Category AIRFORCE

JANUARY 9 In Washington, D. C., Army Chief of Staff Douglas MacArthur and Chief of Naval Operations William V. Pratt agree to allow the Army Air Corps to monopolize coastal defenses, while the Navy remains free to concentrate on carrier aviation and mobile air operations at sea.

FEBRUARY 15 At Selfridge Field, Michi­gan, the first nighttime deployment of aircraft unfolds when 19 planes take off, navigate nocturnally, then land safely at Bolling Field, Washington, D. C.

May 9 The War Department approves

reproduction of the A-2 leather flying jacket as stand issue for aviators.

May 21—30 Brigadier General Benjamin D. Foulois directs a massive aerial training exercise, involving 667 aircraft and 1,400 crew members, as it commences across the nation. Every manner of aerial opera­tion, including pursuit, bombardment, and observation, is successfully con­ducted; Foulois receives the Mackay Tro­phy for directing these ambitious maneuvers.

MAY 27 At Langley Field, Virginia, Army and NACA personnel construct the nation’s first full-scale wind tunnel for testing full-size aircraft.

July 15-31 Maxwell Field, Montgom­ery, Alabama, becomes the new site of the Air Corps Tactical School. It becomes a hotbed of new air power theories throughout the ensuing decade. Foremost among them is the notion oflong-range, daylight strategic missions employing

precision bombing techniques. This becomes the backbone of American aerial strategy during World War II.

July 29 At Tokyo, Japan, Colonel Charles Lindbergh, accompanied by his wife, flies a Lockheed Sirius in from New York in one of the earliest transpa­cific flights.

AUGUST 11 At Maxwell Field, Alabama, Major John Curry gains appointment as commander of the Air Corps Tactical School.

September 4 A Laird Racer flown by Lieutenant James H. Doolittle wins the first Bendix Transcontinental Race by flying from Los Angeles, California, to Cleveland, Ohio, in 9 hours and 10 minutes. He then refuels and contin­ues on to Newark, New Jersey,
completing a coast-to-coast flight in only 11 hours and 16 minutes. Doolittle refuels again, returns to Cleveland to claim his trophy, then flies into St. Louis, Missouri, and home.

NOVEMBER 1 At Randolph Field, Texas, the aviation school enrolls its first class of 198 students, which includes members from West Point, the enlisted ranks, and civilian candidates.

DECEMBER 18 Over Hawaii, a glider flown by Lieutenant William A. Cooke sets an airborne record of 21 hours, 34 minutes, and 15 seconds.

December 19 In Washington, D. C., Major General Benjamin D. Foulois gains appointment as commander of the Army Air Corps.

he popular expression “Wild Blue Yonder” conjures up imagery of fleets of American warplanes, invincible in combat and in seemingly end­less abundance. However, such popular notions belie the relatively humble origins of the U. S. Air Force, and its forebears. American military aviation is rooted in the U. S. Army Signal Corps, which operated reconnaissance balloons during the Civil War. It was not until airplanes became tech­nologically feasible that the Signal Corps Aeronautical Division manifested in 1907, which, in turn, gave way to the Signal Corps Aviation Section in 1917. However, the United States had fallen far behind Europe in terms of military aviation by the advent of World War I, and it was not until May 1918 that the U. S. Army Air Service arose to manage the 10-fold increase in machines and personnel. Despite this shaky start, the Air Service acquitted itself well in combat, downing 756 enemy aircraft and 76 balloons at a cost of 289 aircraft, 48 bal­loons, and 237 crewmen. Success here stimulated cries for an independent air force, free of army control, and of which General William G. “Billy” Mitchell was the most vocal proponent.

Over the next decade a series of aviation boards and studies concluded that American air power merited greater recognition as a quasi-independent arm, so in 1926 the Army Air Corps was born. Despite a lack of funding brought on by the Depression era, America airmen managed to make signifi­cant technological and doctrinal strides with a number of historic flights, and new institu­tions such as the Air Corps Tactical School. Among the most significant creations was the General Headquarters Air Force (GHQ), which enjoyed a measure of autonomy from the Army and formed the kernel of American strategic bombing. By 1941, the inadequacies of the Army Air Corps forced it to give way to the new Army Air Forces (AAF), whereby commander General Henry “Hap” Arnold enjoyed coequal status and recognition with leaders of traditional ground forces. The war was also a turning point in American aviation history, for the AAF emerged as a conquer­ing force of 1.2 million men and 160,000 airplanes, unprecedented in the annals of warfare. Significantly, AAF B-29s named Enola Gay and Bock’s Car ushered in a defin­ing moment in human history by dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, respectively, and heralding the dawn of nuclear warfare.

