Second Army Air Service

Second Army Air Service
Headquarters Staff, Second Army Air Service, Gengault Aerodrome (Toul), France, November 1918
Active	12 October 1918-15 April 1919
Country	United States
Branch	Air Service, United States Army
Type	Air Service
Role	Command and Control
Part of	American Expeditionary Forces (AEF)
Engagements	World War I

The Second Army Air Service was an Air Service, United States Army unit that fought on the Western Front during World War I as part of the Air Service, Second United States Army. It was demobilized in France on 15 April 1919 with the demobilization of the United States Second Army. There is no modern United States Air Force unit that shares its lineage and history.

The Second Army Air Service was established on 14 October 1918 by General Order, 287, GHQ. Paragraph 170 appointed Colonel Frank P. Lahm as Chief of Air Service, Second Army, thus establishing a separate Air Service organization. Headquarters was established at Gengault Aerodrome, Toul, France.

Second Army was made up of the IV and VI Army Corps of the United States Army and the 2d Corps d'Armee Colonials (French). Since the French portion of the Army had undertaken to provide its own Air Service units, the Second Army AS was tasked to provide and assign the units necessary for the two American Army Corps along with pursuit and bombardment units for general operation with the Army. Plans were drawn up to have Corps Observation groups for the IV and VI Corps of three squadrons each; a Day Bombardment Group of 3 squadrons; a Pursuit Wing of three Groups, and an Army Observation Wing of 3 groups. In addition a balloon wing would be provided with balloon groups assigned to each Corps.

However, at the time of its establishment, nearly all of the Air Service units in France were already committed to the First Army Air Service, and the number of squadrons of the various types available were considerably less than needed. Also flying personnel with front-line experience were exceedingly scarce, in view of the demands being made by First Army, which was still in need of additional squadrons and personnel itself.

In order to give Second Army some experienced personnel, it was decided to withdraw the IV Corps Observation Group with the 8th and 135th Aero Squadrons from First Army and reassign them to Second Army. These two units were supplement from new squadrons being equipped at the Services of Supply 1st Air Depot at Colombey-les-Belles Airdrome.