PropertyValue
rdf:type
rdfs:label
  • 17th Aero Squadron
rdfs:comment
  • The 17th Aero Squadron was an Air Service, United States Army unit that fought on the Western Front during World War I. As a Day Pursuit (Fighter) Squadron. its mission was to engage and clear enemy aircraft from the skies and provide escort to reconnaissance and bombardment squadrons over enemy territory. It also attacked enemy observation balloons, and perform close air support and tactical bombing attacks of enemy forces along the front lines.
owl:sameAs
aircraft fighter
  • Sopwith F-1 CamelSPAD S.XI
dcterms:subject
dbkwik:military/property/wikiPageUsesTemplate
Branch
  • 15
command structure
  • American Expeditionary Forces Attached to: Royal Air Force
Role
  • Pursuit
Type
  • Squadron
Caption
  • Replica 17th Aero Squadron Sopwith F-1 Camel on display at the National Museum of the Air Force, made by USAF personnel from the original World War I factory drawings, completing it in 1974. The aircraft is painted and marked with the squadrons RAF white dumbbell painted on each side of the fuselage aft of the cockpit as the Camel flown by Lt. George A. Vaughn Jr.
Dates
  • --06-16
aircraft trainer
Unit Name
  • 17
notable commanders
  • Lt. Robert OldysMaj. Geoffrey H. Connell
Battles
  • 150
equipment label
  • Fuselage Code
Equipment
  • White Dumbbell
operations
  • --07-15
Victories
  • 53
abstract
  • The 17th Aero Squadron was an Air Service, United States Army unit that fought on the Western Front during World War I. As a Day Pursuit (Fighter) Squadron. its mission was to engage and clear enemy aircraft from the skies and provide escort to reconnaissance and bombardment squadrons over enemy territory. It also attacked enemy observation balloons, and perform close air support and tactical bombing attacks of enemy forces along the front lines. The unit achieved a number of "firsts". It was the first United States Aero Squadron sent to Canada to be trained by the British; the first squadron to be completely trained prior to be sent overseas with its complete quota of trained pilots; the first squadron to be attached to British Royal Air Force squadrons and the first to be sent into combat. In October 1918, the squadron was transferred to the United States Second Army 4th Pursuit Group. However, with Second Army's planned offensive drive on Metz cancelled due to the 1918 Armistice with Germany, the squadron saw no combat with Second Army. It returned to the United States and was demobilized on 1 April 1919 as part of the demobilization of the Air Service after the war. On 17 October 1936, the World War I Aero squadron was consolidated with the United States Army Air Corps 17th Pursuit Squadron to preserve the lineage and history of the unit. Today, the United States Air Force 17th Weapons Squadron flies the F-15E Strike Eagle at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.