United States Air Service in World War I

2009 World War I American Aviation Events

1) June, 2009: "Fabulous Falcons: American Aviation in World War I" (Book, $20, .pdf) on the United States Air Service, US Naval Aviation and US Marine Aviation. 300 pages, 140 photos, a first ever full list of all USAS, USN and USM squadrons, their aircraft and their bases, new maps and new sources. 100% money back guarantee. E-mail to be notified when Fabulous Falcons is ready.

2) Issoudun, France, June 28th, 2009. Issoudun was home of the 3rd AIC - the largest USAS base in France. The event is being organized by French historian Bernard Gagnepain. 3rd AIC Issoudun Event.

3) Remicourt, France, October 6-7th, 2009. Organized by American historian Jerry Hester to celebrate 50th Aero Squadron's Medal of Honor recipients Harold E. Goettler and Erwin E. Bleckley.

Our first World War I aviation book review...

War Wings: Films of the First Air War, by Phil Stewart.

2008 World War I American Aviation Events

1) 90th Anniversary of the USAS in France Commemoration - July 14, 2008.*

2) November 11, 2008 Veterans Day Event in the US

For more information, e-mail us via our contact information below.

See our new Brief Bios and USAS Archives page.

World War I American Aviation/United States Air Service Summary

2008 marked the 90th anniversary of the first air combat operations of the United States, which took place in France during World War I. The United States Air Service in World War I had pilots such as Eddie Rickenbacker, Frank Luke, Joe Werner, Quentin Roosevelt, Carl Spaatz, Everett Cook, Billy Mitchell and many others.

By the time World War I ended, the forty-five American fighter, bomber and observation squadrons had participated in seven campaigns, claimed 781 planes and 73 balloons downed. They produced 71 aces of whom five had more than 10 victories each. They dropped 140 tons of bombs in 150 bombing runs. And in exchange, they lost 289 airplanes, 48 balloons and 237 of their own men either killed or missing in action.

* American fighter pilot Quentin Roosevelt, Teddy Roosevelt's youngest son, was shot down and killed 90 years ago on Bastille Day, July 14th, 1918, becoming the most famous American casualty of World War I. During this time, he and the rest of the 1st Pursuit Group were based in the villages of Touquin, Saints and Mauperthuis, France. And so on July 14, 2008, these same three French villages commemorated the 90th anniversary of the United States Air Service in France during World War I.