| 103rd Aero Squadron | |
|---|---|
 103rd Aero Squadron - SPAD Spad XIII C.1 of Capt. Robert Soubiran, 103rd Aero Squadron, Serial # S7714. | |
| Active | 1917-19 |
| Country |  United States |
| Allegiance | .svg){kind=small} United States Army Air Service |
| Type | Squadron |
| Role | Pursuit |
| Size | 24 officers, 150 men, 24 aircraft |
| Part of | American Expeditionary Forces |
| Garrison/HQ | France |
| Engagements |  World War I |
| Decorations | .jpg){kind=small} French Croix de Guerre with Two Palms French Fourragere |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Maj. William Thaw II |
| Insignia | |
| Squadron insignia of the Lafayette Escadrille which was brought forward to the 103rd Aero Squadron |  |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Fighter | Spad VII, 1918 Spad XIII, 1918 |
| Service record | |
|---|---|
| Operations |
French Air Service 3rd Pursuit Group Western Front, France: 18 February – 11 November 1918[1] |
| Victories | |
The 103rd Aero Squadron was an aviation pursuit squadron of the U.S. Air Service that served in combat in France during World War I. Its original complement included pilots from the disbanded Lafayette Escadrille and Lafayette Flying Corps. One of those pilots, Paul F. Baer, became the first ace of an American unit in World War I.[n 1][3]
The 103rd Aero Squadron was the first U.S. pursuit squadron in action during World War I and had the longest combat service, from 19 February to 11 November 1918. It earned six battle participation credits, flew 470 combat missions, engaged in 327 combats, destroyed 45 German aircraft in aerial combat and claimed an additional 40 as probably destroyed, shot down two balloons, flew 3,075 hours over the front lines, and dropped 4,620 pounds of bombs. Its casualties were five killed in action, two killed in flying accidents, four prisoners of war, three wounded in action, and one injured in a forced landing.[4]
The commander of the 1st Pursuit Wing, in general orders, said of the 103rd:
"In February last the Lafayette Escadrille of the French Army was transferred to the 103rd Aero Squadron, United States Army. It was the first, and for nearly two months it was the only American Air Service organization on the front. Since that time it is not too much to say that pilots who served in this squadron have formed the backbone of American Pursuit Aviation on the front...No task was too arduous or too hazardous for it to perform successfully. In the recent decisive operations of the First American Army the 103rd Aero Squadron has done its share." – Lt. Col. Burt M. Atkinson, 16 November 1918[5]
The history and lineage of the 103rd Aero Squadron continues as part of the 94th Fighter Squadron of the United States Air Force.
- ^ Series "H", Section "O", Volume 29, Weekly Statistical Reports of Air Service Activities, October 1918-May 1919. Gorrell's History of the American Expeditionary Forces Air Service, 1917–1919, National Archives, Washington, D.C.
- ^ a b c Gorrell's History of the American Expeditionary Forces Air Service, Series M, Volume 38, "Compilation of Confirmed Victories and Losses of the AEF Air Service as of 26 May 1919"
- ^ Maurer, Maurer (1969). USAF Historical Study 133: "U.S. Air Service Victory Credits, World War I". Maxwell AFB, AL: Historical Research Division, Air University. pp. 63–64.
- ^ 103rd Aero Squadron (1918). "Operations Summary". Gorrell's History - AEF Air Service. fold3. Retrieved 16 March 2012.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Atkinson, Burt M. (1918). "General orders No. 17". Gorrell's History - AEF Air Service. fold3. Retrieved 16 March 2012.
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