The dream of an independent air arm was finally realized in 1947 when the U. S. Air Force emerged through the National Secu­rity Act of that year. The new organization performed splendidly during the Korean War, 1950-1953, the West’s first challenge of the Cold War, and by decade’s end had pioneered the development and deployment of new Atlas, Titan, and Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missiles. However, despite more capable aircraft and heroic sacrifices, the Air Force proved unable to materially change the course of events in the Vietnam War, or its collateral theaters in Laos and Cambodia. Thereafter, the Air Force concentrated on the acquisition of even more modern weapons systems, lavish in price and capabilities in combat, and proved itself capable of neutralizing the threat posed by the mighty Red Air Force. Ironically, its greatest challenge was mounted not by the Soviet Union but rather Iraq, during its invasion of neighboring Kuwait. The Air Force proved itself up to the challenge of defeating this modern, up-to-date adversary in an aerial campaign lasting 39 days, which enabled Operation desert storm to triumph in only 100 hours on the ground. Since the end of the Cold War in 1991, the Air Force has continued displaying its global flexibility and capacities in Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq, all of which reinforce its reputation as a high-tech, unbeatable adversary, and

America’s first line of defense in the war against terrorism.

This chronology is an attempt to capture the impressive historical sweep of the U. S. Air Force, and its antecedents, in a single volume. To that end, all important conflicts and personages are covered to properly con­textualize military events at the time they occurred. Great care is also taken to mention important laws, military texts, schools, weapons systems, and occasional political developments affecting military affairs. Overall, this book should sketch out for lay readers the growth and maturation of American military aviation, while the detailed bibliography ofthe latest scholarship points the way to subsequent inquiries. It will also afford prospective researchers a workable time frame, or stepping-off point, from which they can investigate events and personalities of interest. The author would like to thank editors Padraic Carlin and Andy McCormick for their support and advice in compiling what the author hopes is a useful and relevant addition to any library shelf, public or private.

—-John C. Fredriksen, Ph. D.

June 18 In Virginia, Professor Thaddeus S. C. Lowe sends the first aerial telegraph message from a balloon tethered to the vessel Enterprise.

September 24 Over Washington, D. C., Professor Thaddeus S. C. Lowe flies a balloon 1,000 feet across the Potomac

River; his messages assist Union gunners bombarding Confederate positions in Virginia.

OCTOBER 1 The U. S. Army establishes a Balloon Corps, which musters fifty men and five balloons. This is the first forma­tion of its kind in military history.

