281:, patrols operating at medium and high altitudes were maintained. During the opening days of the battle, the group operated just within enemy lines, and later as the day of the attack drew near, well back within Allied lines. The purpose of these patrols was to prevent German observation planes from making reconnaissance flights over Allied territory and conceal the strength of ground forces as well as Allied air power. At the same time, in anticipation of using large formations during the attack, frequent practice patrols were made, consisting of all available planes in two squadrons flying in one formation. These were made well behind the lines, unobserved by the Germans.
141:
69:
112:
52:
28:
177:
165:
153:
340:, dropping a total of 220 kg of bombs on enemy troops and convoys. During the attack, aircraft from the group were attacked by eleven Fokkers; however, the attack was carried out without loss. Bad weather and heavy rain began shortly after that, making flying difficult and often impossible. On 18 October, the largest demonstration of American air power was made when two squadrons of the
293:. Many German Fokkers were encountered and a large number of combat actions ensured. Seven confirmed enemy aircraft were brought down. On the last day of the attack, 14 September, large numbers of enemy aircraft were engaged in combat throughout the day. Allied aircraft were successful in keeping the skies clear for observation aircraft to photograph and to mark enemy positions.
476:
284:
Offensive operations began on 12 September with all available planes of the group flying over the lines at a very low altitude, machine-gunning and attacking enemy troop concentrations, never exceeding 300 meters (980 ft) in altitude. The group's aircraft attacked railroad yards, road convoys,
360:, France to be closer to the advancing line. The last patrol over enemy lines was made in the late afternoon of 10 November. Although hampered by a heavy ground mist, low clouds and intermittent rain, 930 kg of bombs were dropped on various enemy targets on the very last day of the war.
325:. The squadrons engaged in constant sorties, bombing and machine gunning enemy forces in front of the infantry troops attacking. Many enemy aircraft were engaged, although the Germans were completely dominated by Allied air power. Sorties were flown in conjunction with the
814:
296:
After the Saint-Mihiel attacks, the group settled down to a routine schedule of defensive patrols over the line, carrying out bombing raids when weather permitted. By 18 September, preparations were well under way for the planned
480:
285:
and troops both on roads and in towns, playing havoc with the enemy. The next day, the squadrons pressed home similar attacks as well as flying advanced reconnaissance patrols near the Mad River and in the region between
355:
Throughout the entire campaign the group carried out bombing raids and strafing of infantry to harass and disrupt the enemy's retreat, and these continued until the end of hostilities. On 6 November the group moved to
463:
244:
aircraft had been formed and equipped. The insignia of the 3rd
Pursuit Group consisted of an Indian Head, with each squadron being identified by the number of feathers. Group aircraft markings were:
824:
819:
804:
518:
Series "C"; Volume 11, History of the 3rd-5th
Pursuit Groups, Gorrell's History of the American Expeditionary Forces Air Service, 1917–1919, National Archives, Washington, D.C. via
652:
700:
549:
809:
587:
615:
542:
632:
610:
582:
140:
305:, closer to the front; however, its patrols remained flying their previous sector, not to betray the planning for the upcoming offensive.
344:, flying at very low altitude; two squadrons of the 3rd Pursuit Group, operating at 2,500 meters (8,200 ft); four squadrons of the
695:
348:
at 4,000 meters (13,000 ft) and two more squadrons of the 3rd PG acting as escort for the bombers all rendezvoused in a raid over
748:
743:
773:
577:
535:
193:
111:
73:
720:
329:, with the 3rd Pursuit Group flying escort missions for the bombers. A running air battle ensured in the general region of
572:
99:
68:
705:
197:
254:
103rd AS: Indian Head, 5 black/yellow feathers. Aircraft tail stripes were large red and green stripes, alternating.
251:
93rd AS: Indian Head, 2 red outline feathers. Aircraft tail strips were small red, large green stripes, alternating.
778:
733:
710:
444:
302:
345:
326:
627:
220:. Following the end of the war, the group was demobilized in France in late December 1918. There is no modern
205:
257:
213th AS: Indian Head 2 red feathers. Aircraft tail stripes were small green, large red stripes, alternating.
248:
28th AS: Indian Head, 1 blue feather. Aircraft tail stripes were large red, small green stripes, alternating.
690:
678:
558:
330:
298:
232:
The group was formed on 30 July 1918 (create 26 July) when the command staff for the group was organized at
221:
217:
274:
213:
450:
438:
357:
233:
32:
103rd Aero
Squadron – SPAD Spad XIII C.1 of Capt. Robert Soubiran, 103rd Aero Squadron, Serial # S7714.
352:. In addition to destroying enemy ground targets, over forty enemy aircraft were shot down in combat.
