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List of Air Service American Expeditionary Force aerodromes in France facts for kids

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When the United States joined World War I on April 6, 1917, the Air Service of the United States Army was quite small. It was part of the Signal Corps and called the Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps. There were only 1,120 people, with just 65 officers. The Army wasn't ready to send planes to Europe, so they had to prepare quickly after President Woodrow Wilson declared war.

Getting Ready for War in the Skies

AEF Stations France 1918
Map showing where the main U.S. Army Air Service bases were in France during 1918.

To build up the U.S. air power, new aviation groups called aero squadrons were created. Many were formed at Kelly Field in San Antonio, Texas, and some at Rockwell Field in San Diego, California. Before these squadrons went to Europe, they got flight training from the British Royal Flying Corps (RFC). This training happened at Camp Taliaferro in Texas and airfields near Toronto, Canada. Mechanics for the planes were trained at Camp Hancock in Georgia.

When it was time to go overseas, units left from Garden City, New York. They boarded ships there to cross the Atlantic Ocean. In Europe, they usually arrived in Liverpool, England, or Brest, France. Some squadrons that landed in England received more training from the British, first the RFC and later the Royal Air Force (RAF). These units sometimes joined British squadrons and went to France with them. Others went to Winchester, Hampshire, in England, before crossing the English Channel to France from Southampton.

Once in France, new aero squadrons joining the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) first went to the Air Service Replacement Concentration Barracks in St. Maixent. Here, they were sorted into different types: pursuit (for fighting other planes), bombardment (for bombing targets), or observation (for scouting). After this, they went to special Air Instructional Centers (AIC) for more training. Some also went to specific schools, like the First Corps Observation Group School or the First Pursuit Organization and Training Center.

8th Aero Squadron - AEF
Members of the 8th Aero Squadron (Observation) at Saizerais Aerodrome, France, on November 11, 1918.

The Air Service units in France operated from grass airfields. At first, they used airfields already built by the French "Aéronautique Militaire" (French Air Force). Later, new airfields were built just for the American forces. Many of these airfields were temporary, and today, most of their traces have disappeared.

After the Armistice (the end of fighting) in November 1918, the wartime Air Service was scaled down. This process finished within a year. Then, the National Defense Act of 1920 officially created the United States Army Air Service as a permanent part of the military. Some of the temporary wartime units were combined to keep their history and honors from their service in World War I.

Air Service Bases in France

This section lists the main barracks and airfields used by the American Expeditionary Force in France during World War I. Most command centers were in barracks or borrowed buildings, not always on airfields. However, some were on airfields, like in Souilly, Saizerais, or Toul.

American Sector Bases

Command and Control Centers

  • Headquarters, Air Service, AEF, Chaumont, Champagne-Ardenne
  • First Army Air Service

* Started at: La Ferté-sous-Jouarre, Île-de-France, August 10, 1918 * Moved to: Ligny-en-Barrois, Lorraine, August 25, 1918 * Moved to: Souilly, Lorraine, September 21 – November 11, 1918

  • Second Army Air Service

* Started at: Toul, Lorraine, October 12 – November 11, 1918

  • Third Army Air Service

* Started at: Ligny-en-Barrois, Lorraine, November 14, 1918 * Moved to: Longuyon, Lorraine, November 22, 1918 * Later moved to Germany.

Combat Airfields

These were the airfields where American squadrons flew missions.

Support Bases and Depots

These locations helped supply, repair, and manage the Air Service.

Training Schools

These schools taught pilots and mechanics the skills they needed.

Aviation Instruction Centers

British Sector Bases

Some American squadrons operated from airfields in the British sector of the front, often working with British forces.

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