1916 Posted by admin in AIRFORCE on November 9, 2015 JANUARY 5 In the Philippine Islands, the 1st Company, 2nd Aero Squadron deploys as the first complete aviation unit assigned outside the United States. January 17 The United States verges on the cusp of war with Germany, yet the Army Air Service only boasts 49 per­sonnel and 25 aircraft. By the end of 1918 they will possess 19,068 aircraft, but the bulk of these are obtained from either France or England. MARCH 15 At Columbus, New Mexico, the 1st Aero Squadron under Captain Benjamin D. Foulois begins readying pilots and equipment to support General John J. Pershing in Mexico. This is the first American tactical air unit committed to military operations in the field and it operates a handful ofunderpowered Cur­tiss JN-2 biplanes. MARCH 16 Over Mexico, a Curtiss JN-2 makes aviation history’s first recorded reconnaissance flight. MARCH 21 In France, the French Air Service authorizes creation of the Esca – drille Americaine, better known as the Lafayette Escadrille, to recruit volunteer pilots from the United States. MARCH 27 The 1st Aero Squadron under Captain Benjamin D. Foulois begins making routine mail and dispatch flights for General John J. Pershing’s Punitive Expedition. April 2 In San Diego, California, Colonel William Glassford arrives to take charge of the Signal Corps Aviation School at Rockwell Field. April 3 Command of the Aeronautics Division, Signal Corps, passes to Captain William “Billy” Mitchell. April 5 At San Geronimo, Mexico, the 1st Aero Squadron establishes a base camp for closer cooperation with ground units commanded by General John J. Pershing. April 7 Over Chihuahua City, Mexico, Lieutenant Herbert A. Dargue and Captain Benjamin D. Foulois are fired upon as they deliver dispatches to the U. S. Consul; this is the first American airplane to receive hostile fire. April 16 At Luxeuil-les-Bains (Vosages), France, the Escadrille Americaine forms from American volunteer pilots and becomes part of the French Aeronautique Militaire. It sees extensive service in skies over the Western Front and, that December, it is renamed the Lafayette Escadrille after famed Revolutionary War hero Marquis de Lafayette. April 20 In France, Sergeant Major Elliot Cowdin is the first American avia­tor to receive the Medaille Militaire. May 18 Over Thann, Alsace Region, France, Sergeant Kiffin Yates Rockwell of the Escadrille Americaine downs a German observer craft; this is the first aer­ial enemy kill by an American pilot. May 20 Lieutenant Colonel George O. Squier assumes command of the Aviation Section, Signal Corps. June 3 In Washington, D. C., Congress passes the National Defense Act, which greatly enlarges the Signal Corps Aviation Section beyond its present 60 officers and 260 enlisted men. June 18 Over Verdun, France, aviator H. Clyde Balsley becomes the first American shot down while flying with the Esca – drille Americaine. The French air com­mander subsequently flies to his airfield and presents the seriously wounded aviator with a Military Medal and a War Cross. June 23 Near Verdun, France, pilot Victor Emmanuel Chapman, flying with the Escadrille Americaine in France, is the first American pilot killed in World War I. Previously, Chapman had been shot down seven times in six weeks and also claimed four German kills. July 13 At Mineola, New York, the 1st Aero Company, New York National Guard, mobilizes for service along the Mexican border. They are not deployed; however, they are the first National Guard air unit requisitioned into federal service. AUGUST 28 Major Benjamin D. Foulois reports that his 1st Aero Squadron, despite severe operational conditions, managed to complete 540 reconnaissance flights, covering 19,533 miles and staying aloft for 346 hours without serious mishap. August 29 In Washington, D. C., Congress appropriates $14 million for use by the Signal Corps to pursue military aeronautics. NACA also receives $82,500 to construct a large aeronautical labora­tory at Langley Field, Virginia. SEPTEMBER 2 Over North Island, Cali­fornia, two Signal Corps aircraft, flown by Lieutenants William A. Robertson and Herbert A. Drague, successfully exchange radiotelegraph messages in flight at a distance of two miles. September 6 Army aircraft test drop the first fragmentation bomb. September 13 In San Diego, California, the first aeronautics course for field officers is founded at the Signal Corps Aviation School. OCTOBER 11 In Washington, D. C., the secretaries of War and the Navy agree to create a joint Aeronautics Board to evalu­ate the requirements for lighter-than-air machines. November 18-20 At Mineola, New York, seven Curtiss JN-4s ofNew York’s 1st Aero Company fly to Princeton, New Jersey, and back under Captain Raynal C. Bolling. They are there to attend a foot­ball game but also manage to showcase their cross-country flying ability to the public. December 20 The Army’s new Balloon School is instituted at Fort Omaha, Nebraska. DECEMBER 22 Elmer B. Sperry files a patent application for his “aerial tor­pedo,” an unmanned airplane piloted by one of his gyrostabilizers. December 30 North of Hampton, Virginia, the Army establishes a new aviation school; it is now Langley Air Force Base, the Air Force’s oldest active base. . 1932 Posted by admin in AIRFORCE on November 9, 2015 JANUARY 1—31 Over Winslow, Arizona, bombers of the 11th Bombardment Squadron drop supplies and relief pack­ages to snowbound Navajo and Hopi Indians. The squadron receives the Mackay Trophy for their humanitarian efforts. JANUARY 11 Major Hugh J. Knerr pro­poses to establish a basic Air Corps trans­portation service with air depots based at Sacramento, California; San Antonio, Texas; Fairchild, Ohio; and Middletown, Pennsylvania. MARCH 20 Boeing displays its XP-936 fighter plane, the first all-metal mono­plane aircraft evaluated by the Army Air Corps. It enters service as the P-26 Peashooter, being the last Army pursuit craft with an open cockpit, fixed landing gear, and external wing-wire bracing. MARCH 24 The Army Air Corps, delighted by the success rate of the Nor – den Mark XV bombsight in tests held the previous fall, requests 25 such devices for further evaluation. MAY 9 Over Patterson, Ohio, Army cap­tain Albert F. Hegenberger completes a 15-minute blind, solo flight in a “hooded” Consolidated NY-2; he wins the Collier Trophy for his effort. AUGUST 31 Over Freyburg, Maine, an aircraft flown by Captain A. W. Stevens and Lieutenant C. D. McAllister reaches an altitude of five miles to help photo­graph a solar eclipse. September 3 At Cleveland, Ohio, Major James H. Doolittle pilots the dangerous Granville GeeBee Racer to 294 miles per hour, setting a new land aircraft speed record. September 21 At March Field, Califor­nia, a Curtiss Condor bomber carries sci­entists from the California Institute of Technology skyward to measure the intensity of cosmic rays from high alti­tude. The aircraft are assigned from the 11th Bombardment Squadron of Lieu­tenant Colonel Henry H. Arnold. 1862 Posted by admin in AIRFORCE on November 9, 2015

JANUARY 19 In Mineola, New York, the School of Aviation Medicine opens under the aegis of Dr. William H. Wilmer. His job is to instruct medi­cal personnel how to treat aviators and he helps construct the first pres­sure chamber to simulate high-altitude flying.

JANUARY 20 At Neufchateau, France, Colonel William “Billy” Mitchell becomes chief of air service, I Corps.

JANUARY 23 Near Marne, France, the first American military balloon flight of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) occurs.

