The III Corps Observation Group was a
United States Army Air Service
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 (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
as part of the Air Service,
First United States Army
First Army is the oldest and longest-established field army of the United States Army. It served as a theater army, having seen service in both World War I and World War II, and supplied the US army with soldiers and equipment during the Kore ...
. It was demobilized on 12 May 1919. There is no modern
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army S ...
unit that shares its lineage and history.
History
First Army Air Service
The III Corps Observation Group was organized on 20 September 1918 by the First Army Air Service at
Souilly Aerodrome
Souilly Aerodrome was a temporary World War I airfield in France. It was located Northeast of Souilly, in the Meuse department in north-eastern France.
Overview
With the Battle of Verdun raging on in the early part of 1917, a cluster of new ai ...
, France. It was formed after the
St. Mihiel Offensive and for the purpose of operations in the forthcoming
Meuse-Argonne Offensive. Its units consisted of a Headquarters Squadron, the
90th Aero Squadron
The 90th Aero Squadron was an Air Service, United States Army unit that fought on the Western Front during World War I.
The squadron was assigned as a Corps Observation Squadron, performing short-range, tactical reconnaissance over the III Co ...
, the
88th Aero Squadron
The 88th Aero Squadron was an Air Service, United States Army unit that fought on the Western Front during World War I.
The squadron was assigned as a Corps Observation Squadron, performing short-range, tactical reconnaissance over the III Cor ...
, the
Aéronautique Militaire
The French Air and Space Force (AAE) (french: Armée de l'air et de l'espace, ) is the air and space force of the French Armed Forces. It was the first military aviation force in history, formed in 1909 as the , a service arm of the French Arm ...
N.284 Escadrille, the N.205 Escadrille, Detachment 10/13/18, and the 199th Park Squadron for logistics and transportation support.
[Series "C", Volume 13, Operations Group for the III Corps Air Service and 3d Observation Group. Gorrell's History of the American Expeditionary Forces Air Service, 1917–1919, National Archives, Washington, D.C.]
The first efforts of the Group were directed towards organization and preparation for combat operations in the coming offensive. To this end, the 88th and 90th were designated as Corps Observation Squadrons whose duty it would be to make artillery adjustments, to perform photographic missions of the Corps front, to make long distance reconnaissances and support the 90th and 28th French Infantry together with Divisional work. The 205th French Squadron did all Corps artillery adjustments requested. The divisions the Group for which work was done in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive were the 33d, 80th, 5th, 90th, 29th and 75th of First Army. The 88th was assigned to Corps Headquarters, the 90th for the Right and Left Divisions, with the French units being assigned to Corps Artillery and the Center division in the offensive.

The 88th was required to keep an airplane constantly on reconnaissance patrol from dawn to dusk each day. This plane reported to the III Corps Commander, keeping him informed by wireless messages, and weighted messages from time to time with respect to the road movement of the enemy, general aspect of the sector, information on friendly and enemy troops, artillery and machine gun activity on each side and other important information for his attention. Also, information of particular interest to divisions would be reported to them.
The mission of the 90th was to principally keep the divisional commander informed of the location of his own troops. The aircraft were also, when deemed appropriate communicate directly with Brigade Commanders, with the brigades establishing suitable message dropping locations along their line of march. The greatest attention by the Brigades were the manipulation of panels so the air service could render effective aid when called for. Also, the squadron was tasked to work with divisional artillery through squadron liaison officers.
During the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, the Group Headquarters worked night and day directing the operations, coordinating the work, and suggesting and sending out missions carried out by the squadrons, which returned with valuable and complete information. The progress of the attack was followed the line taken at intervals during each day of the attack.
