scan shows a man with his hands in his pockets, this photo has written on the back FRANK BRUGGNER AMERICAN ACE 8 BOSCHE PLANES 4 BOSCHE BALLONS. There are pictures that are not identified. These photo’s come from a recent estate and I have another group listed, so give them a view.

Nous avons acheté ce lot-ci. On y remarquera la photographie d’un as étatsunien, Frank Bruggner (en haut à droite), dont nous ne savons pas à quelle unité il a appartenu (et dont un spécialiste nous a dit ne jamais avoir entendu parler ni ne trouver aucune trace), ainsi que celle de l’entrée d’un aérodrome militaire français.

B.G.

Identification de deux lieux ci-dessus photographiés

En mai 2005, Didier Lecoq, rédacteur du site Aréoplane de Touraine, nous a permis d’identifier les lieux de deux des photographies de ce lot.

Entrée de l’École d’Aviation Militaire de Paraçay-Meslay, près Tours
(2d Air Instruction Center)

Entrée de l'Ecole d'Aviation Militaire de Paraçay-Meslay en 1917

Entrée de l’aérodrome militaire de Paraçay-Meslay

L’école d’aviation dont l’entrée est photographié est celle de Paraçay-Meslay, dans la banlieue de Tours. Didier Lecoq possède lui-même «une carte postale qui doit dater des années 1920-1923. Le portail a été refait, une guitoune a été ajoutée et l’inscription "Aviation militaire" a pratiquement disparu. Ou alors elle était d’une couleur qui n’a pas supporté l’usure du film noir et blanc.»

«Tours est, avec Aulnat, une base française cédée à l’aviation américaine (il y avait plusieurs milliers de soldats US à Tours). S’y trouvaient une école primaire pour l’apprentissage et une école d’observateurs (observation et photographie). Les pilotes volaient sur Caudron G-3. Mais il y avait aussi des G-4, quelques Nieuport.» (courriel du 18 mai 2005)

Atterrissage raté à l’École d’Aviation Militaire d’Issoudun
(3d Air Instruction Center)

Par ailleurs une photographie d’avion écrasé au sol, la queue en l’air, porte au dos la mention «Bad landing. 3d A.I.C», c’est-à-dire: «Third Air Instruction Center», en français: «Mauvais atterrissage. Troisième Centre d’Instruction Aéronautique». Or Didier Lecoq nous apprend que ce Troisième Centre d’Instruction était Issoudun, tandis que celui de Tours était le Second.

Atterrissage raté à l'école d'Aviation d'Issoudun

Atterrissage raté à Issoudun

Tous nos remerciements à Didier Lecoq pour ces précieuses indications qui nous permettent de nous représenter plus clairement où allaient ces jeunes Étatsuniens qui passèrent à Étampes en septembre 1917.

DONNÉES EN LIGNE SUR CES SEPT ESCADRONS
ET SUR VINGT DE LEURS MEMBRES

Léon TERRIER & Maurice DORMANN [dir.], «L’Arrivée des Américains en gare d’…» [avec un cliché Rameau, le même qui est reproduit sur notre première carte postale], in L’Abeille d’Étampes et le Réveil d’Étampes [3e année ; publiée sous la direction de MM. Léon Terrier et Maurice Dormann] 170 (samedi 29 septembre 1917), p. 1.

Bernard GINESTE [éd.], «Sept escadrons étatsuniens à Étampes du 19 au 23 septembre 1917 (récit et clichés)», in Corpus Étampois, http://www.corpsuetampois.com/che-20-19170919etatsuniens.html, 2004-2005 [avec des contributions en 2005 de Denis Decroix (pour la deuxième photographie, et de Didier Lecq, pour l’identification des photographies de l’entrée de l’aérodrome de Paraçay-Meslay et de l’accident d’Issoudun].

THE GREAT WAR SOCIETY [dir.], «Issoudun Aerodrome Flying School», in World War I. Trenches on the Web, http://www.worldwar1.com/dbc/issodun.htm, en ligne en 2004.

Operating the 3rd Aviation Instruction Center required a large number of organizations. Serving at Issoudun were the following U.S. Aero Squadrons: 10th, 21st, 26th, 30th, 31st, 32nd, 33rd, 35th, 37th, 43rd, 101st, 149th, 158th, 173rd, 257, 369th, 372nd, 374th, 640th, 641st, 642nd, 644th, 801st, 802nd, and 1104th.

30th Aero Squadron

Sur le 30e escadron

AFHRA [Air Force Historical Research Agency (Maxwell AFB, Alabama)], «USAF Air Demonstration Squadron» [30th Aero Squadron], in ID., Research Division. Organizational History Branch, http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/wwwroot/rso/squadrons_flights_pages/usafads.html, 2001 (en ligne en 2004).

USAF Air Demonstration Squadron. Lineage: Organized as 30th Aero Squadron on 13 Jun 1917. Demobilized on 14 Apr 1919 […]. Assignments : Unkn, 13 Jun-Sep 1917; Third Aviation Instruction Center, Sep 1917-Jan 1919; unkn, Jan-14 Apr 1919. […] Stations : Camp Kelly (later, Kelly Field), TX, 13 Jun 1917; Fort Totten, NY, 16-22 Aug 1917; Southampton, England, 15 Sep 1917; Etampes, France, 19 Sep 1917; Issoudun, France, 23 Sep 1917; Bordeaux, France, c. 6 Jan-c. 18 Mar 1919; Mitchel Field, NY, c. 5-14 Apr 1919. […] Operations: Repaired and overhauled aircraft engines in France, Sep 1917-Nov 1918. […] Honors: Service Streamers. World War I Theater of Operations. […] Updated October 12, 2001.

John PIKE [éd.], «USAF Air Demonstration Squadron» [remaniement de la meme page], in GlobalSecurity.org, http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/usaf/usafads.htm, 2002 (en ligne en 2004).

The US Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron traces its official lineage to the 30th Aero Squadron which was organized on 13 June 1917 at Camp Kelly (later, Kelly Field), TX. Assigned, from September 1917-January 1919, to the Third Aviation Instruction Center, the squadron was tasked with repairing and overhauling aircraft engines in France; a mission which lasted until November 1918. The squadron was demobilized on 14 April 1919 at Mitchel Field, NY.

Sur 6 membres du 30e escadron
(Robert R. Burdette, Oscar Gorham, Carl V. Brown, Corporal Frank J. Carver, Lewis Philbrick & Clyde Betts)

Janine M. BORK (Union County GenWeb Coordinator) [éd.], «Robert R. Burdette: Letter to Mr H. A. Boyle (Camp Kelly, San Antonio, Texas. June 28, 1917)» [lettre publié dans un journal de Noth Powder le 7 juillet 1917], in ID., «Union County, Oregon. Genealogy and History Project», in USGenNet Project [United States Genealogy Network, Inc.], http://www.usgennet.org/usa/or/county/union1/letters.htm#RRBURDETTE, 1999 (en ligne en 2004).