FEBRUARY 1 In France, the U. S. Army

Air Service forms its first operational squadrons, being largely equipped with French-built fighters, bombers, and observation craft. By war’s end no less than 45 combat squadrons are present, with 800 pilots and 500 observer/tail gunners.

FEBRUARY 5 Over Saarbrucken, Germany, Lieutenant Stephen W. Thompson, 1st Aero Squadron, shoots down a German Albatros D. III fighter. This is the first American victory over an enemy air­craft; at the time he was serving as a volunteer tail gunner in a French Bre – guet aircraft.

FEBRUARY 7 The Joint Army-Navy Technical Board is created in light of the need to standardize instrumentation between Army and Navy aircraft.

FEBRUARY 8 Aircraft insignia of U. S. Army aircraft changes from a white star to concentric circles of red and blue around white.

FEBRUARY 16 In France, the 2nd Bal­loon Company deploys at Royamieux in the Toul sector of the Western Front; during the war, the Balloon Section makes 5,866 ascents (for a total of 6,832 hours in the air) for reconnaissance and artillery spotting purposes.

At Chatillon-sur-Seine, France, Major J. T. McNarney’s 89th Aero Squadron arrives for the purpose of instructing aer­ial observers.

FEBRUARY 18 In France, the 95th Aero Squadron becomes the first American fighter formation deployed there, al­though combat patrolling does not com­mence for another month.

The French disband the famed Lafayette Escadrille and its 90 veteran pilots are inducted directly into the Army Air Ser­vice as the 103rd Aero Squadron. It is also one of the first American units equipped with French SPAD XIII fighters.

February 23-March 5 At Toul, France, the 2nd Balloon Company joins the I Corps as the first unit of its kind deployed in support of field activities. It is ultimately joined by 35 other such companies.

March 4 In France, the 94th Aero Squadron deploys, becoming only the second such unit to do so.

March 8 At Mineola, New York, an early pressure chamber at the Signal Corps laboratory simulates conditions found at 34,000 feet for the first time. Majors Edward C. Schneider and James L. Whitney are the first two guinea pigs.

March 11 Lieutenant Paul Baer of the 103rd Aero Squadron (formerly the Lafayette Escadrille) single-handedly tackles seven German fighters, down­ing one. He becomes the first American pilot to win the Distinguished Service Cross.

March 12 Over France, Captain Phelps Collins becomes the first Air Service pilot killed when his SPAD XIII fighter crashes following a high-altitude dive.

March 15 Over Villeneuve-les-Vertus, south of Epernay, France, American pilots fly Nieuport 28 fighters on their first independent patrols along the Western Front.

MARCH 19 In France, the 94th Aero Squadron (“Hat-in-the-Ring”) becomes the first American aerial unit to operate over enemy lines.

MARCH 26 Over France, Colonel Raynal C. Bolling is killed on a ground recon­naissance mission, becoming the highest – ranking Air Service fatality of the war. Bolling Air Field, Washington, D. C., is dedicated in his honor.

April 1 In Rome, Italy, the American Aviation Headquarters is opened, where­upon Italian fliers will begin training American pilots.

In England, the Royal Air Force becomes the world’s first independent air service under Major General Hugh Trenchard; it is formed by combining the Royal Air Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service.

April 6 Aerial reconnaissance takes a major step after Lieutenant J. C. McKin­ney uses magnesium flares for the first time to take night photographs of the ground.

April 8 The 1st Aero Squadron becomes the first air squadron committed to combat operations along the Western Front. They operate two-seat SPAD air­craft and their first combat occurs four days later when they are attacked while con­ducting routine reconnaissance patrols.

April 9 The 94th Pursuit Squadron becomes the first American fighter outfit assigned to the Western Front.

APRIL 14 Over the Toul Airdrome, France, Lieutenants Alan F. Winslow and Douglas Campbell of the 94th Squadron are the first army combat pilots to shoot down German aircraft; they are flying French-built Nieuport 28s.

Over France, Captain Edward V. Rickenbacker, soon to become America’s highest-scoring “ace of aces” of this war, completes his first combat mission.

April 23 In France, the first shipment of American-built Liberty engines arrives at Pauillac.

April 29 Over Toul, France, Captain Edward V. Rickenbacker assists downing a German Albatros scout craft and receives half credit for the kill. A former racecar driver, he originally reached France as General John J. Pershing’s chauffeur, but volunteered for combat.

At Langley, Virginia, NACA board members approve the designs for a wind tunnel to be constructed at the aeronauti­cal laboratory.

May 5 Over Toul, France, the 94th and 95th Aero Squadrons are jointly adminis­tered as the 1st Pursuit Group; it survives today as part of the 1st Fighter Wing, the U. S. Air Force’s senior unit.

May 7 Over France, Captain Eddie Rickenbacker downs a German Pfalz D. III fighter while flying a Nieuport 28. This is the first of 26 confirmed kills.