In the first phase of the Offensive, in the Argonne-Meuse sector took place at Souilly, beginning the night of 26 October and continuing until 29 October when Headquarters and the squadrons moved to
Bethelainville Aerodrome. The Group was well equipped at the beginning of operations with excellent and capable
Salmson 2A2
The Salmson 2 A.2, (often shortened to Salmson 2) was a French biplane reconnaissance aircraft developed and produced by Salmson to a 1916 requirement. Along with the Breguet 14, it was the main reconnaissance aircraft of the French army in 19 ...
aircraft and outstanding personnel. Many of the planes were damaged during the attack due to enemy fire and the engines were constantly overworked. Towards the end of the offensive, the activity and aggressiveness of enemy aviation increased. A squadron with the planes painted red came into the sector on 15 October. This squadron was most aggressive and was said to be Richtofen's "Old Circus".
While engaged in combat operations, the Group also operated Infantry liaison schools without interference with work over the lines while at Souilly. Two infantry different detachments of 500 men, with about 50 non-commissioned officers and thirty-two commissioned officers came to the airfield, and were given a 5-day course in work with airplanes.
The III Corps Observation Group continued operations at Bethelainville until 11 November, at which time hostilities were suspended The Group had 53 days of combat operations, with a total of 1,146 sorties and a total of 1,111 combat hours and 3 minutes. The 90th Aero Squadron shot down 7 enemy aircraft and the 88th three. Twenty-five successful artillery adjustments were made by the observations performed by the group. Also Thousands of sheets of leaflets were dropped on enemy forces.
Third Army Air Service
During the weeks following the signing of the Armistice, the III Corps Observation Group would be the advance corps in the Third Army's march to the
Rhine River
), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source1_coordinates=
, source1_elevation =
, source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein
, source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source2_coordinates=
, so ...
and the
Occupation of the Rhineland
The Occupation of the Rhineland from 1 December 1918 until 30 June 1930 was a consequence of the collapse of the Imperial German Army in 1918, after which Germany's provisional government was obliged to agree to the terms of the 1918 armis ...
. The Group was re-organized, being relieved from First Army and transferred to the
Third Army Air Service
The Third Army Air Service was a United States Army Air Service organization stationed in France and Occupied Germany in the immediate aftermath of World War I. It was demobilized in Germany on 2 July 1919. There is no modern United States Air F ...
on 21 November 1918. The 88th Squadron which had been active in combat during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive was relieved and transferred to the Third Army
VII Corps Observation Group
The VII Corps Observation Group was an Air Service, United States Army unit that fought on the Western Front during World War I as part of the First Army Air Service. It was later transferred to the Third Army Air Service as part of the United ...
. The 90th was transferred to the
I Corps Observation Group
The I Corps Observation Group was a United States Army Air Service unit that fought on the Western Front during World War I as part of the Air Service, First United States Army. It was demobilized in France after the 1918 Armistice with Germany ...
, and remained in France for demobilization, along with a number of Headquarters personnel.
[Series "P", Volume 2, History of Air Service units attached to the Third Army. Gorrell's History of the American Expeditionary Forces Air Service, 1917–1919, National Archives, Washington, D.C.]

The
1st Aero Squadron
First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1).
First or 1st may also refer to:
*World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement
Arts and media Music
* 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and reco ...
, the senior squadron in the American Air Service, was assigned to the Group for its operations with Third Army on the Rhine. Corps Air Service Headquarters was moved along with III Corps to the Rhine beginning on 11 November. It crossed from France into
Luxembourg
Luxembourg ( ; lb, Lëtzebuerg ; french: link=no, Luxembourg; german: link=no, Luxemburg), officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, ; french: link=no, Grand-Duché de Luxembourg ; german: link=no, Großherzogtum Luxemburg is a small land ...
on 21 November, and into the German Rhineland on 1 December. It arrived at its assigned station, the former
Deutsche Luftstreitkräfte
Deutsch or Deutsche may refer to:
*''Deutsch'' or ''(das) Deutsche'': the German language, in Germany and other places
*''Deutsche'': Germans, as a weak masculine, feminine or plural demonym
*Deutsch (word), originally referring to the Germanic ve ...
