United States Army Air Service

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Insignia of the Air Service "Prop and Wings"
LUSAC 11 over McCook Field, 1919

The United States Army Air Service (officially Air Service, United States Army ) was the predecessor organization of the United States Air Force , which existed from 1918 to 1926 . It was founded by President Woodrow Wilson by an executive order on May 24, 1918 towards the end of the First World War . The National Defense Act of 1920 gave the Air Service a legal basis and became a separate combat department within the US Army, such as infantry , cavalry or the Army Corps of Engineers . The Air Service was headed by a Chief of Air Service with the rank of major general (previously by a Director of Air Service ). From 1920 the troop strength was around 10,000 men. Disputes between representatives of an independent air force (including Brigadier General Billy Mitchel ) and the military, who saw the Air Service primarily as a support unit for the ground forces, led to the creation of the United States Army Air Corps on July 2, 1926 . The United States Army Air Service was equipped with SPAD S.XIII , Nieuport 28 , Salmson Sal II and Airco DH4 aircraft.

Head of Air Service

Director of Air Service

  • John D. Ryan (August 28, 1918 to November 27, 1918)
  • Maj. Gen. Charles T. Menoher (January 2, 1919 to June 4, 1920)

Chiefs of Air Service

Web links

Commons : United States Army Air Service  - Collection of pictures, videos, and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. Davilla, James J. and Arthur M. Soltan. French Aircraft of the First World War. Boulder, Colorado: Flying Machines Press, 1997. ISBN 0-9637110-4-0 , p. 502
  2. ngl. http://www.worldwar1.com/dbc/salmson2.htm