262:
783:
768:
425:
419:
337:
237:
27:
728:
715:
673:
642:
413:
407:
401:
286:
176:
341:
318:
278:
164:
620:
388:
209:
152:
236:, France. Operations began on 7 August when two patrols were made over enemy lines by the
683:
336:
By the afternoon of 6 October, two squadrons carried out a bombing and strafing attack on
637:
798:
314:
57:
647:
322:
201:
116:
349:
241:
527:
261:
The 103rd AS was already famous, using the USAS version of Spa.124 as the
815:
Units and formations of the United States Army Air
Service in World War I
592:
290:
464:
Organization of the Air
Service of the American Expeditionary Force
531:
208:. Formed in France in July 1918, the group was assigned to the
212:
and saw action in the final months of the war, supporting the
484:
519:
825:
Military units and formations disestablished in 1918
774:
Austro-Hungarian
Imperial and Royal Aviation Troops
759:
661:
601:
565:
240:. By 21 August, four pursuit squadrons, all flying
171:
159:
147:
135:
130:
106:
95:
87:
79:
63:
45:
37:
20:
820:Military units and formations established in 1918
805:Groups of the Air Service, United States Army
543:
8:
317:attacked on a new front, extending from the
301:. On 20/21 September the group moved to the
550:
536:
528:
514:
453:, France, 11 November 1918 – December 1918
224:unit that shares its lineage and history.
26:
512:
510:
508:
506:
504:
502:
500:
498:
496:
494:
447:, France, 20 September – 6 November 1918
490:
378:Demobilized in France on December 1918
333:, with four enemy aircraft shot down.
17:
810:Fighter aircraft units and formations
441:, France, 30 July – 20 September 1918
7:
485:Air Force Historical Research Agency
749:Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service
744:Imperial Japanese Army Air Service
14:
391:, 26 July 1918 – 17 December 1918
784:Bulgarian Army Aeroplane Section
479: This article incorporates
474:
175:
163:
151:
139:
124:Meuse-Argonne Offensive Campaign
110:
67:
50:
721:United States Army Air Service
696:Canadian Air Force (1918–1920)
588:Aircraft of the Central Powers
583:Aircraft of the Entente Powers
194:United States Army Air Service
74:United States Army Air Service
1:
422:, 7 August – 31 December 1918
404:, 22 August – 6 November 1918
121:St. Mihiel Offensive Campaign
100:American Expeditionary Forces
706:Imperial Russian Air Service
428:, 26 July – 31 December 1918
416:, 26 July – 15 December 1918
769:Imperial German Air Service
277:, in co-operation with the
841:
779:Ottoman Aviation Squadrons
445:Lisle-en-Barrois Aerodrome
303:Lisle-en-Barrois Aerodrome
172:213th Aero Squadron Emblem
160:103rd Aero Squadron Emblem
410:, 28 July – 2 August 1918
346:1st Day Bombardment Group
327:1st Day Bombardment Group
148:93rd Aero Squadron Emblem
136:28th Aero Squadron Emblem
25:
369:Organized in France as:
206:First United States Army
196:unit that fought on the
711:Royal Italian Air Corps
691:Australian Flying Corps
679:Royal Naval Air Service
559:Aviation in World War I
309:Meuse-Argonne Offensive
299:Meuse-Argonne Offensive
222:United States Air Force
218:Meuse-Argonne Offensive
740:Japanese air services
481:public domain material
275:Battle of Saint-Mihiel
214:Battle of Saint-Mihiel
670:British air services
633:Aerial reconnaissance
451:Foucaucourt Aerodrome
439:Vaucouleurs Aerodrome
358:Foucaucourt Aerodrome
313:On 26 September, the
234:Vaucouleurs Aerodrome
520:http://www.fold3.com
331:Montfaucon-d'Argonne
263:Lafayette Escadrille
725:Greek air services
566:People and aircraft
426:213th Aero Squadron
420:103rd Aero Squadron
338:Brieulles-sur-Meuse
289:, Mare la Tour and
238:103rd Aero Squadron
91:Command and Control
716:Romanian Air Corps
701:French Air Service