May 8 Captains John F. Gallagher, Rob­ert J. Hunter, and Claude T. Uren are the first medical officers assigned as flight sur­geons at U. S. Army airfields.

May 11 In France, the first Liberty engine – powered De Havilland DH-4 bombers built in America arrive for service with the American Expeditionary Force (AEF). A handful ofthese craft achieve operational status and most perform training functions.

MAY 15—16 Between New York City and Washington, D. C., airmail service begins as Lieutenants George L. Boyle

and H. P. Culver fly rickety Curtiss JN – 4H “Jenny” biplanes. After Boyle crashes in Maryland, Culver lands to retrieve the mail and continues on to New York.

May 17 In France, American-built DH – 4 bombers are assembled from crates and make their first operational test flights.

May 18 At Amanty Airdrome, France, the 96th Squadron is the first bomber unit organized by the American Expeditionary Force (AEF). They begin familiarizing themselves with excellent Breguet 14 bombers purchased from the French.

May 19 Over France, Captain Raoul F. Lufbery, a naturalized American citizen and a famed fighter pilot of the Lafayette Escadrille, dies in combat flying; his final tally is 17 German aircraft.

May 21 In Washington, D. C., the Divi­

sion of Military Aeronautics is detached from the Army Signal Corps and made a separate division under the Secretary of War’s office. It is commanded by Major General William L. Kenly.

May 24 In Washington, D. C., the Army Air Service is established once the Divi­sion of Military Aeronautics and Bureau of Aircraft Productions merge.

May 29 Brigadier General Mason M. Patrick assumes command of the Air Ser­vice, American Expeditionary Force.

June 6 Over Toul, France, the 91st

Squadron, the Air Service’s first dedicated Observation (reconnaissance) unit, begins making photo runs. Its subsequently per­forms useful service for the troops by spotting artillery behind enemy lines.

June 12 Over France, French-built Bre-

guet 14 bombers under Major Harry M.

Brown of the 96th Aero Squadron con­duct their first offensive operation by bombing the Dommary-Baroncourt rail yards. By war’s end, American bombers delivered 196 tons of bombs behind German lines, sometimes as far as 160 miles distant.

July 6 Over France, a German Albatros

fighter shoots down a balloon belonging to the 2nd Balloon Company; this is the Air Service’s first such loss.

July 14 Over France, Lieutenant Quen­tin Roosevelt is killed in action while fly­ing with the 95th Aero Squadron. He is the youngest son of former president Theodore Roosevelt.

July 20 Near Dunkirk, France, the 148th Pursuit Squadron commences operational flying at the Royal Air Force base at Capelle Airdrome.

July 23 In Washington, D. C., the direc­

tor of the Army Air Service instructs every Army airfield in the United States to have an air ambulance. This comes in response to experiments by medical offi­cer Major Nelson E. Driver and Captain William C. Ocker, commander of flight training at Gerstner Field, Louisiana, to modify a JN-4 trainer to accept a patient in a semi-reclining position.

July 24 In France, AEF commanding general John J. Pershing finalizes aerial strategy for his upcoming ground offen­sive near St. Mihiel. His chief of air ser­vice, Colonel William “Billy” Mitchell, is to figure prominently in the scheme.

July 25 At Saints, France, Lieutenant Frank Luke, soon to gain renown as America’s “Balloon Buster,” arrives with a group of replacement pilots for the 27th Aero Squadron.

AUGUST 2 At Ourches, France, a forma­tion of 18 DH-4 bombers from the 135th Observation Squadron completes a mission to and from their aerodrome. This action represents the combat debut of American-built warplanes.

AUGUST 7 In France, Chief of Air Service Colonel William “Billy” Mitchell requests the G-2 staff to provide him with targeting intelligence with respect to enemy airdromes, troop concentrations, and transportation choke points such as road intersections and railway stations.

AUGUST 17 The twin-engined Martin MB-1 bomber prototype performs its maiden flight. It was not available in time for combat in World War I, but served many years in the postwar decade as a mail carrier.

AUGUST 19—24 In France, Colonel Wil­liam “Billy” Mitchell distributes Air Ser­vice Circular No. 1, which precisely lays out the targets to be attacked during the upcoming St. Mihiel offensive.

AUGUST 24 In France, a number of French bombardment units are subordi­nated to the U. S. Air Service, bringing aircraft strength up to 1,467. Moreover, British bomber forces, while indepen­dent, are coordinating their actions with Colonel William Mitchell’s staff.

Over Chanute Field, Illinois, Major William R. Ream becomes the first flight surgeon to die in an aircraft accident.

AUGUST 28 In Washington, D. C., John D. Ryan gains appointment as the first director of the Air Service, which he holds simultaneously with the title Assis­tant Secretary of War.