Camp Kelly, San Antonio, Texas.
June 28, 1917
Mr. H.A. Boyle,
North Powder, Oregon
Friend Harley:
I suspect you will be somewhat surprise to hear from me, but I will try and write you a few lines anyhow. You will have to excuse this pencil as my pen is dry.
This is some country down here. It gets awfully hot here thru the day but it is always cool at night. We are only 80 miles from the Gulf so we get the ocean breeze every day. It hasn’t rained for about six weeks. The crops are beginning to suffer some. I am stationed at Camp Kelly, about 7 miles from San Antonio. This camp is a new Aviation Field. It has just been started since the first of the year. The government intends to make this the largest aviation center in the world. They have about 100 machines here now. They are building steel hangars for them just as fast as they can. These machines here are just school machines. They have no war planes here at present.
It is no uncommon sight to see 12 and more planes in the air at the same time.
There are between 8,000 and 10,000 men here at this camp for aviators alone. All the men for the other branches of the service are stationed on the other side of San Antonio. I was sure some surprised to hear that Earl McMurren could not pass the examination. Have any of the other fellows joined the army or navy yet?
Oscar Gorham and myself are still in the same company. We have been assigned to the 30th Aero Squadron. We will probably be sent to Panama to train. Do not know for sure.
We do not have so very much to do. We have to drill 4 hours per day, and nearly all the rest of the time we have to ourselves.
We have a regular baseball team in our company. We have cleaned up everything in camp. We have a game scheduled with the San Antonio State League team for the 4th of July. Have you fellows been playing any ball?
If any of the fellows are in danger of being drafted, I would advise them to join right away while they can choose which ever branch of the service they want. Because when the draft starts they will be put in the Infantry and the drafted men are sure going to get the worst end of it all of the time.
We are getting good wages now, $30.00 per mongth and board and clothes.
I would like to be at home but I have never regretted joining the army.
I will have to close for this time as it is drill time. Will write more next time.
Give my regards to all of the fellows. If you ever have time I would sure like to hear from you.
I am as ever your friend,
ROBERT R. BURDETTE,
Camp Kelly,
San Antonio, Texas
Provisional Aviation School Squadron.

North Powder News, Saturday
July 7, 1917

INTERMENT.NET, «Chattanooga National Cemetery (Chattanooga, Hamilton County, Tennessee). Surnames Bro» [page des patronymes commençant par Bro-], in ID., Cemetery Transcription Library [Browse 3,709,236 cemetery records across 7,882 cemeteries from around the world] http://www.interment.net/data/us/tn/hamilton/chattanat/index_bro.htm, en ligne en 2004.

Brown, Carl V, b. 02/28/1894, d. 08/14/1962, CHAUFF 30TH AERO SQUADRON AIR SERVICE USA, Plot: PP 608, bur. 08/17/1962, * [* Records with an asterisk at the end indicates those that have not been verified as accurate by the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs].

DVRBS.COM [The Delaware Valley Rhythm & Blues Society, Inc., A non-profit Organization dedicated to Classic Rhytm & Blues Music, Local History, Community Service], «Frank J. Carver», in ID, Camdem County War Dead Index, http://www.dvrbs.com/WW1-FrankJCarver.htm, en ligne en 2004.

American Battle Monuments Commission. World War I Honor Roll. — Frank J. Carver. — Corporal, U.S. Army. — 30th Aero Squadron. — Entered the Service from: New Jersey. — Died: October 21, 1918. — Buried at: ?. — CORPORAL FRANK J. CARVER was born in 1886. He had lived at 67 South 29th Street in Camden NJ. He enlisted in the Army Aviation Corps at the age of 31 on December 1, 1917. He was sent to Camp McArthur in Waco TX, where he was assigned to the 30th Aero Squadron on December 20. After training there he was sent to Camp Greene NC, after which he was again transferred, this time to Hempstead NY, on Long Island, on August 1, 1918. — Corporal Frank J. Carver died of pneumonia at Hempstead NY on October 21, 1918. He was survived by his mother, Mrs. Eleanor Carver.

Alice ALLEN & Holly VONDEROHE [éd.], «The Camas Post, November 16, 1917» [extrait d’un journal local du Comté de Clarck dans l’état de Washington, USA], in ID., «THIS WEEK IN CLARK COUNTY», in USGenWeb Project [United States Genealogy Network, Inc.], http://www.rootsweb.com/~waclark/ccwweek2.html, 1999 (en ligne en 2004).

The Camas Post, November 16, 1917:
Personals:
A letter received recently at the W. W. PHILBRICK home, from their son, Lewis, says that the latter is now with the 36th aero squadron in France. Further statement is made that the Camas company of boys in the aero service has been broken up and assigned to various stations. PHILBRICK and Clyde BETTS are yet together in the 36th to which they were recently transferred from the 30th squadron.

31st Aero Squadron

Sur le 31e escadron

Philippe COLIN, «31st Test and Evaluation Squadron », in ID., The FB-111A “Switchblade”, http://www.fb-111a.net/31TES.html, en ligne en 2004.

The 31st Aero squadron of the Army Signal Corps was organized at Kelly Field, TX on June 26, 1917. This was to be the genesis of a long and prestigious history. The squadron served in France during World War I and it was there that the "skull and crossbones" were first placed upon a 31st Aero Squadron aircraft. The patch was officially approved in 1934 by the War Department.

Sur le capitaine Spatz (plus tard Spaatz), chef de cette unité
(plus tard Général et l’un des artisans du débarquement de 1944)

US AIR FORCE, «General Carl A. Spaatz», in ID., Air Force Link [the official World Wide Web site of the United States Air Force], http://www.af.mil/bios/bio.asp?bioID=7210, en ligne en 2004.

GENERAL CARL A. SPAATZ. — Retired June 30, 1948. Died July 14, 1974.
General Carl A. Spaatz was the first chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
The general was born in 1891, in Boyertown, Pa. In 1910, he was appointed to the U.S. Military Academy. He graduated June 12, 1914, and was commissioned a second lieutenant of Infantry. He served with the 25th United States Infantry at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, from Oct. 4, 1914, to Oct. 13, 1915, when he was detailed as a student in the Aviation School at San Diego, Calif., until May 15, 1916.
In June 1916, General Spaatz was assigned at Columbus, N.M., and served with the First Aero Squadron under Gen. John J. Pershing in the Punitive Expedition into Mexico. He was promoted to first lieutenant July 1, 1916, in May 1917 joined the Third Aero Squadron in San Antonio, Texas, and in the same month was promoted to captain.
General Spaatz went to France with the American Expeditionary Forces in command of the 31st Aero Squadron and, after Nov. 15, 1917, served in the American Aviation School at Issoundun continuously, except for one month at the British Front, until Aug. 30, 1918. In this period, he received a temporary promotion to major.
He joined the Second Pursuit Group in September 1918, as pursuit pilot in the Thirteenth Squadron, and was promoted to flight leader. He was officially credited with shooting down three German Fokker planes, and received the Distinguished Service Cross. [...]

US AIR FORCE, «General Carl A. Spaatz» [autre page], in ID., Air Force Link [the official World Wide Web site of the United States Air Force], http://www.af.mil/history/person.asp?dec=1940&pid=123006494, en ligne en 2004 (N’est plus en ligne en août 2004).

General Carl A. Spaatz
Carl Andrew "Tooey" Spaatz was the first chief of staff of the independent Air Force and a main developer of tactical air doctrine. During World War II, Spaatz commanded the largest armada of aircraft and airmen ever assembled under the control of a single commander. In an historic first, he also commanded the Army plane "Question Mark" in its refueling endurance flight in California over the Los Angeles vicinity from Jan. 1 to 7, 1929, keeping the aircraft aloft a total of nearly 151 hours.
Spaatz was born in June 1891, in Boyertown, Penn. In his early years, he acquired the nickname "Tooey" which stuck with him his entire life. In 1910, he was appointed to the U.S. Military Academy, and commissioned a second lieutenant of Infantry in 1914. He served with the 25th U.S. Infantry at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, from 1914 to 1915, when he was detailed as a student in the Aviation School at San Diego, Calif.
In June 1916, Spaatz was assigned at Columbus, N. M., and served with the 1st Aero Squadron under Gen. John J. Pershing in the Punitive Expedition into Mexico. Spaatz went to France with the American Expeditionary Forces as commander of the 31st Aero Squadron. Later that year he became a member of the American Aviation School at Issoudun. In 1918 he joined the 2d Pursuit Group and was promoted to flight leader. On that assignment he was credited officially with downing three German Fokker aircraft and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. [...]

ANONYME, «General Carl Spaatz», in ALLSTAR Network [Aeronautics Learning Laboratory for Science, Technology, and Research], http://www.allstar.fiu.edu/aero/spaatz.htm, en ligne en 2004.

