The 2nd Pursuit Group was an Air Service, United States Army unit that fought on the

Western Front Western Front or West Front may refer to: Military frontiers *Western Front (World War I), a military frontier to the west of Germany *Western Front (World War II), a military frontier to the west of Germany *Western Front (Russian Empire), a majo ...

during World War I as part of the Air Service, First United States Army. It was demobilized in France on 10 April 1919. There is no modern United States Air Force 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 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 ...

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 note thirteen scale degrees from the root of a chord and also the interval between the root and the thirteenth. The interval can be also described as a compound sixth, spanning an octave pl ...

and

22nd Aero Squadron The 22nd 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 2nd Pursuit Group, First United States Army. ...

s filled out the unit's complement of squadrons.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.Gorrell The 28th Aero Squadron was assigned to the Group on 6 November. When the

armistice with Germany The Armistice of 11 November 1918 was the armistice signed at Le Francport near Compiègne that ended fighting on land, sea, and air in World War I between the Entente and their last remaining opponent, Germany. Previous armistic ...

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 aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ace is varied, but is usually co ...

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 during World War I as part of the Air Service, First United States Army. The First Army Air Service was the largest and most diverse Air Ser ...

, 29 June 1918 * 1st Pursuit Wing, 6 July 1918

Components

(Pursuit), 28 June 1918 – 5 December 1918 *

(Pursuit), 16 August 1918 – 11 December 1918 * 28th Aero Squadron (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. Its ...

(Pursuit), 2 August 1918 – 5 December 1918 *

(Pursuit), 4 July 1918 – 7 August 1918 *

(Pursuit), 30 June 1918 – 11 December 1918

Stations

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

Belrain Aerodrome Belrain Aerodrome was a temporary World War I airfield in France. It was located South of Belrain, in the Meuse department in the Lorraine region in northeastern France. Overview Construction of Belrain Aerodrome was originally started by the ...

, France, 23 September 1918 – 11 December 1918

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