(German Air Force)
Weißenthurm Airdrome, on 21 December 1918.
During its period on the Rhine, the Group participated in all maneuvers of Divisions in the III Corps, and a school for infantry and artillery liaison was established. An extensive training program was organized in Aerial photography, infantry liaison, artillery adjustments, machine guns, infantry drill regulations, map reading and the study of photographs, lectures on the cooperation of aviation with the other branches of the Army. Practice flights included long-distance cross country, photographic missions, formation flying and also, the flying of German aircraft obtained and evaluation of their capabilities and other aspects of their construction.
On 15 April 1919, four additional squadrons were assigned to the Group from the demobilized First and Second Air services in France. These were the 24th, 168th and 256th. With these additional units, the aerodrome at Weißenthurm was expanded. Also plans were made by Third Army AS to place a main Supply Depot adjacent to the airfield at Weißenthurm.
Between 23 and 27 April, the Group participated in the Third Army Horse-Motor and Aviation Show at Coblenz. The 1st Aero Squadron placed a Salmson 2A2 observation plane on display equipped for duty over the lines as well as an airplane stripped of its canvas showing its methods of construction. The 1st also won the Airplane photographic race competition, in which in 31 minutes the squadron took areal photos of a specified area and dropped developed and printed photos. The flight time from Coblenz to Weißenthurm was 31 minutes. The 1st also won honors in a message dropping contest, making a ground drop of written observation from an aircraft at 500m altitude 10 yards from a panel. It also displayed its Radio Section which showed the methods of liaison from ground to air and air to ground employed by the Air Service during the War.
[Series "P", Volumes 1, History of the 3d Army Air Service. Gorrell's History of the American Expeditionary Forces Air Service, 1917–1919, National Archives, Washington, D.C.]
On 12 May 1919 orders were received from Third Army for all squadrons of the Group to report to the Services of Supply 1st Air Depot, at
Colombey-les-Belles Airdrome
: ''see also: Organization of the Air Service of the American Expeditionary Force''
When the United States entered World War I on 6 April 1917, the Air Service of the United States Army existed only as a branch of the Signal Corps, and was kno ...
to demobilize for immediate return to the United States. Personnel were subsequently assigned to the Commanding General, Services of Supply and ordered to report to a staging camp in France. There, personnel awaited scheduling to report to one of the Base Ports in France for transport to the United States and subsequent demobilization. The men of the III Corps Observation Group arrived in New York Harbor in mid July 1919. There most of the men were demobilized and returned to civilian life.
Lineage
* Organized in France as: III Corps Observation Group, 20 September 1918
: Demobilized on 12 May 1919.
Assignments
* First Army Air Service, 20 September 1918
*
Third Army Air Service
The Third Army Air Service was a United States Army Air Service organization stationed in France and Occupied Germany in the immediate aftermath of World War I. It was demobilized in Germany on 2 July 1919. There is no modern United States Air F ...
, 21 November 1918 – 12 May 1919
Components
*
88th Aero Squadron
The 88th Aero Squadron was an Air Service, United States Army unit that fought on the Western Front during World War I.
The squadron was assigned as a Corps Observation Squadron, performing short-range, tactical reconnaissance over the III Cor ...
(Corps Observation), 20 September-15 November 1918
*
90th Aero Squadron
The 90th Aero Squadron was an Air Service, United States Army unit that fought on the Western Front during World War I.
The squadron was assigned as a Corps Observation Squadron, performing short-range, tactical reconnaissance over the III Co ...
(Corps Observation), 20 September-15 November 1918
* N.284 & N.205 Escadrille,
Aéronautique Militaire
The French Air and Space Force (AAE) (french: Armée de l'air et de l'espace, ) is the air and space force of the French Armed Forces. It was the first military aviation force in history, formed in 1909 as the , a service arm of the French Arm ...
, 20 September-11 November 1918
*
1st Aero Squadron
First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1).
First or 1st may also refer to:
*World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement
Arts and media Music
* 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and reco ...