Carl Spaatz was an army and air force officer. Born on June 28, 1891, in Boyertown, Pennsylvania, Spaatz (originally Spatz - he added an “a” in 1937) graduated from West point in 1914 and was commissioned in the infantry. After a year at Schofield barracks, Hawaii, he entered aviation training in San Diego, California, becoming one of the army’s first pilots in 1916 and winning promotion to first lieutenant in June. He advanced to captain in May 1917 and was ordered to France in command of the 31st Aero Squadron. He organized and directed the aviation training school at Issoudon and by the end of the war had managed to get just three weeks’ combat duty, during which he shot down three German aircraft. In June 1918 he was promoted to temporary major. […]
From Webster’s American Military Biographies, Merriam Co., 1978. 497p., Carl Spaatz, pp. 404-405.

ANONYME, «D-Day Leaders: Spaatz», in MILITARY.COM, Military.Com remembers D-Day, http://www.military.com/Content/MoreContent1/?file=dday_leaders7, en ligne en 2004.

     Carl Andrew ’Tooey’ Spaatz (his surname was originally Spatz, the extra "a" was added in 1937) was born in Boyertown, Penn. on June 28, 1891. After graduating from West Point in 1914, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the infantry and assigned to the Schofield Barracks in Hawaii. He volunteered for the fledgling Air Corps in 1916 and became one of the first military aviators in the U.S. Army.
     In May 1917 he was promoted to captain and placed in command of the 31st Aero Squadron in France.
     His primary mission was to establish a curriculum and training plan for the 3rd Aviation Instruction Center at the aerodrome at Issoudon. By the end of World War I he managed three weeks of combat flight time, during which he received the Distinguished Service Cross for shooting down three German aircraft. In June 1918 he was brevetted a major.

Roel BOONS & ABOUTTHEWORLDWAR2.TK [De Tweede Wereldoorlog samengevat], «Spaatz, Andrew Carl», in Users.Skynet.be, http://users.skynet.be/fa101291/personen/Spaatz.htm, en ligne en 2004.

Carl Andrew ’Tooey’ Spaatz (his surname was originally Spatz, the extra "a" was added in 1937) was born in Boyertown, Penn. on June 28, 1891. After graduating from West Point in 1914, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the infantry and assigned to the Schofield Barracks in Hawaii. He volunteered for the fledgling Air Corps in 1916 and became one of the first military aviators in the U.S. Army.
In May 1917 he was promoted to captain and placed in command of the 31st Aero Squadron in France.
His primary mission was to establish a curriculum and training plan for the 3rd Aviation Instruction Center at the aerodrome at Issoudon. By the end of World War I he managed three weeks of combat flight time, during which he received the Distinguished Service Cross for shooting down three German aircraft. In June 1918 he was brevetted a major.

Robin SMITH, «Maj Carl A. Spaatz» [avec des photos dont celle reproduite ci-dessus], in ID., ASC History Office [Aeronautical Systems Center], http://www.ascho.wpafb.af.mil/birthplace/SPAATZ.HTM, 2002, en ligne en 2004.

Carl A. Spaatz entered the U.S. Military Academy in 1910. Spaatz was accepted for aviation training, received his wings in 1916, and saw his first combat service with Pershing’s Punitive Expedition in Mexico. In 1917, he went to France in command of the 31st Aero Squadron, where he shot down three enemy planes and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. Early in 1919, Spaatz, from his station at Rockwell Field, San Diego, California, flew an SE-5 British-built fighter in a transcontinental air race, making the best time in a single seater.

Erwin N. THOMPSON, Defender of the Gate. The Presidio of San Francisco. A History from 1846 to 1995. Historic Resource Study [645 p.], Denver, National Park Service, 1997 dont une edition numérique au format pdf, http://www.nps.gov/prsf/history/hrs/thompson/tt19.pdf, en ligne en 2004], p., note 11.

Carl Spaatz added the second "a" to his name in 1937 in a failed effort to have people call him "spahtz" instead of "spats", a gentleman’s clothing fad at that time. Spaatz graduated from West Point in 1914 and accepted a commission in the Infantry. Following a tour in Hawaii he began aviation training at San Diego in 1915. In World War I he commanded the 31st Aero Squadron in France where in three weeks of combat he shot down three enemy planes. Promoted to temporary major in 1918, he was assigned to the Western Department in 1919. [...]

US AIR FORCE, «Biographies: Carl Spaatz», in Davis-Monthan Flight Log, http://www.dm.af.mil/dm_ops_logbook/biographies.html, en ligne en 2004.

     Carl Spaatz
     A highly decorated officer, Carl Spaatz rose to the rank of First Chief of Staff of the newly created U.S. Air Force in 1947. His career spanned three of the most formative decades of flight. His awards included the Distinguished Flying Cross, Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Corss, Bronze Star Medal. He received ribbons for three conflicts in which he took place—the Mexican Interior Campaign, World War I, and World War II. Foreign awards Spaatz received included the Grand Officer of the French Legion of Honor, the French Coix de Guerre, Grand Commander of the British Empire, Russian’s Second Order of Suvorov, and Poland’s Polonla Restituta Commander’s Cross with Star.
     Spaatz was born on June 28, 1891, in Pennsylvania. He attended the U.S. Military Academy, graduating in 1914. Spaatz was commissioned a 2nd lieutenant with the 25th Infantry at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. In October 1915, his career in aviation began when he was sent to the Aviation School at San Diego, California. After completing his schooling in 1916, he was assigned to the 1st Aero Squadron, which was serving with Gen. John J. Pershing’s Punitive Expedition in Mexico.
     In May 1917, Spaatz was assigned to the 3rd Aero Squadron in San Antonio, Texas, and was soon promoted to captain. When the United States became involved in World War I, Spaatz was sent to France with the American Expeditionary Forces in France, serving with the 31st Aero Squadron. While in Europe, Spaatz served in the American Aviation School at Issoudun, as well as at the British Front up until August 30, 1918. The following month, he joined the 13th Squadron of the 2nd Pursuit Group, where he was promoted to flight leader. During this period he shot down three German Fokker planes, and received the Distinguished Service Cross.
     Following the end of the war, Spaatz served in California and Texas, becoming the assistant air service officer for the Western Department beginning in July 1919. Following a promotion to major, he was placed in command of Kelly Field, Texas, where he served until February 1921. He then served as Air Officer of the 8th Corps Area and later as commanding officer of the 1st Pursuit Group at Ellington Field, Texas, and later at Selfridge Field, Michigan. By June 1925, he served in the office of the Chief of Air Corps in Washington, D.C. […].

Sur un autre membre du 31e escadron
(Sergent Fuecy Cutlip)

Darilee BEDNAR [éd.], «SW Washington Servicemen and women World War 1. Caverley to Cutlip», in ID., Skagit County (Washington) USGenWeb Project, http://www.rootsweb.com/~waskagit/swww1service4.html, en ligne en 2004.

In the Service The Great World War Honor Roll Southwest Washington was published by F. H. Cole Printing Co of Centralia Wash, No copyright date was found but usually these books were printed about 1921 and in fact this book has a receipt dated 1920. This book is unusually descriptive and that prose was created by "Mrs. Kina Bower, Historian, who arranged the information in story form so that it could easily read and understood." Some of the example biographies were chosen because of her prose. This book was published after the "Centralia Murder" on Armistice Day.

Sgt. Fuecy Cutlip, of PeEll
enlisted in the service 4 Jul 1917, at Aberdeen. He was assigned to the 31st Aero Squadron, and sent to San Antonio TX for training. Here he was promoted to Sergeant, and sailed for France, 11 Sep 1917. He served in France and England until 18 Mar 1919, when he sailed for home. He was sent to Camp Mills and received his discharge 11 Apr 1919.

