The United States Marine Corps in the World War

by Edwin North McClellan; United States. Marine Corps

STRENGTH AND DISTRIBUTION.

On April 6, 1917, the Marine section of naval aviation consisting of five officers and 30 enlisted men, was stationed at the naval air station, Pensacola, Fla., as part of the complement of that station.

During April, May, and June, 1917, the Marine aviation section was transferred to a combination land and water station for Marine fliers at the navy yard, Philadelphia, Pa., and the training of personnel for land flying began. The official designation of this organization was the Marine Aeronautic Company. Training in observation balloons was done in addition to the heavier-than-air work.

On October 12, 1917, this Marine Aeronautic Company, then consisting of 34 officers and 330 enlisted men, was divided into the First Aviation Squadron, consisting of 24 officers and 237 enlisted men, and the First Marine Aeronautic Company, consisting of 10 officers and 93 enlisted men.

On October 14, 1917, the First Marine Aeronautic Company was transferred to Cape May, N. J., and took over the naval air station at that place.

On December 7, 1917, the First Marine Aeronautic Company, then consisting of 12 officers and 133 enlisted men, was ordered to Naval Base 13, Ponta Delgada, Azores, arriving there on January 21, 1918. This company was the first completely equipped American aviation unit to leave the United States for service in the war. This organization operated an antisubmarine patrol station of 10 R-6 seaplanes, 2 N-9 seaplanes, and later 6 HS-2-L flying boats until the station was ordered abandoned on January 24, 1919, when it was ordered to return to the United States, arriving at the Marine flying field, Miami, Fla., March 15, 1919. Maj. Francis T. Evans was in command from January 9 to July 18, 1918, and Maj. David L. S. Brewster from July 19, 1918, to January 20, 1919.

On October 17, 1917, the First Aviation Squadron was transferred from the Marine flying field, navy yard, Philadelphia, Pa., to the Army training field at Mineola, Long Island, where instruction and training were carried on in land flying. On December 31, 1917, this organization was transferred to Gerstner Field, Lake Charles, La., for advanced training.

In March, 1918, the Marine flying field, Miami, Fla., was established and on March 31, 1918, the First Aviation Squadron was transferred to that field from Lake Charles, La.

Four Marine squadrons of land-fighting planes and a headquarters company were organized to operate under the Navy as the Day Wing of the Northern Bombing Group, in northern France, which operated in the Dunkirk area against German submarines and their bases at Ostend, Zeebrugge, and Bruges.

On July 13, 1918, the first Marine aviation force, consisting of Squadrons A, B, C, and Headquarters Company, left Miami, Fla., and embarked on board the De Kalb at New York City for France, July 18, 1918. This organization consisted of 107 officers and 654 enlisted men, and when Squadron D joined in October, 1918, it consisted of 149 officers and 842 enlisted men. On July 30, 1918, the Day Wing disembarked at Brest, France, and proceeded to its aerodromes between Calais and Dunkirk, where they established camp and prepared the aerodromes for use. The personnel of the Day Wing was completely organized and ready for service two weeks after their arrival in France. Part of the planes and equipment of this organization arrived at Pauillac, France, before the organization reached France on July 30, 1918. On September 28, 1918, one plane was delivered to the Marine Day Wing. On October 5, 1918, Squadron D of the Day Wing, consisting of 42 officers and 188 enlisted men, arrived at Le Franc aerodrome, completing the four squadrons of the Day Wing. During the month of October additional planes were delivered to the Day Wing.

In order to prevent the personnel, who were completely trained and ready for action when they reached the front, August 2, 1918, from getting badly out of practice, the commanding officer, Day Wing, requested permission from the British aviation forces in the vicinity to be allowed to assign certain Marine pilots to operate with their squadrons until the Marine planes were delivered. As many Marine pilots as could be accommodated were operating with British squadrons until the end of the war, and were highly complimented by the British officers. The Day Wing, carried out 14 independent raids far behind the enemy lines, did considerable damage, and brought back valuable information. The organization participated actively and creditably in both offensives on the Flanders front. It was learned after the armistice that one raid resulted in the death of 60 enemy officers and 300 enlisted men. A feat worthy of mention was performed by Marine Corps pilots. A French regiment was cut off by the enemy near Stadenburg. It was decided to attempt to feed them by aeroplane. Marine Corps pilots loaded up with food and flew low over this isolated regiment and successfully dropped 2,600 pounds of food to them in the face of heavy fire from artillery, machine guns, and rifles. This process was continued for two days until the regiment was extricated. The number of enemy planes brought down by Marine pilots, bombs dropped, food dropped, and other facts of a statistical nature are given elsewhere. Three pilots were killed or died of wounds received in action, two of them being shot down over the enemy’s lines.

Maj. Alfred A. Cunningham commanded the Day Wing from the date of its organization to December 7, 1918, except the period August 1 to 7, 1918, during which time Maj. Roy D. Geiger was in command.

While in Europe the Marine fliers served with Squadrons 213 (pursuit squadron), 217, and 218 (bombing squadrons), Royal Flying Corps of England; and with pursuit, observation, and bombing squadrons of the French Flying Corps.

In February, 1918, the Marine aviation section of 8 officers and 40 enlisted men was organized and stationed at the naval air station, Miami, Fla. The personnel of this section was later increased and served at that station throughout the war, taking over the deep-sea scouting of that station. Capt. Thomas R. Shearer was in command during the entire time.