SEPTEMBER 3 In France, General John J. Pershing orders American aerial reconnais­sance units to photograph German posi­tions prior to the commencement of ground and air offensive operations.

SEPTEMBER 7 In France, General John J. Pershing’s staff headquarters issues Field Orders No. 9, which clearly delineates combat operations and daily objectives during the upcoming St. Mihiel offensive.

In Illinois, the first known instance of aerial troop transportation occurs when 18 soldiers are carried between two air bases.

SEPTEMBER 11 In France, Air Service Chief of Staff Lieutenant Colonel Thomas DeWitt Milling issues orders from Colonel William “Billy” Mitchell that the “Air Service will take the offen­sive at all points with the objective of destroying the enemy’s air service, attack­ing his troops on the ground, and protect­ing our own air and ground troops.” American air power is about to be born.

September 12-15 Over France, Colonel William “Billy” Mitchell leads 600 aircraft in America’s first, large-scale aviation offensive against St. Mihiel. Once supporting French, British, and Italian units are added to the mix, Mitch­ell commands a force of 1,476 aircraft and 30,000 servicemen. The first day’s activ­ities proceed well despite rain and over­cast, and General John J. Pershing orders his airmen to continue attacks pursuant to Field Orders No. 9.

Lieutenant Frank Luke, soon renowned as the “Arizona Balloon Buster,” claims his first German observa­tion balloon.

SEPTEMBER 14 Over France, German aerial opposition begins to coalesce along the Hindenburg Line, with small groups of Fokker and Pfalz fighters rising to con­front the Allied air offensive.

SEPTEMBER 15 Over France, Major Carl A. Spatz (latter Spaatz) downs a German warplane, a Fokker D. VII, from a forma­tion of five.

September 18 At Dayton, Ohio, Major R. W. Schroeder establishes a world alti­tude record of 28,899 feet over McCook airfield.

September 19 In France, daredevil pilot Lieutenant Frank Luke is grounded by superiors and ordered on a six-day leave in Paris. Over the past 17 days he has downed fourteen heavily armed balloons and four aircraft.

Over France, five bombers of the 20th Aero Squadron head for a target, but four ofthem return back to base for mechanical reasons. The aircraft piloted by Lieuten­ants Arthur F. Seaver and John Y. Stokes, Jr., continues on to the target and, despite the fact that enemy antiaircraft knocked out their engine, and they drop bombs while gliding. The two manage to thwart
pursuing German fighters and crash-land behind Allied lines; both receive a Distin­guished Service Cross.

SEPTEMBER 25 In France, Colonel Wil­liam “Billy” Mitchell issues Battle Orders No. 7 to prepare for the upcoming Meuse-Argonne Offensive; this continues with little interruption until November 11.

Over Etain, France, Lieutenant Edward V. Rickenbacker, 94th Aero Squadron, single-handedly tackles seven German air­craft, shooting down a Fokker fighter and a Halberstadt observation craft. He conse­quently becomes the first American airman to win the Congressional Medal ofHonor, although technical foul-ups prevent it being awarded until 1930.

SEPTEMBER 26 In France, the Air Service commits hundreds of aircraft and airmen to offensive operations during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. By this date they claim to have downed 74 German aircraft and 15 balloons; the struggle here
continues until the Armistice of Novem­ber 11,1918.

SEPTEMBER 29 At Murvaux, France, Lieutenant Frank Luke, 27th Aero Squad­ron, the celebrated “Balloon Buster” crashes behind German lines, refuses to surrender, and dies on the ground. With 17 airplanes and 18 balloons to his credit, he is the second-highest American ace of World War I and receives a posthumous Congressional Medal ofHonor.

OCTOBER 2 At Dayton, Ohio, the pilot­less Liberty Eagle (or Kettering “Bug”) is successfully flown and tested, although actual military applications await.

OCTOBER 5 In the Argonne Forest, air­craft of the 50th Aero Squadron begin a limited airdrop of supplies to the “Lost Battalion” once it is cut off by German forces. This is the first sustained aerial resupply in aviation history.

OCTOBER 6 Over Binarville, France,

Lieutenants Harold E. Goettler and Erwin R. Blecky, 50th Observation Squadron, are killed trying to deliver mail and supplies to the Army’s “Lost Battal­ion”; both receive posthumous Congressional Medals of Honor.

OCTOBER 7 Over France, a plane from the 24th Aero Squadron flown by Lieu­tenants S. R. Keesler and H. R. Riley is attacked by German fighters while on a reconnaissance mission. Keesler tries driving the attackers off with his machine gun but is shot down behind enemy lines and dies; he receives a posthumous Dis­tinguished Flying Cross.

OCTOBER 9 Over France, a force of 350 American bombers drops 32 tons of bombs on the region between La Wav – rille and Damvillers, France. This is the largest single concentration of American airplanes to date.

October 12 Over France, the 185th Aero Squadron performs the Army Air Service’s first night missions.