32d Aero Squadron

Sur le 32e escadron

AFHRA [Air Force Historical Research Agency (Maxwell AFB, Alabama)], «32d Air Refueling Squadron» [32d Aero Squadron], in ID., Research Division. Organizational History Branch, http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/wwwroot/rso/squadrons_flights_pages/0032ars.html, 2001 (en ligne en 2004).

32d Air Refueling Squadron. — Lineage: Organized as 32d Aero Squadron on 13 Jun 1917. Demobilized on 14 Apr 1919. […]. — Assignments: Unkn, 13 Jun–Sep 1917; Third Aviation Instruction Center, Sep 1917–Jan 1919; unkn, Jan–14 Apr 1919. […]. — Stations: Camp Kelly, TX, 13 Jun–11 Aug 1917; Etampes, France, 20 Sep 1917; Issoudun, France, 28 Sep 1917; Bordeau, France, c. 6 Jan–c. 18 Mar 1919; Mitchel Field, NY, c. 5–14 Apr 1919. […]. — Operations : Aircraft repair, 1917–1918. […]. — Honors: Service Streamers. World War I Theater of Operations. […]

John PIKE [éd.], «32nd Air Refueling Squadron [32nd ARS]» [remaniement de la même page], in GlobalSecurity.org,
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/usaf/32ars.htm, 2003 (en ligne en 2004).

The 32nd Air Refueling Squadron was originally organized as the 32nd Aero Squadron on 13 June 1917 at Camp Kelly, TX. It was assigned to the Third Aviation Instruction Center from September 1917 to January 1919, and provided aircraft repair, from 1917–1918 and flying trainers in France. It was demobilized on 14 April 1919 at Mitchel Field, NY.

Sur deux membre du 32e escadron dont son commandant
(First Lieutenant J. Dickinson Este, chef d’unité; Sergent Elmer D. Truett)

Ralph COOPER [éd.], «J. Dickinson Este, 1887-1962», in ID., The Early Birds of Aviation, Inc. [An organization of pioneers who flew solo before December 17, 1916], http://www.earlyaviators.com/eeste.htm, en ligne en 2004.

          J. Dickinson Este. When World War I is three years old and military aviation is perking up in the States, Jonathan Dickinson Este, (now Rockwood Lane, Greenwich, Conn.) already a manufacturer of mechanical devices convinces the War Department it would make a mistake if his services were not utilized.
     He is born in Philadelphia March 12, 1887, had three years at St. Johns military school and graduates from St. Lukes, and from Princeton as a C.E., 1909. He had experience in motorcycles, automobiles and racing plus his manufacturing and begins flying lessons under Walter E. Johnson at Glendinning’s "Philadelphia School of Aviation" the summer of 1916. By November 15, 1916 he has his seaplane ceretificate No. 59 of the Aero Club.
     After Phil Roosevelt checks his record he is accepted for enlistment at Fort Monroe, April 15, 1917, and is ordered to active duty as Sergent Este, Signal Enlisted Reserve Corp, under well-known section 55, Act of June 3, 1916, at the Curtiss contract school at Newport News. By June 5 Victor Carlstrom has given him nearly 15 hours, on JN4s and in another week passes his RMA test and is recommended for commission.
     He then finds himself, July 2, 1917, at Kelly Field as First Lieutenant, Aviation Section, Signal Officers Reserve Corps, with "Bob" Olds and Randolph G. Page, Carl Spatz and others present. In August he is commanding officer of the 32nd Provisional Aero Squadron and in October he is in France with his squadron.
     After losing his bedding roll and narrowly missing Issoudun he is assigned in Paris as policy and liaison officer.
     In March he does reach Issoudun, reports on various fields, takes the gunnery course at Cazaux, returns to the III A.I.C. and from there to Romorantin on test flying.
     As pilot of the 13th Squadron, 2nd Pursuit Group, 1st Army, (Spad), he is cited for extraordinary heroism in action near Chambley on September 13, 1918, destroying one EA and driving another out of control. A few days later his CO, Charles J. Biddle also recommends him for a Captaincy which comes through in time.
     After Armistice he is relieved to return to the United States and is honorably discharged......... ..president of the United States Combustion Corporation.

from CHIRP - APRIL, 1947 - PESCO, CLEVELAND, OHIO - NUMBER 35
courtesy of Steve Remington - CollectAir

We have just learned that J. Dickinson Este died last September. It is lamentable that no previous information was received although several inquiries from members have reached us in the last few months.

From The Early Birds of Aviation CHIRP
October 1962, Number 69

Darilee BEDNAR [éd.], «SW Washington Servicemen and women World War 1. Page 14», in ID., Skagit County (Washington) USGenWeb Project, http://www.rootsweb.com/~waskagit/swww1service14.html, en ligne en 2004.

Sgt. Elmer D. Truett, of Chehalis
enlisted in the service 16 Apr 1917 at Vancouver WA. He was assigned to the 13th Aero Squadron and sent to the Kelly Field at San Antonio for training. There he was transferred to the 32nd Aero Squadron, and he sailed for France 11 Aug 1917 on the British Ship Baltic. He spent 19 months in the air service and was promoted to Sergeant. After the excitement was all over, he sailed for home, 1919 Mar and was sent to Camp Lewis, where he received his discharge 19 Apr 1919.

33rd Aero Squadron

Sur trois membres du 33e escadron
(Tauf Charneski, Raymond H. Green & le Premier Lieutenant Robert Haverty, probablement chef de cette unité)

Darilee BEDNAR [éd.], «SW Washington Servicemen and women World War 1. Page 4» & «SW Washington Servicemen and women World War 1. Page 6», in ID., Skagit County (Washington) USGenWeb Project, http://www.rootsweb.com/~waskagit/swww1service4.html & http://www.rootsweb.com/~waskagit/swww1service6.html, en ligne en 2004.

[p. 4] Tauf Charneski of Chehalis
enlisted in the service 12 Apr 1917, at Vancouver WA. He was assigned to the 33rd Aero Squadron, and sent to the Kelly Field TX for training. He was there transferred to the 103rd Aero Squadron. He was promoted to 1st Class Private and left for France 23 Aug 1917 on the Baltic. He saw service on all fronts. He was in the battle of Champagne. Chemin des Dames, Flanders, St. Mihiel, Meuse-Argonne and toul Sector. He served with the 4th Toul Sector. He served with the 4th and 6th French armies and was decorated for his daring and gallantry. He received the Croix-de-Guerre. and was cited two or three times. He stuck with it until the fighting was over, and remained in France until 19 Feb 1919 when he sailed home on the Frederick. He was sent to Camp Lewis, and received his discharge 22 May 1919.

[p. 6] Raymond H. Green, of Centralia
enlisted in the service 10 Apr 1917 at Centralia. He was assigned to the Air Service and sent to Vancouver Barracks. He was transferred from there to Kelly Field, San Antonio TX. He sailed overseas 23 Aug 1917 on the Troopship Baltic, from New York. Here he was put in the 33rd Aero Squadron. He served in France until 17 Mar 1919, when he sailed for America on the Arizonian. He was sent to Camp Lewis upon his arrival and there received his discharge, 18 Apr 1919.

ANONYME («Charles»), «The British, French and U.S. Services: 1st Lieutenant Robert Haverty», in The Aero Conservancy to preserve early Areonautica. A Virtual Museum of Early Artifacts, http://www.aeroconservancy.com/allies.htm, 2003 (en ligne en 2004).

