Active 1918–1919 Type Group | Country United States | |
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Branch Air Service, United States Army Role Command of pursuit squadrons Part of American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) | ||
The 2d Pursuit Group was an Air Service, United States Army unit that fought on the Western Front during World War I as part of the Air Service, First United States Army. It was demobilized in France on 10 April 1919. There is no modern United States Air Force unit that shares its lineage and history.
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History
The group was organized on 29 June 1918 at Gengault Aerodrome, Toul, France. The 22d Aero Squadron was initially the only unit assigned. The 2d Pursuit Group immediately began operations against the enemy. The 139th Aero Squadron was assigned to the group the next day, and by 15 August the 13th and 49th Aero Squadrons filled out the unit's complement of squadrons. All the group's squadrons were equipped with French SPAD S.XIIIs. In theory the group totaled 72 aircraft and an equal number of pilots. The reality was that it was rare for the number of pilots to equal the number of aircraft or for the aircraft to be fully standardized across the entire group.
When the armistice with Germany was signed and hostilities ceased at 11:00 on 11 November 1918, the pilots of the group had flown 7,788:21 hours in combat over enemy territory. In the 111 flying days made possible by the weather, 358 pilots engaged the enemy in 166 air battles with the loss of 30 pilots. During the 166 air battles, 132 victories were credited to the pilots of the group, with 16 flying aces having the destruction of five or more enemy aircraft to their credit. In addition, four pilots of the group were decorated with the Distinguished Service Cross.