OCTOBER 14 When Brigadier General William G. “Billy” Mitchell is appointed chief of the Air Service Army Group, the general staffdisagrees and the position is abolished.

OCTOBER 30 Over France, Captain Eddie Rickenbacker claims his 25th and 26th German planes, becoming the lead­ing American ace. He also receives of a Mackay Trophy for becoming America’s “Ace of Aces.”

NOVEMBER 6—7 At Aberdeen, Mary­land, Dr. Robert H. Goddard test fires various solid-propelled rocket weapons for Army Air Service representatives. The direct military applications for such futuristic technology, however, remain more than two decades off.

NOVEMBER 9 In France, the 155th Night Bombardment Squadron is the final U. S. Air Service unit assigned to the American Expeditionary Force (AEF).

NOVEMBER 10 In France, airmen of the 94th Aero Squadron and the 104th Observation Squadron score the last American aerial victories of World War I during a final sortie over the Western Front. A wartime patrol occurs later that day, the last of the war, with aircraft of the 3rd Aero Squadron.

NOVEMBER 11 In France, the nascent Air

Service has deployed 3,538 aircraft and balloons, 20,568 officers, and 175,000 enlisted men. An additional 4,865 aircraft are also in the United States.

November 14 William “Billy” Mitchell, newly promoted to brigadier general, be­comes chief of the Air Service, Third Army, American Expeditionary Force (AEF).

NOVEMBER 21 At Mineola, New York, Major J. E. Booth and Lieutenant J. Spencer fly their De Havilland DH-4 bomber 700 miles nonstop from Mount Clemens, Michigan, in only four hours.

December 4—22 At San Diego, California, a flight of four Curtiss JN-4s under Major Albert D. Smith lifts off from to begin the first coast-to-coast flight by Army pilots.

DECEMBER 12 Over Fort Tilden, New York, the C-1 dirigible lifts a Curtiss Army JN-4 trainer to 2,500 feet then releases it. The aircraft simply flies away and lands safely, demonstrating the practicality of carrying fighters on lighter-than-air vessels.

December 22 At Jacksonville, Florida, Major Albert D. Smith coaxes his Curtiss JN-4 down after successfully completing the first coast-to-coast flight from San Diego, California, by Army pilots. His was the only machine to complete the trip.

February 18 In Washington, D. C., President Franklin D. Roosevelt directs the Army Air Corps to commence regu­larly scheduled airmail service along 26 selected routes. This is because of per­ceived fraud connected with the com­mercial airlines contracted to perform the task; the effort, while earnest, is plagued with accidents and fatalities.

MARCH 10—19 The Army Air Corps temporarily suspends delivery of mail nationwide following a spate of accidents and nine deaths. Once proper night and bad-weather flying instrumentation is secured, the effort then resumes with fewer routes and numbers of flights.

April 11 In Washington, D. C., Secretary of War George Dern convenes the Baker Board to evaluate the effectiveness of the U. S. Army Air Corps, and its equipment and training, in times ofpeace and war.

May 22 Captain W. T. Larson, who helped pioneer techniques pertaining to instrument flying and blind takeoffs and landings, wins a Mackay Trophy.

June 1 Once commercial contracts have been renegotiated, the Army Air Corps is relieved of domestic airmail flight. Since February, Army pilots flew over 13,000 hours in the air, covered 1.5 mil­lion miles, and delivered 777,000 pounds of mail. The numerous accidents, how­ever, revealed shortcomings in both pilot training and equipment, and the remedial efforts adopted place the American air arm on a much sounder footing.

Th Army Air Corps initiates a plan to employ civilian flying schools for the pri­mary training of all flying cadets. These instructors allow the military to concentrate on advanced training and flying techniques.

June 18 In Seattle, Washington, the Boe­ing Company stakes its future on the new Model 299, a large four-engine bomber that is accepted into service as the B-17 Flying Fortress.

June 28 In Washington, D. C., the War Department is suitably impressed by Boe­ing’s Model 299 and issues a contract to develop a prototype.

July 10 At Langley Field, Virginia, Lieu­tenant Colonel Henry “Hap” Arnold embarks on a stirring display of strategic air power by leading ten Martin B-10 bombers from to Fairbanks, Alaska, on a round-trip flight.

July 18 In Washington, D. C., a board headed by former Secretary of War New­ton D. Baker concurs with the 1933 Drum Board report that a centrally con­trolled aerial strike force could enhance the Army Air Corps’ effectiveness.

July 28 Over Nebraska, Army Major W. E. Kepner and Captains A. W. Ste­vens and O. A. Anderson rise in the pres­surized balloon Explorer to 60,613 feet (14 miles). However, when the air bag tears, they bail out from extremely high altitude and safely land in a cornfield; all win the Distinguished Flying Cross.