674:Royal Flying Corps
643:Flight over Vienna
414:93rd Aero Squadron
408:49th Aero Squadron
402:28th Aero Squadron
287:Conflans-sur-Seine
792:
791:
734:Naval Air Service
628:Bombing of cities
611:Strategic bombing
371:3rd Pursuit Group
342:2nd Pursuit Group
279:2nd Pursuit Group
190:3rd Pursuit Group
183:
182:
21:3rd Pursuit Group
832:
729:Army Air Service
552:
545:
538:
529:
522:
516:
478:
477:
389:1st Pursuit Wing
210:1st Pursuit Wing
179:
167:
155:
143:
114:
71:
56:
54:
53:
30:
18:
840:
839:
835:
834:
833:
831:
830:
829:
795:
794:
793:
788:
761:
755:
684:Royal Air Force
663:
657:
603:
597:
561:
556:
526:
525:
517:
492:
475:
472:
460:
435:
398:
385:
373:on 30 July 1918
366:
311:
271:
230:
204:as part of the
186:
115:
51:
49:
33:
12:
11:
5:
838:
836:
828:
827:
822:
817:
812:
807:
797:
796:
790:
789:
787:
786:
781:
776:
771:
765:
763:
760:Central Powers
757:
756:
754:
753:
752:
751:
746:
738:
737:
736:
731:
723:
718:
713:
708:
703:
698:
693:
688:
687:
686:
681:
676:
667:
665:
662:Entente Powers
659:
658:
656:
655:
650:
645:
640:
638:Fokker Scourge
635:
630:
625:
624:
623:
618:
607:
605:
599:
598:
596:
595:
590:
585:
580:
575:
569:
567:
563:
562:
557:
555:
554:
547:
540:
532:
524:
523:
489:
488:
471:
468:
467:
466:
459:
456:
455:
454:
448:
442:
434:
431:
430:
429:
423:
417:
411:
405:
397:
394:
393:
392:
384:
381:
380:
379:
375:
374:
365:
362:
319:Argonne Forest
310:
307:
270:
267:
259:
258:
255:
252:
249:
229:
226:
184:
181:
180:
173:
169:
168:
161:
157:
156:
149:
145:
144:
137:
133:
132:
128:
127:
126:
125:
122:
108:
104:
103:
97:
93:
92:
89:
85:
84:
81:
77:
76:
65:
61:
60:
47:
43:
42:
39:
35:
34:
31:
23:
22:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
837:
826:
823:
821:
818:
816:
813:
811:
808:
806:
803:
802:
800:
785:
782:
780:
777:
775:
772:
770:
767:
766:
764:
758:
750:
747:
745:
742:
741:
739:
735:
732:
730:
727:
726:
724:
722:
719:
717:
714:
712:
709:
707:
704:
702:
699:
697:
694:
692:
689:
685:
682:
680:
677:
675:
672:
671:
669:
668:
666:
660:
654:
651:
649:
646:
644:
641:
639:
636:
634:
631:
629:
626:
622:
619:
617:
614:
613:
612:
609:
608:
606:
600:
594:
591:
589:
586:
584:
581:
579:
576:
574:
571:
570:
568:
564:
560:
553:
548:
546:
541:
539:
534:
533:
530:
521:
515:
513:
511:
509:
507:
505:
503:
501:
499:
497:
495:
491:
487:
486:
483:from the
482:
469:
465:
462:
461:
457:
452:
449:
446:
443:
440:
437:
436:
432:
427:
424:
421:
418:
415:
412:
409:
406:
403:
400:
399:
395:
390:
387:
386:
382:
377:
376:
372:
368:
367:
363:
361:
359:
353:
351:
347:
343:
339:
334:
332:
328:
324:
320:
316:
315:US First Army
308:
306:
304:
300:
294:
292:
288:
282:
280:
276:
268:
266:
264:
256:
253:
250:
247:
246:
245:
243:
239:
235:
227:
225:
223:
219:
215:
211:
207:
203:
199:
198:Western Front
195:
191:
185:Military unit
178:
174:
170:
166:
162:
158:
154:
150:
146:
142:
138:
134:
129:
123:
120:
119:
118:
113:
109:
105:
101:
98:
94:
90:
86:
82:
78:
75:
70:
66:
62:
59:
58:United States
48:
44:
40:
36:
29:
24:
19:
16:
762:air services
664:air services
648:Bloody April
473:
370:
354:
335:
312:
295:
283:
272:
269:Saint-Mihiel
260:
231:
189:
187:
96:Part of
15:
604:and battles
383:Assignments
323:Meuse River
273:During the
202:World War I
117:World War I
107:Engagements
799:Categories
573:Commanders
470:References
396:Components
350:Bayonville
602:Campaigns
593:Zeppelins
242:SPAD XIII
621:Cuxhaven
458:See also
433:Stations
291:Chambley
216:and the
131:Insignia
653:Battles
364:Lineage
321:to the
228:History
200:during
72:
46:Country
41:1918–19
616:German
192:was a
64:Branch
55:
38:Active
102:(AEF)
83:Group
578:Aces
188:The
88:Role
80:Type
801::
493:^
265:.
551:e
544:t
537:v
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