Coupure de presse deraltive au Lieutenant Haverty, du 33rd Aero Squadron

Brevet français de pilote militaire pour le Lieutenant Haverty du 33rd Aero Squadron

1st Lieutenant Robert Haverty
This is a French Brevet certificate named to a 1st Lieutenant Robert Haverty awarding him his wings dated July 1, 1918. Top right is the front page of the 18 November 1930 Memphis Evening Appeal which reports the formation by Major Robert Haverty of the 105th Observation Squadron, “a Tennessee State unit,” and goes on to say that “Maj. Haverty was attached to the 33rd Aero Squadron at Issoudon France. At the time of his enlistment, he knew that his eyesight was not up to wartime regulations so he memorized the vision charts so he could fight in the air.” Tennessee State Library & Archives records show that Haverty was born June 17, 1889 in Atlanta, Georgia, lived in Memphis, Tennessee, enlisting July 17, 1917 at Chicago, "School of Military Aeronautics Austin Texas to October 18, 1917; Cadet #14 to Dec 14, 1917; Beaumont Det Flying Cadets #1 to discharge. Grade: Pvt 1 cl July 17, 1917. Hon Disch: June 13, 1918 to Accept Commission. ..Called into Active Service as: 1st Lt AS June 14, 1918 from ERC. Org & Assgn: 33 Aero Sq to ___; ASA Inassigned to Disch. Principal Stations: AEF; Garden City N.Y. OS: Nov 14, 1917 to march 6, 1919. Hon Disch: March 8, 1919.
One source reports that the 33rd Aero Squadron "arrived as a unit at Issoudon during the late fall of 1917, assigned to Field #6 or 7 as Cadre and helped to build the barracks and hangars in one of the worst winter’s on record. Their job was repair of aircraft (minor), teaching, feeding and housing the students assigned to them. They left France in about May or April 1919."

BONHAMS & BUTTERFIELDS [site de vente], «Arms Sale 7338a, Aviation Memorabilia», in Bonhams & Butterfields - Areas of
Collecting - Arms & Armor [catalogue de vente], http://www.butterfields.com/areas/arms/7338A/detail/7338a-1129.htm, en ligne en 2004.

Framed French Aviator Certificate Belonging to U.S. Pilot Robert Haverty of the U.S. 33rd Aero Squadron. — Framed 8 1/2 inch X 12 1/4 inch French award certificate to American aviator Robert Haverty. Text reads: République Francaise / Ministère De La Guerre / Aéronautique Militaire / Brevet D’Aviateur Militaire / Le Ministere de la Guerre. / Vu l’Instruction en date du 20 Mai 1914 sur la délivrance du Brevet relatif à la conduite des candidats au dit Brevet, décerne à la date du 1er Juillet 1918 à Mr Haverty, Robert, 1st Lieutenant, le Brevet d’Aviateur Militaire. Fait à Paris, le 19__ / No. 1 of 435. Sold together with news clipping dated 1930 concerning his command of 15 lieutenants, all named to duty in 105th Observation Squadron. — Condition: Certificate with age discoloration and minor stains at bottom. Frame with minor scuffs. — Estimates: 300 / 500. — Lot no. 1129. — Sale no. 7338A

35th Aero Squadron

Sur le 35e escadron

AFHRA [Air Force Historical Research Agency (Maxwell AFB, Alabama)], «35th Fighter Squadron» [35th Aero Squadron], in ID., Research Division. Organizational History Branch, http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/wwwroot/rso/squadrons_flights_pages/0035fs.html, 2001 (en ligne en 2004).

35th Fighter Squadron. — Lineage: Organized as 35th Aero Squadron on 12 Jun 1917. Demobilized on 19 Mar 1919. […]. — Assignments: Unkn, 12 Jun–Nov 1917; Third Aviation Instruction Center, Nov 1917–Jan 1919; unkn, Jan–19 Mar 1919. […]. — Stations: Camp Kelly, TX, 12 Jun–11 Aug 1917; Etampes, France, 20 Sep 1917; Paris, France, 23 Sep 1917; Issoudun, France, Nov 1917; Clisson, France, 4 Jan 1919; St. Nazaire, France, 9–20 Feb 1919; Garden City, NY, 9–19 Mar 1919. […]. — Operations: Assembled and maintained aircraft and constructed facilities, 1917–1918. […]. — Honors: Service Streamers. World War I Theater of Operations. […].

347thAMS.COM (347th Avionics Maintenance Squadron), «35th Fighter Squadron» [page entièrement reprise de l’AFHRA], http://347thams.com/35th.htm, 2004.

John PIKE, «35th Fighter Squadron [35th FS] "Panton"» [remaniement de la même page], in GlobalSecurity.org, http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/usaf/35fs.htm, 2003 (en ligne en 2004).

The 35th Fighter Squadron was originally organized as the 35th Aero Squadron on 12 June 1917 at Camp Kelly, TX. from November 1917 to January 1919, it was assigned to the Third Aviation Instruction Center and tasked with assembling and maintaining aircraft as well as constructing facilities in France. It was demobilized on 19 March 1919 in Garden City, NY.

KUNSAN AIRBASE [USA], «Heraldry and Notes on Selected Squadrons. 35th Aerosquadron; 36th Aerosquadron; 80th Pursuit Squadron », in ID., How it was. 8th Fighter Wing History (1932-1945), http://kalaniosullivan.com/KunsanAB/8thFW/Howitwasb1a1.html#HERALDRY, en ligne en 2004.

35th Aero Squadron: The Army organized the 35th Aero Squadron at Camp Kelly, Texas on 12 June, 1917. On September 20, 1917 the 35th Aero Squadron arrived at Etampes, France. within three days it would move to Paris and two months later to Issoudun. During WWI, the 35th did not fly any aircraft. Instead, it served as a maintenance unit of the Third Aviation Instruction Center in France. According to the AFHRA: 35th Fighter Squadron, it "Assembled and maintained aircraft and constructed facilities, 1917–1918." On March 9, 1919, the squadron returned to the U.S. from France. Then days later it was demobilized. On March 24, 1923, the Army reconstituted the 35th Aero Squadron on the inactive list, making it available for later activation. On June 25, 1932, the 35th joined the 8th Pursuit Group.

Sur un membre du 35e escadron
(Broderick T. Ortega)

INTERMENT.NET, «San Francisco National Cemetery (San Francisco, San Francisco County, California). Surnames Ok-Pai» [page des patronymes de Ok- à Pai-], in ID., Cemetery Transcription Library [Browse 3,709,236 cemetery records across 7,882 cemeteries from around the world], http://www.interment.net/data/us/ca/sanfran/sfnat/san_fran_okpai.htm, en ligne en 2004.

San Francisco National Cemetery. — San Francisco, San Francisco County, California [...]. — Ortega, Broderick T, d. 01/22/1940, PVT 1/C 35TH AERO SQUADRON AIR SVC, Plot: E-EAS708, bur. 11/26/1940, * [* Records with an asterisk at the end indicates those that have not been verified as accurate by the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs].

36th Aero Squadron

Sur le 36e escadron

AFHRA [Air Force Historical Research Agency (Maxwell AFB, Alabama)], «USAF Air Demonstration Squadron» [30th Aero Squadron], in ID., Research Division. Organizational History Branch,
http://www.au.af.mil/au/afhra/wwwroot/rso/squadrons_flights_pages/0036fs.html, 2001 (en ligne en 2004).

36th Fighter Squadron. — Lineage: Organized as 36th Aero Squadron on 12 Jun 1917. Demobilized on 7 Apr 1919. […]. — Assignments: Unkn, 12 Jun–Sep 1917; Third Aviation Instructor Center, Sep 1917; French Aerial Gunnery School, Feb 1918; American Aerial Gunnery School, Nov 1918–Feb 1919; unkn, Feb–7 Apr 1919.[…]. — Stations: Camp Kelly, TX, 12 Jun–11 Aug 1917, Etampes, France, 19 Sep 1917; Issoudun, France, 24 Sep 1917; Cazaux, France, 21 Feb 1918; St Jean–de–Monts, France, 5 Nov 1918; St Nazaire, France, 16 Feb–14 Mar 1919; Garden City, NY, 25 Mar–7 Apr 1919. […]. — Operations: Constructed facilities and assembled and maintained aircraft, 1917–1919. […]. — Honors: Service Streamers. World War I Theater of Operations.

347thAMS.COM (347th Avionics Maintenance Squadron), «36th Fighter Squadron» [page entièrement reprise de l’AFHRA], http://347thams.com/36th.htm, 2004.