AUGUST 20 At Bolling Field, Washing­ton, D. C., Lieutenant Colonel Henry H. Arnold returns from Fairbanks, Alaska, with his Martin B-10 bombers after cov­ering 7,360 miles without major mishap. This is also the first trip where radio com­munication was maintained with ground units for the duration of the venture; Arnold wins the Mackay Trophy and a Distinguished Flying Cross.

November 8 A passenger plane piloted by Captain Eddie Rickenbacker, Captain Charles W. France, and Silas Moorehouse sets a new speed record for this class of aircraft by flying nonstop from Los Angeles, California, to Newark, New Jersey, in 12 hours and 4 minutes.

November 17 At Selfridge Field, Mich­igan, an airplane flown by Captain Fred C. Nelson wins the Mitchell Trophy after hitting speeds of 217.832 miles per hour.

January 15 A passenger plane flown by Angeles, California, and New York in Major James H. Doolittle sets a new 11 hours and 59 minutes. world record by flying between Los

MARCH 1 At Langley Field, Virginia, the Army Air Corps activates its General Headquarters Air Force (GHQ). This is an independent strike force under Briga­dier General Frank M. Andrews, which reports directly to the Army chief of staff instead of a ground commander. It proves a seminal step towards the refinement of strategic air power, and creation of an in­dependent air force.

MARCH 8 At Roswell, New Mexico, a liquid-fuel rocket launched by Dr. Rob­ert H. Goddard reaches 1,000 feet at a speed of 700 miles per hour, then para­chutes back to Earth. At 84 pounds, this is one of Goddard’s largest rockets.

MARCH 28 At Roswell, New Mexico, a liquid-fueled, gyroscopically controlled rocket is launched by Dr. Robert H. Goddard; it reaches 4,800 feet at 550 miles per hour.

April 1 In Los Angeles, California, the North American NA-16 prototype makes its maiden flight and is quickly adopted as an advanced training aircraft. It enters the Army as the AT-6.

MAY 31 Hickam Field, Hawaii, reaches

operational status for Army aircraft.

July 22 Captain Albert F. Hegenberger wins this year’s Collier Trophy for devel­oping and demonstrating a new blind landing system.

July 28 Over Seattle, Washington, the

Boeing Company flies its Model 299 heavy bomber prototype for the first time. It acquires the nickname Flying Fortress from inspired journalists.

August 20 Boeing’s Model 299 (B-17) prototype flies from Seattle, Washington, to Wright Field, Ohio, for flight-testing.

It covers the 2,100-mile trip at 232 miles per hour, faster than most contemporary fighters.

AUGUST 24 Major Frank M. Andrews sets three speed-with-payload seaplane records while flying a Martin B-12W bomber equipped with pontoon floats between Langley Field, Virginia, and Floyd Bennett Field, New York, and back.

September 17 At Scott Field, Illinois, TC-14, the world’s largest non-rigid air­ship in the world, performs its maiden flight.

September 26 The Army turns over Rockwell Field, San Diego, California; Luke Field, Ford Island, Hawaii; and Bolling Field, Anacostia, Washing­ton, D. C. to the Navy, while the latter hands over its base at Sunnyvale, California.

OCTOBER 19 Over Selfridge Field, Michigan, Captain Ralph E. Gimmler wins the Mitchell Trophy Race by hit­ting a top speed of 212.96 miles per hour.

OCTOBER 30 At Wright Field, Ohio, the Boeing Model 299 bomber prototype crashes on takeoff because gust-locking mechanisms were not removed before­hand. The Army remains nonetheless interested in acquiring a fleet of such impressive heavy bombers.

NOVEMBER 11 Over Rapid City, South Dakota, the Army-crewed balloon Explorer II reaches 72,395 feet, taking photographs that show the Earth’s dis­tinctive curvature for the first time. Cap­tains Orvil A. Anderson and Albert W. Stevens receive the Mackay Trophy and a Hubbard Gold Medal from the National Geographic Society.

December 1 At Hamilton Field, Califor­nia, 29 bombers of the 7th Bomb Group take off and land at Vero Beach, Florida, in 21 hours and 50 minutes.

December 12 An amphibious aircraft flown by Lieutenant Hugh F. McCaferty and five crewmen travels from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Miami, Florida, in record time, covering 1,033 miles faster than any previous craft of its kind.

December 17 Over Santa Monica, Cali­fornia, the Douglas DC-3 prototype makes its maiden flight. It is adopted into military service as the C-47 and sees widespread service during World War II; 10,650 are constructed between 1935 and 1947, with many still flying today.

December 22 In Washington, D. C., Brigadier General Oscar Westover gains appointment as commander of the Army Air Corps. He replaces Major General Benjamin D. Foulois, whose reputation suffered because of the airmail fiasco.

December 27 At Hilo, Hawaii, bombers from the 5th Composite Group use bombs to divert a lava flow running down the slopes of the Mauna Loa volcano.