(Corps Observation), 18 November 1918 – 12 May 1919
*
24th Aero Squadron
The 24th 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 an Army Observation Squadron, performing long-range, strategic reconnaissance over the entire le ...
(Corps Observation), 15 April 1919 – 12 May 1919
*
168th Aero Squadron (Corps Observation), 15 April 1919 – 12 May 1919
*
258th Aero Squadron (Corps Observation), 15 April 1919 – 12 May 1919
Stations
*
Souilly Aerodrome
Souilly Aerodrome was a temporary World War I airfield in France. It was located Northeast of Souilly, in the Meuse department in north-eastern France.
Overview
With the Battle of Verdun raging on in the early part of 1917, a cluster of new ai ...
, France, 20 September 1918
*
Bethelainville Aerodrome, France, 29 October-11 November 1918
*
Weißenthurm Airdrome**, Germany, 21 December 1918 – 12 May 1919
** Intermediate locations of Group headquarters while in transit from France to Germany were: Dun-sur-Meuse
Dun-sur-Meuse (, literally ''Dun on Meuse'') is a commune in the Meuse department
Department may refer to:
* Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility
Government and military
*Department ...
(11–17 November); Longuyon
Longuyon () is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in the Grand Est region of north-eastern France. The inhabitants are called ''Longuyonnais''.
Geography
Longuyon is located at the confluence of the Chiers and Crusnes rivers and ...
(18–19 November) and Longwy
Longwy (; older german: Langich, ; lb, label= Luxemburgish, Lonkech) is a commune in the French department of Meurthe-et-Moselle, Lorraine, administrative region of Grand Est, northeastern France.
The inhabitants are known as ''Longovicien ...
(20 November) in France; Mamer
Mamer () is a commune and town (strictly classified as a village) in south-western Luxembourg. It is located west of Luxembourg City. The commune includes Mamer itself, and also the smaller communities of Capellen and Holzem. Mamer is situated ...
(21 November); Junglinster
Junglinster ( lb, Jonglënster) is a commune in central Luxembourg, which draws its name from its principal town, Junglinster. It is one of six communes in the Luxembourg canton of Grevenmacher. The 18th-century St Martin's church is a national ...
(22–30 November), and Echternach
Echternach ( lb, Iechternach or (locally) ) is a commune with town status in the canton of Echternach, which is part of the district of Grevenmacher, in eastern Luxembourg. Echternach lies near the border with Germany, and is the oldest town in ...
(1–2 December) in Luxembourg
Luxembourg ( ; lb, Lëtzebuerg ; french: link=no, Luxembourg; german: link=no, Luxemburg), officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, ; french: link=no, Grand-Duché de Luxembourg ; german: link=no, Großherzogtum Luxemburg is a small land ...
; Kyllburg
Kyllburg () is a town in the Waldeifel region in the district of Bitburg-Prüm, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated in the Eifel mountains, on the river Kyll, approx. 10 km north-east of Bitburg.
Kyllburg was the seat of the for ...
(3–6 December); Daun
Daun is a town in the Vulkaneifel district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is the district seat and also the seat of the ' of Daun.
Geography
Location
The town lies in the , a part of the Eifel known for its volcanic history, geog ...
(7–9 December); Polch
Polch () is a town in the district Mayen-Koblenz, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is part of the ''Verbandsgemeinde'' ("collective municipality") of Maifeld. It is situated east of Mayen.
Polch is twinned with the commune of Vineuil, located ...
(10–14 December), and Neuwied
Neuwied () is a town in the north of the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, capital of the District of Neuwied. Neuwied lies on the east bank of the Rhine, 12 km northwest of Koblenz, on the railway from Frankfurt am Main to Cologne. Th ...
(15–21 December) in Germany.
See also
*
References
{{Wwi-air
Groups of the Air Service, United States Army
Reconnaissance units and formations of the United States Army
0003
Military units and formations disestablished in 1919