ANONYME [«Swissy»], «8th Fighter Group History», in ID., Web-Birds.Com, http://www.web-birds.com/5th/8/8th.htm, en ligne en 2004.

The 33rd, 35th and 36th Aero Squadrons were activated in 1917 at Camp Kelly, Texas. During WW 1 they were stationed in several locations in France where they constructed facilities, maintained Aircraft and functioned as flying training units.

Détails sur le 36e escadron en 1917 et sur son chef d’unité,
le First Lieutenant Quentin Roosevelt, fils du Président Roosevelt

KUNSAN AIRBASE [USA], «Heraldry and Notes on Selected Squadrons. 35th Aerosquadron; 36th Aerosquadron; 80th Pursuit Squadron», in ID., How it was. 8th Fighter Wing History (1932-1945), http://kalaniosullivan.com/KunsanAB/8thFW/Howitwasb1a1.html, en ligne en 2004.

     36th Aero Squadron: The following is excerpted from the 36th Fighter Squadron History first assembled by TSgt John Sullivan, 51st TFW Historian. "The 36th Aero Squadron was formed at Kelly Field, Texas on 12 June 1917 by a group of aviation pioneers who desired to go to Europe and prove the value of air power in World War I. By August, they had relocated to New York and continued their training and other preparation for their overseas assignment. En route, they drilled and paraded at Texarkana, Arkansas; Chattanooga, Tennessee; and Hagerstown Maryland.
     By the light of a full moon on 23 August 1917, the 36th sailed for Europe, specifically Liverpool, England aboard the S.S. Baltic. Additional ships in the convoy were met at Halifax, Nova Scotia. The voyage would not be completely without incident. While rounding the coast of Ireland, a large explosion was felt aboard the Baltic and immediate fears were that a German "U-Boat" was in the area. A diary read:
     …It was just after supper, quite a few of us were up on the deck while others were below playing cards or reading. When a terrific crash was heard, followed by five blasts of the ships whistle which meant – to the boats! This was followed by a hastened but orderly movement to the lifeboats. An accompanying destroyer steamed over to the position of the alleged submarine and dropped depth charges. Further examination of the Baltic revealed only minor damage and the ship proceeded on to Liverpool where we were discharged…
     The convoy continued into Southampton, where the 36th set up a temporary rest headquarters. While there, the fifty flyers assigned to the unit spent two days TDY, or as they called it the, detached duty, with the Royal Flying Corps for training. Other personnel continued preparations for the move to France. By 18 September 1917 the 36th had reached Le Havre, France. German Prisoners of War at Le Havre refused to believe that the men of the 36th were part of the US Army. They had been certain that German submarines were blockading all attempts to move US troops overseas.
     Two days later the men of the 36th received a royal welcome at the town of Etamps, France. Civic leaders and military officials conducted a welcoming ceremony. Each man of the 36th received a ticket, which was good for one free drink, which could be used at any café in town. The men soon found out that they could present the ticket, imbibe one drink, and then ask for the ticket back to keep as a souvenir. This process was repeated throughout the night, and as the town had about 74 cafes, the squadron was temporarily immobilized.
     The 36th Squadron was dispersed to various French airplane factories and motor schools for continued training: One detachment went to Paris, another to Lyon, while the Commander and his headquarters element remained at Issoudum, France. Commanding the 36th at this time was 1Lt Quentin Roosevelt. In a letter to his father, the former President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt, the young Lieutenant stated:
Le pilote Quentin Roosevelt

     Father, I command a wilder bunch of roughnecks that your roughriders ever dared to be!
     And rough they were. Food was scarce at Issoudun. Often, a meal consisted of three pieces of hard tack, a cup of coffee, and a spoonful of beans. The coffee was especially good. However, it was flavored with a distinct wine taste, caused in no small part by the fact that old wine barrels were considered good water carriers by 36th personnel. In addition, the men enjoyed the fruits of the surrounding orchards.
     Being able to survive with limited rations was thing, however, when General John J. Pershing inspected their unit in late October 1917, the men of the 36th let him know in no uncertain terms that they would like their pay. It had been more that three months since their last payday. Two days later, a paymaster arrived at 10L00 in the evening and help pay call.
     Through 1918 the 36th was assigned to various aerial gunnery schools, and other training areas. Men were often sent to other units for combat duty or other duties, as required. The 36th did not get into combat as a unit during the war. Barracks were constructed entirely through self-help, at La Corneau, France, and hydroplanes were repaired at that facility, along with an occasional Nieuport. A gunnery school was also established at St. Jean de Monts, France.
     After World War I, the 36th returned to the United States aboard the SS Mancuria and on 7 April 1919 were demobilized at Garden City, New Jersey.

ANCESTRY.COM, «Quentin Roosevelt», in ID., Find a grave, http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=2686&pt=Quentin%20Roosevelt, 1999 (en ligne en 2004).

United States Army Officer. Youngest son of 26th United States President Theodore Roosevelt. A Lieutenant in the United States Army Air Corps during World War I, he was killed when his Nieuport 28 aircraft was shot down behind German lines on July 14, 1918. German soldiers placed a crude cross over his grave, near the rural French village of Chamery, near Reims. The grave subsequently underwent some revisions and was treated as a pilgrimage site by admiring US and French citizens. On July 12, 1944, Quentin’s oldest brother, Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., died of a heart attack in Normandy following the invasion of France. After the war, the two brothers were buried side by side at the US Military Cemetery, Colville-sur-Mer, Omaha Beach, Normandy, France. The original cross placed on Quentin’s grave is now on display at the United States Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio. Quentin’s mother, Edith Kermit Roosevelt, later had a stone monument fashioned to cover her son’s grave. When Quentin was reinterred at Normandy, the stone from his grave at Chamery was moved to a location of honor on the lawn of the Roosevelt home, Sagamore Hill, Oyster Bay, Long Island, New York.

After Quentin was shot down on July 14, 1918, his plane crashed in territory behind German lines near the small French village of Chamery. After the troops identified him, they photographed him Iying beside his aircraft. This photo was later made into a postcard that was printed and sold for anticipated propaganda value

Added by: US Air Force Museum and Warrick L. Barrett, 7/23/1999

Sur 4 autres membres du 36e escadron
(Edward Ralph Kenneson, Edward Norval Fortson, Lewis Philbrick & Clyde Betts)

Mike O’NEAL, «Edward Ralph Kenneson», in Ralph COOPER, Pioneer Pilot Walter E. Lees, 1887-1957 [from his collection of photos, news clipping and his journal, many from the book “Pioneer Pilot” edited by his daughter Jo Lees Cooper], http://home.earthlink.net/~ralphcooper/biokenne.htm, 2003 (en ligne en 2004).

EDWARD RALPH KENNESON
1894-1919

Edward Ralph Kenneson (36th Aero Squadron)

     Edward Ralph Kenneson was born 4 November 1894 in Somerville, Massachussetts. He learned to fly at the School of Aeronautics at Newport News, Va. October 1916 and earned his license there on 2 December 1916. Shortly thereafter, he enlisted in the regular Army and was assigned to Fort Monroe on 18 Dec 1916.
     He was detailed to Princeton as the chief instructor in April 1917. Kenneson oversaw much of the original organization of the Corps at Princeton including the construction of the hangers, and surrounding buildings and the construction of the four newly arrived JN-4B’s.
     Kenneson gave most of the cadets their first ride. His fiance lived in Hamilton Square, NJ, just a short flying distance from the field. Carl Erdman, who was one of Kenneson’s students recalled that Kennson would fly over his fiances home and loop the Jenny. According to Erdman, there were no fatal results except Kennesons "marriage to the occupant".
     When Princeton was disbanded in August, he was sent to Kelly field.
     On 22 August 1917 he sailed for France as CO 36th Aero Squadron. He continued instructing at the 3rd Aviation Instruction Center at Issodun, France "for over a year" before applying for assignment to a front line squadron. On 12 July 1918, he was assigned to the 91st Aero Squadron, a Corps observation unit. Kenneson did excellant work with the 91st and was transferred to the 9th Aero Squadron on 2 September 1918. By the end of September, Kenneson was appointed Commanding Officer of the 9th and served in that capacity until the end of the war. Known as a tireless pilot, he continued flying missions with the 9th after taking over the unit. According to one pilot in the 9th, Kenneson had more hours than any other pilot in the unit. Kenneson was recommended for a a Captaincy, but before his promotion could come through, he died of pneumonia on 9 January 1919 while with the Army of Occupation. He was buried at Suresnes, France.
Photo: Lt. Edward Ralph Kenneson. Photo from Seely G. Mudd Archives, Princeton University.
This photo and brief biographical sketch have been generously supplied by Mike O’Neal. Mike has been compiling a complete history of the Princeton group since around 1980. Over the last few years, he has interviewed many of the families and writes that he is glad he waited just a bit longer to start writing the "final" product. If you have more information or photos of this pioneer aviator, we would love to hear from you.

