25th Aero Squadron

25th Aero Squadron
Austin-built 25th Aero Squadron British SE-5a, British s/n F8009, with 200 hp Wolseley Viper engine, Gengault Aerodrome, Toul, France, November 1918
Active	7 May 1917-17 June 1919
Country	United States
Branch	Air Service, United States Army
Type	Squadron
Role	Night Observation
Part of	American Expeditionary Forces (AEF)
Engagements	World War I
Commanders
Notable commanders	Maj. Reed G. Landis
Insignia
25th Aero Squadron Emblem
Aircraft flown
Fighter	Royal Aircraft Factory SE-5A, 1918-1919

4th Pursuit Group
Western Front, France: 22 October-11 November 1918

The 25th Aero Squadron was an Air Service, United States Army unit that fought on the Western Front during World War I.

The squadron was assigned as a Day Pursuit (Fighter) Squadron as part of the 4th Pursuit Group, Second United States Army. Its mission was to engage and clear enemy aircraft from the skies and provide escort to reconnaissance and bombardment squadrons over enemy territory.

The squadron saw limited combat, and with Second Army's planned offensive drive on Metz cancelled due to the 1918 Armistice with Germany, the squadron returned to the United States in June 1919 and was demobilized .

The current United States Air Force unit which holds its lineage and history is the 25th Space Range Squadron, assigned to the 595th Space Group, Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado.

A detail of men from the 3d Aero Squadron at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, was assigned to the new Kelly Field on 7 May 1917 to erect tents for the First Provisional Recruit Regiment. The next day, after a sufficient number of tents were put up, what became the 25th Aero Squadron began being quartered in Row "G". On 10 May, the first formation of men was held. Between 11 May and 13 June, the men of Row G went though the usual recruit training, a minute allowance of drill and a large portion of fatigue, such as digging ditches, latrines, excavation for road-building, erection of wooden barracks and performing guard duty on what became Kelly Field #1. Quite a few of the buildings erected on the field were the handiwork of the squadron. On 13 June, the unit was formally organized and given the designation of "20th Aero Squadron", however, due to a clerical error, the designation had been allocated to another unit, the squadron was re-designated as the "25th Aero Squadron" on 22 June.