2nd Pursuit Group
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The 2nd Pursuit Group was an
Air Service, United States Army The United States Army Air Service (USAAS)Craven and Cate Vol. 1, p. 9 (also known as the ''"Air Service"'', ''"U.S. Air Service"'' and before its legislative establishment in 1920, the ''"Air Service, United States Army"'') was the aerial warf ...
unit that fought on the Western Front during
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
as part of the Air Service,
First United States Army First Army is the largest OC/T organization in the U.S. Army, comprising two divisions, ten brigades, and more than 7,500 Soldiers. Its mission is to partner with the U.S. Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve to enable leaders and deli ...
. It was demobilized in France on 10 April 1919. There is no modern
United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...
unit that shares its lineage and history.


History

The group was organized on 29 June 1918 at Croix de Metz Aerodrome, Toul, France. The
13th Aero Squadron The 13th Aero Squadron was a United States Army Air Service unit that fought on the Western Front (World War I), Western Front during World War I. The squadron was assigned as a Day Pursuit (Fighter) Squadron as part of the 2d Pursuit Group, F ...
was initially the only unit assigned. The 2nd Pursuit Group immediately began operations against the enemy. The
139th Aero Squadron The 139th Aero Squadron was a United States Army Air Service unit that fought on the Western Front during World War I. The squadron was assigned as a day pursuit (fighter) squadron as part of the 2d Pursuit Group, First United States Army. ...
was assigned to the group the next day, and by 16 August the
13th In music or music theory, a thirteenth is the Musical note, note thirteen scale degrees from the root (chord), root of a chord (music), chord and also the interval (music), interval between the root and the thirteenth. The thirteenth is m ...
and
22nd Aero Squadron The 22nd Aero Squadron was a United States Army Air Service unit that fought on the Western Front (World War I), Western Front during World War I. The squadron was assigned as a Day Pursuit (Fighter) Squadron as part of the 2nd Pursuit Group, ...
s filled out the unit's complement of
squadrons Squadron(s) may refer to: Military * Squadron (army), a military unit of cavalry, tanks, or equivalent subdivided into troops or tank companies * Squadron (aviation), a military unit that consists of three or four flights with a total of 12 to 24 ...
.the
103rd Aero Squadron The 103rd Aero Squadron was an aviation pursuit squadron of the U.S. Air Service that served in combat in France during World War I. Its original complement included pilots from the disbanded Lafayette Escadrille and Lafayette Flying Corps. One ...
had spent a short time with 2nd PG 4 July-7 August
All the group's squadrons were equipped with French SPAD S.XIIIs. In theory the group totaled 72 aircraft and an equal number of pilots. The reality was that it was rare for the number of pilots to equal the number of aircraft or for the aircraft to be fully standardized across the entire group. The
28th Aero Squadron The 28th Aero Squadron was a United States Army Air Service unit that fought on the Western Front during World War I. The squadron was assigned as a Day Pursuit (Fighter) Squadron as part of the 3d Pursuit Group, First United States Army. I ...
was assigned to the Group on 6 November. When the
armistice with Germany {{Short description, none This is a list of armistices signed by the German Empire (1871–1918) or Nazi Germany (1933–1945). An armistice is a temporary agreement to cease hostilities. The period of an armistice may be used to negotiate a peace t ...
was signed and hostilities ceased at 11:00 on 11 November 1918, the pilots of the group had flown 7,788:21 hours in combat over enemy territory. In the 111 flying days made possible by the weather, 358 pilots engaged the enemy in 166 air battles with the loss of 30 pilots. During the 166 air battles, 132 victories were credited to the pilots of the group, with 16
flying ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviation, military aviator credited with shooting down a certain minimum number of enemy aircraft during aerial combat; the exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ...
s having the destruction of five or more enemy aircraft to their credit. In addition, four pilots of the group were decorated with the Distinguished Service Cross.


Lineage

* Organized as the 2nd Pursuit Group on 29 June 1918 : Demobilized on 11 December 1918


Assignments

*
First Army Air Service The First Army Air Service was an Air Service, United States Army unit that fought on the Western Front (World War I), Western Front during World War I as part of the Air Service, First United States Army. The First Army Air Service was the larg ...
, 29 June 1918 * 1st Pursuit Wing, 6 July 1918


Components

*
13th Aero Squadron The 13th Aero Squadron was a United States Army Air Service unit that fought on the Western Front (World War I), Western Front during World War I. The squadron was assigned as a Day Pursuit (Fighter) Squadron as part of the 2d Pursuit Group, F ...
(Pursuit), 28 June 1918 – 5 December 1918 *
22nd Aero Squadron The 22nd Aero Squadron was a United States Army Air Service unit that fought on the Western Front (World War I), Western Front during World War I. The squadron was assigned as a Day Pursuit (Fighter) Squadron as part of the 2nd Pursuit Group, ...
(Pursuit), 16 August 1918 – 11 December 1918 *
28th Aero Squadron The 28th Aero Squadron was a United States Army Air Service unit that fought on the Western Front during World War I. The squadron was assigned as a Day Pursuit (Fighter) Squadron as part of the 3d Pursuit Group, First United States Army. I ...
(Pursuit), 6 November 1918 – 11 December 1918 *
49th Aero Squadron The 49th Aero Squadron was a United States Army Air Service unit that fought on the Western Front during World War I. The squadron was assigned as a Day Pursuit (Fighter) Squadron as part of the 2d Pursuit Group, First United States Army. It ...
(Pursuit), 2 August 1918 – 5 December 1918 *
103rd Aero Squadron The 103rd Aero Squadron was an aviation pursuit squadron of the U.S. Air Service that served in combat in France during World War I. Its original complement included pilots from the disbanded Lafayette Escadrille and Lafayette Flying Corps. One ...
(Pursuit), 4 July 1918 – 7 August 1918 *
139th Aero Squadron The 139th Aero Squadron was a United States Army Air Service unit that fought on the Western Front during World War I. The squadron was assigned as a day pursuit (fighter) squadron as part of the 2d Pursuit Group, First United States Army. ...
(Pursuit), 30 June 1918 – 11 December 1918


Stations

* Croix de Metz Aerodrome, Toul, France, 29 June – 23 September 1918 * Belrain Aerodrome, France, 23 September 1918 – 11 December 1918


See also

* Organization of the Air Service of the American Expeditionary Force


References


Notes


Bibliography

* (available o

- membership required for access) * {{Aviation in World War I Units and formations of the United States Army Air Service in World War I, 002 Fighter aircraft units and formations of the United States 0002 Military units and formations established in 1918 Military units and formations disestablished in 1919