Mail to Ralph Cooper

B. KIPKE [éd.], «Edward Norval Fortson», in ID. [éd.], «The Society of the Sons of the Revolution in the District of Columbia: Honor Honor Roll of the members of the Sons of the Revolution in the District of Columbia who in the spirit of self sacrifice enrolled themselves in the service of their Country in the World War of 1914-1918 (1920)», in ID., Kipke Genealogy, http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~kipke/sotr/honroll2.htm, 1998 (en ligne en 2004).

Edward Norval FORTSON: Enlisted in Signal Reserve Corps, Air Service, U. S. Army, July 18, 1917; Commissioned Second Lieutenant, May 18, 1918; First Lieutenant, May 18, 1918. School of Military Aeronautics, Princeton University, Princeton, N.J.; Italian School of Aviation, Foggia, Italy; Italian Air Force (Breveted "Pilote Aviatori" in Italian Army); Adjutant, 102d Aero Squadron; 36th Aero Squadron; Post Adjutant, Cazaux, France; Officer in charge of enlisted division at Tours, France. Honorably discharged June 27, 1919.

Alice ALLEN & Holly VONDEROHE [éd.], «The Camas Post, November 16, 1917» [extrait d’un journal local du Comté de Clarck dans l’état Washington, USA], in ID., «THIS WEEK IN CLARK COUNTY», in USGenWeb Project [United States Genealogy Network, Inc.], http://www.rootsweb.com/~waclark/ccwweek2.html, 1999 (en ligne en 2004).

37th Aero Squadron

Sur le 37e escadron

AFHRA [Air Force Historical Research Agency (Maxwell AFB, Alabama)], «37th Bomb Squadron» [37th Aero Squadron], in ID., Research Division. Organizational History Branch, http://www.maxwell.af.mil/au/afhra/wwwroot/rso/squadrons_flights_pages/0037bs.html, 2001 (en ligne en 2004).

37th Bomb Squadron. — Lineage: Organized as 37th Aero Squadron on 13 Jun 1917. Demobilized on 15 Apr 1919. […]. — Assignments: Unkn, 13 Jun–Sep 1917; Third Aviation Instruction Center, Sep 1917–Jan 1919; unkn, Jan–15 Apr 1919. […]. — Stations: Camp Kelly, TX, 13 Jun–11 Aug 1917; Etampes, France, 18 Sep 1917; Issoudun, France, 23 Sep 1917; Bordeaux, France, c. 6 Jan–c. 18 Mar 1919; Mitchel Field, NY, c. 5–15 Apr 1919. […]. — Operations : Construction, 1917–1918; flying training, 1918. […] Honors: Service Streamers. World War I Theater of Operations.

TIGER-LAIR.ORG, «USAF 037BS», in TigerLair.org, http://www.tiger-lair.org/The.Lair/WW.Tigers/wwt.n-america/USAF_037BS/, en ligne en 2004.

History: The 37th Bomb Squadron was activated for the first time on 13 June 1917 at Camp Kelly, TX as the 37th Aero Squadron. Equipped with the Avro 504-K. After a period of 14 years of being disbanded (from 1919 to 1933) the 37th reformed at Langley Field, VA as the 37th Pursuit Squadron flying the Curtis P-6 ’Hawk’.

Appareil utilisé par le 37th Aero Squadron: Avro 504 K

Avro 504-K, appareil utilisé par le 37th Aero Squadron en 1917.

Sur 4 membres du 37e escadron
(Matthew Meehan, John L. Pierson, Josse C. West, Albert E. Halfpenny)

ROOTWEB.COM, «Jersey City World War I Roll of Honor», in ID., «Hudson County, New Jersey: Jersey City», in RootWeb.Com, http://www.rootsweb.com/~njhudson/JC/wwim-q.htm, en ligne en 2004.

MEEHAN, Matthew

37th Aero Squadron, U.S. Army

France

94 Hudson Street

No Entry

INTERMENT.NET, «San Francisco National Cemetery (San Francisco, San Francisco County, California). Surnames Pen-Pig» [page des patronymes de Pen- à Pig-], in ID., Cemetery Transcription Library [Browse 3,709,236 cemetery records across 7,882 cemeteries from around the world] http://ww.interment.net/data/us/ca/sanfran/ sfnat/san_fran_penpig.htm, en ligne en 2004.

Pierson, John L, d. 03/28/1928, PVT 37TH AERO SQDN, Plot: B 65, * [* Records with an asterisk at the end indicates those that have not been verified as accurate by the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs].

INTERMENT.NET, «Willamette National Cemetery (Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon). Surnames W» [page des patronymes en W-], in ID., Cemetery Transcription Library [Browse 3,709,236 cemetery records across 7,882 cemeteries from around the world] http://www.interment.net/data/us/or/multnomah/ willanat/w/willamette_w07.htm, en ligne en 2004.

West, Josse C, b. 09/20/1886, d. 12/18/1956, CHAUFFEUR 1ST CL 37TH AERO SQ AIR SVC, Plot: K’ 1957, bur. 12/21/1956, * [* Records with an asterisk at the end indicates those that have not been verified as accurate by the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs].

INTERMENT.NET, «Golden Gate National Cemetery (San Bruno, San Mateo County, California). Surnames H» [page des patronymes en H-], in ID., Cemetery Transcription Library [browse 3,709,236 cemetery records across 7,882 cemeteries from around the world] http://www.interment.net/data/us/ca/sanmateo/ ggate/h/golden_h01.htm, en ligne en 2004.

Halfpenny, Albert E, d. 06/09/1942, PVT 1/CL 37TH AERO SQDN, AV SECT SIGNAL CORPS, Plot: L BLO7670, bur. 06/25/1942, * [* Records with an asterisk at the end indicates those that have not been verified as accurate by the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs].

Notre photographie de haut de page a été partiellement reproduite par un magazine étatsunien, Kids dicover, dans un numéro consacré à Teddy Roosevel: Kids Discover XV/9 (septembre 2005), p. 16, avec mention du crédit photographique p. 20.

Merci de nous communiquer toute autre données. Any other data welcome.

CHRONOLOGIE DE L’HISTOIRE AÉRONAUTIQUE DES ÉTATS-UNIS
POUR LES ANNÉES 1917-1918

Daniel L. HAULMAN, One Hundred Years of Flight. USAF Chronology of Significant Air and Space Events 1903–2002 [15 cm sur 23,5; 169 p.], Air Force History and Museums Program & Air University Press, 2003 [dont une édition numérique au format pdf, http://www.au.af.mil/au/afhra/chronologyofflight.pdf, en ligne en 2004], pp. 14-19.

