United States Army Air Service
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United States Army Air Service

"Prop and Wings" branch insignia of the Air Service
Military unit
Unit nameAir Service, United States Army
FoundedMay 24, 1918 � July 2, 1926
CountryUnited States of America
BranchUnited States Army
Size195,024 men, 7,900 aircraft (1918)
9,954 men, 1,451 aircraft (1926)

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The United States Army Air Service (officially the Air Service, United States Army) was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. It was established as a temporary wartime organization by Executive Order 2862 issued by President Woodrow Wilson on May 24, 1918, replacing the Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps which had been the nation's air force from 1914 to 1918, and by Executive Order 3066, March 19, 1919, establishing a Chief of Air Service to control all aviation activies. After the peace treaty was signed, its life was extended on July 11, 1919, for another year, during which time Congress passed legislation on May 18, 1920, reorganizing the Army and statutorily recognizing the Air Service as a permanent combatant arm of the line.

Although the Air Service was recognized by the Department of War on May 24, 1918, no Director of Air Service was appointed until August 28, when Wilson made John D. Ryan a Second Assistant Secretary of War and civilian Director of Air Service. After World War I, the Air Service was again directed by a military officer. The Armed Forces Reorganization Act of 1920 established the Air Service as a statutory entity and assigned it status as a "combatant arm of the line."

The Air Service was the first form of the air force to have both its own organizational structure and identity. During its first nine months of existence its responsibilities and functions were split between two coordinate agencies, the Department of Military Aeronautics (DMA) and the Bureau of Aircraft Production (BAP), each reporting directly to the Secretary of War, creating a dual authority over military aviation that caused unity of command difficulties. Prior to May 1918 its permanent personnel were part of the Signal Corps and its pilots on temporary assignment from other branches of the Army. Between May 1918 and July 1920, enlisted men were assigned to and new officers commissioned for the Air Service as either war-mobilized National Army or United States Army (Regulars). After July 1, 1920, all personnel retained by the Army were designated members of the Air Service, with officers who had been previously commissioned in the Signal Corps or the Signal Officers Reserve Corps (S.O.R.C.) receiving new commissions in the Air Service branch.

The seven-year history of the post-war Air Service was marked by a prolonged debate between adherents of airpower and the supporters of the traditional military services about the value of an independent Air Force. Airmen such as Brig. Gen. Billy Mitchell, Brig. Gen. Benjamin Foulois, young Army pilots, and a few like-minded politicians and newspapers supported the concept. The Army's General Staff, its senior leadership from World War I, the United States Navy, and the majority of the nation's political leadership favored integrating all military aviation into the Army and Navy, and aided by the wave of pacifism following the war that drastically cut military budgets, prevailed.

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Frequent flyer - Coal City Courant Tweet this news
Coal City Courant--Then in 1943 McLuckie enlisted in the -United States Army Air- Forces, the aviation arm of the military during and immediately after World War II. ... - Date : Wed, 22 Sep 2010 04:28:41 GMT+00:00
Lockheed Martin Delivers 1000th PAC-3 Missile to the U.S. Army - Centre Daily Times Tweet this news
Centre Daily Times--In addition to the -United States-, five -US- allies have included the PAC-3 Missile in their -air- and missile defense arsenals. Last year, Taiwan became the ... - Date : Wed, 22 Sep 2010 08:53:47 GMT+00:00
Mullen Praises Merchant Marine Academy Graduates - Department of Defense Tweet this news
Department of Defense--“Our military, our nation, and even the world owe the -United States- Merchant Marine a huge debt of gratitude,” he added. Upon receiving their commissions, ... - Date : Tue, 22 Jun 2010 14:33:32 GMT+00:00
Travis County STAR Flight Places Third EC145 into Service - Helicopter Association International Tweet this news
Helicopter Association International--The EC145 has made its mark in the US market, particularly among -air- medical -service- operators with its high-set main and tail rotors that help them operate ... - Date : Tue, 22 Jun 2010 15:31:21 GMT+00:00
US Army records set to be preserved - Martinsburg Journal Tweet this news
Martinsburg Journal--It is the group for the -United States Army- that monitors all of the death records from World War I forward. The -Army- is the only -service- that to date has ... - Date : Tue, 22 Jun 2010 04:16:51 GMT+00:00

Preceded by
Division of Military Aeronautics
Air Service, United States Army
1918-1926
Succeeded by
United States Army Air Corps

Groups of the Air Service :
Original Designation Station Date created Redesignation (date)
Army Surveillance Group Fort Bliss, Texas July 1, 1919 3d Group (Attack)2 (1921)
2d Group (Observation) Luke Field, Hawaii August 15, 1919 5th Group (Composite)2 (1922)
1st Pursuit Group Selfridge Field, Michigan August 22, 1919 1st Group (Pursuit)2 (1921)
1st Day Bombardment Group Kelly Field, Texas September 18, 1919 2d Group (Bombardment)2 (1921)
3d Observation Group France Field, Panama September 30, 1919 6th Group (Observation)2 (1922)
First Army Observation Group Langley Field, Virginia October 1, 1919 7th Group (Observation) (1921)
1st Observation Group Ft. Stotsenburg, Luzon March 3, 1920 4th Group (Composite)2 (1922)
9th Group (Observation)2 Mitchel Field, New York August 1, 1922

Annual Air Service strength :
Year Strength Year Strength Year Strength
1918 138,997 1921 11,830 1924 10,488
1919 24,115 1922 9,888 1925 9,719
1920 9,358 1923 9,407 1926 9,578

Aviation in World War I

People and aircraftCommanders * Aces * Aircraft of the Entente Powers * Aircraft of the Central Powers * Zeppelins * World War I aircraft
Entente Powers air servicesBritish air services (Royal Flying Corps, Royal Naval Air Service, Royal Air Force) * French Air Service * Imperial Russian Air Force * Italian Military Air Corps * United States Army Air Service * Greek Air Services (Army Air Service, Naval Air Service)
Central Powers air servicesGerman air services (Army Air Service, Navy Air Service) * Austro-Hungarian Imperial and Royal Aviation Troops * Ottoman Air Force * Bulgarian Army Aeroplane Section

United States Air Force

Leadership
Secretary of the Air Force * Under Secretary of the Air Force * Chief of Staff * Vice Chief of Staff * Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force * 4-star generals * United States Congress (House Subcommittee on Air and Land Forces * Senate Subcommittee on Airland)
Organization
Commands Reserve * Air National Guard * Field operating agencies * Installations
Personnel &
Training
People * Rank: Officers / Enlisted * Air Force Specialty Code * Pararescue * Judge Advocate General's Corps * RED HORSE * Office of Special Investigations * Security Forces * Medical Service
Training: USAF Academy * Reserve Officer Training Corps * Officer Training School * Basic Training * SERE * Fitness Test
Uniforms &
Equipment
Uniforms * Awards * Badges * Equipment
History &
Traditions
History * Army Air Service/Corps/Forces * "The U.S. Air Force" * Air Force Band * The Airmen of Note * Tops In Blue * Flag * Symbol * Airman's Creed * Mottos * National Museum * Memorial * Air Force One * Thunderbirds * Air Force service numbers * Honor Guard




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