This is a historic photo of what looks to be the survivers of WW1 95th aero sq. 1st pursuit group. This is an original photo taken at Kelly Field #2 Jan. 29th 1921 by "San Antonio photo service. The photo is far from mint but is a great Historic immage. It is approx 36" long & 10" high . I am not a WW1 buff so you will know more about this than I will. Please chime in if you know anything.A brief history of the WW1 US95th Aero Squadron
On April 6, 1917, the United States declared war on Germany. However, at that time, the U.S. Army only had 131 air officers of which only 56 were rated as fliers. The U.S. Army immediately began to prepare for war in men and materials.
The US95th Aero Squadron was first organized at Kelly Field, Texas on August 20, 1917. The pilots that were to join the US95th came from many walks in life. Some were already serving overseas in the English and French armed forces, others left college to enlist and still others left their families and jobs to join the cause.
The British and French commanders in Europe wanted the newly arriving American soldiers to be placed directly under their commands as ground forces. But U.S. Army General John J. Pershing insisted that American soldiers and pilots remain under American command and as American units. Some of the U.S. Army commanders wanted all American pilots to receive all of their flight training in the U.S. at such bases as Kelly Field, Texas. But again, U.S. Army General John J. Pershing insisted on the best combat training for US pilots and he felt the best training was at the training bases of the English and French who had instructors who were already experienced combat pilots. Most US pilots received their flight training in France at bases such as at Tours and Issoudun. Eventually, the training bases at Tours and Issoudun would be run by American instructors.
"Issoudun was a school purely for Chasse pilots. Only those who showed a fitness and tendency to fly single-seated fighting planes were allowed to remain. To make Chasse was to achieve the last word in flying - the pinnacle of aviation - the height of success in the flying world."
from page 45 of the book "Heaven High - Hell Deep" by Norman Archibald, US95th pilot
T were 8 training fields at Issoudun that a pilot must compete to be certified as a Chasse (fighter) pilot.
Field 1 - initial flights w/instructors in 23-meter Nieuports
Field 2 - solo flights in 23-meter Nieuports
Field 3 - solo flights in 18-meter Nieuports
Field 4 - spirals in 18-meter Nieuports
Field 5 - solo flights in 15-meter Nieuports
Field 6 - acrobatics
Field 7 - formation
Field 8 - combat
T was a 9th field at Issoudun - it served as a cemetery for pilots killed in training, which t were many.
By the summer of 1918, Issoudun was the worlds largest flying training center. It was comprised at that time of 10 training fields, 1,000 officers and 5,100 enlisted men. Its facilities included over 1,000 training planes, 91 hangars, 150 permanent barracks and had mess hall, supply buildings and classrooms.
T were 2 other major training centers, the 2nd Aviation Instruction Ctr. at Tours and the 7th Aviation Training Ctr. at Clermont-Ferrand. Plus, t were numerous smaller training centers in France.
On February 10, 1918 Capt. James Ely Miller assumes command of the US95th Aero Squdron.
On February 13, 1918, the following pilots who had completed their pilot training at Issoudun were assigned to the US95th Aero Squadron:
Blodgett, Richard
Buckley, Harold R.
Buford, Edward
Casgrain, Wilfred V.
Curtis, Edward P.
Fisher, George
Hall, Herbert
Heinrichs, Waldo
McLanahan, Alexander H.
McKeown, Stuart
Sewall, Sumner
Quick, Raymond B.
Rhodes, Carlyle
Richards, Lawrence
Jones, Eugene B.
Eastman, Joseph H.
Wooley, C. H.
Chalmers, William (Chalmers was replaced by William H. Taylor when Chalmers became ill)
A U.S. Army special order dated September 1917 authorized pursuit aero squadrons to consist of 15 pilo...
or Sign In to see what it's worth.