1917

February 19: Lt. Col. John B. Bennet became chief of the Aviation Section of the Signal Corps, replacing Lt. Col. George O. Squier, who became chief signal officer.
April 6: President Woodrow Wilson signed a congressional declaration of war against Germany, by which the United States entered World War I.
April 30: Maj. William C. Mitchell became the first Army officer to fly over enemy lines in World War I, less than a month after the United States entered the war. He flew as an observer in a French aircraft.
May 16: President Woodrow Wilson established an Aircraft Production Board to supervise the manufacture of U.S. aircraft and parts for the nation’s participation in World War I.
May 20: An airplane sank a submarine for the first time when a British flying boat destroyed German submarine U–36 in the North Sea.
May 26: Maj. Townsend F. Dodd became the first aviation officer on the staff of Maj. Gen. John J. Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces.
June 17: The Aeronautical Mission, Aircraft Production Board, led by Maj. Raynal C. Bolling (the Bolling Mission), sailed for Europe. It was charged with determining the types of aircraft the United States should build and with surveying British, French, and Italian aircraftmanufacturing techniques.
July 3: The American Expeditionary Forces began arriving in France.
July 24: Congress appropriated $640 million for Army aviation and authorized the Aviation Section to expand to 9,989 officers and 87,083 enlisted men. No earlier appropriation had come close to this amount.
July 27: A British DeHavilland DH–4 aircraft arrived in the United States to serve as a model for the first American-built aircraft equipped with the U.S.-made Liberty 12-cylinder engine.
September 3: Brig. Gen. William L. Kenly was appointed first chief of the Air Service, American Expeditionary Forces, thus becoming the first single head of all U.S. air activities in-theater. Col. William “Billy” Mitchell became air commander, Zone of Advance.
September 13: The 1st Aero Squadron arrived in France as the first air unit to serve with the American Expeditionary Forces.
October 18: The Signal Corps established an experimental laboratory at McCook Field, Dayton, Ohio, to test new aviation technology.
October 29: The first American-built DH–4 was completed and flown at Dayton, Ohio.
November 7: Eugene J. Bullard, an American in French service, became the first black fighter pilot to claim an aerial victory.
November 27: Brig. Gen. Benjamin D. Foulois replaced Brig. Gen. William L. Kenly as chief of the Air Service, American Expeditionary Forces.

1918

January 19: The U.S. School of Aviation Medicine began operations under Maj. William H. Wilmer at Hazelhurst Field, Mineola, New York, to train medical doctors and nurses to treat U.S. military aviation personnel.
January 20: Col. William “Billy” Mitchell became chief of Air Service, I Army Corps, upon its organization at Neufchateau, France.
February 5: Lt. Stephen W. Thompson, flying as a gunner in a French-piloted airplane, became the first Army soldier to score an aerial victory.

Many American pilots in World War I flew the Nieuport 28, a French fighter.

February 18: The 103d Aero Squadron, composed of former members of the Lafayette Escadrille and using Spad airplanes, began operating at the front under tactical control by the French.
March 5: The 2d Balloon Company became the first Army air unit to serve with American troops at the front in World War I when it began operations under I Corps at the Toul Sector.
March 11: Lt. Paul Baer of the 103d Aero Squadron earned the first Distinguished Service Cross awarded to a member of an Army air unit by becoming the first pilot with an American squadron to down an enemy airplane. U.S. pilots with earlier aerial victories had served with the French.
April 1: The Royal Air Force emerged from the combined resources of the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service.
April 14: Lt. Douglas Campbell and Lt. Alan F. Winslow became the first members of the 94th Aero Squadron to shoot down enemy aircraft when they downed two German fighters within minutes of each other over Toul Airdrome.
April 21: Capt. A. Roy Brown, a Canadian member of Britain’s Royal Air Force, shot down Baron Manfred von Richthofen, Germany’s “Red Baron.” Richthofen, the leading ace of the war, had shot down 80 airplanes.
April 23: The first shipment of U.S. Liberty aircraft engines arrived in France.
April 29: Lt. Edward V. Rickenbacker, who later became the leading U.S. ace of World War I with 26 victories, shot down his first airplane.
May 5: The 1st Pursuit Group was organized at Toul, France, to coordinate the 94th and 95th Aero Squadrons. Now the 1st Operations Group, 1st Fighter Wing, it is the oldest USAF group in existence.
May 11: The first American-built DH–4, equipped with a Liberty engine, arrived in France for service with the American Expeditionary Forces.

The DeHavilland DH–4. Many U.S. Air Service pilots in France
during World War I flew this British-designed airplane.

May 15: Army pilots began flying the government’s first permanent airmail route—Washington, D.C., to New York.
May 19: Raoul G. Lufbery, who earned 17 aerial victories with the Lafayette Escadrille before transferring to the American Expeditionary Forces, lost his life in combat. He had passed much of his knowledge of aerial warfare to fledgling American fighter pilots such as Eddie Rickenbacker.
May 20: Army aviation was separated from the Signal Corps with the formation of two new War Department bureaus—the Division of Military Aeronautics, under Maj. Gen. William L. Kenly, and the Bureau of Aircraft Production, under John D. Ryan, who was named director nine days later.
May 24: The War Department recognized the Division of Military Aeronautics and the Bureau of Aircraft Production as constituents of the Army Air Service.
May 29: Brig. Gen. Mason M. Patrick became chief of Air Service, American Expeditionary Forces.
June 12: The 96th Aero Squadron conducted the first daylight bombing by an American unit when it attacked enemy-held marshalling yards at Dommary-Baroncourt, France.
August 2: U.S.-built airplanes patrolled the front lines for the first time when 18 DH–4 airplanes of the 135th Observation Squadron flew from an airdrome at Ourches, France.
August 28: John D. Ryan, already the director of the Bureau of Aircraft Production, became assistant secretary of war and the first director of the Army Air Service, giving him control over both the Bureau of Aircraft Production and the Division of Military Aeronautics.
September 12–15: Brig. Gen. William “Billy” Mitchell commanded the largest air armada ever assembled—1,481 Allied airplanes—during the first major American offensive of the war at Saint-Mihiel, France.
September 25: Capt. Edward V. Rickenbacker of the 94th Aero Squadron earned the Medal of Honor by shooting down two enemy airplanes in a group of seven he attacked near Etain, France.
September 29: Lt. Frank Luke of the 27th Aero Squadron lost his life in aerial combat after having destroyed 18 enemy balloons and airplanes in 17 days. He was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously.
October 2: The United States successfully flight-tested a pilotless aircraft called the Kettering “Bug” at Dayton, Ohio.
October 6: Second Lt. Erwin R. Bleckley of the Kansas National Guard, flying as an aircraft observer with the 50th Aero Squadron, and his pilot, 1st Lt. Harold E. Goettler, were killed after repeatedly trying to locate and resupply the famous “lost battalion,” which had been cut off by German forces in the Argonne Forest. Each man was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, accounting for half of such awards made to Army aviators during World War I.
October 12: Members of the 185th Aero Squadron flew the first U.S. nightpursuit operations in France.
October 30: Capt. Edward V. Rickenbacker, the highest-ranking U.S. ace of World War I, scored his 26th and final aerial victory.
November 6: At Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, Dr. Robert H. Goddard demonstrated tube-launched, solid-propellant rockets, forerunners of the bazooka—an antitank weapon of World War II.
November 10: The 3d Aero Squadron flew the last Army Air Service patrol over enemy lines in World War I. The next day, the Allies and Germany agreed to an armistice.
December 22: Four Curtiss JN–4 “Jenny” aircraft, with pilots under the command of Maj. Albert D. Smith, completed the Army’s first transcontinental flight, landing at Jacksonville, Florida, after departing San Diego on December 4.

BIBLIOGRAPHIE GÉNÉRALE

Étampes et l’Aviation dans le Corpus Étampois

Bernard GINESTE, «Étampes et l’Aviation: quelques documents», in Corpus Étampois, http://www.corpusetampois.com/index-aviation.html, 2006.

Toute critique, toute correction ou toute information seront les bienvenues. Any criticism or contribution welcome.

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