page_title: 91st Aero Squadron
section_title: Combat in France
hierarchical_section_title: 91st Aero Squadron / History / Combat in France
caption_attribution_description: English: Major John Reynolds standing next to his Salmson 2A2 with the 91st Aero Squadron Emblem painted on the side of his biplane, Gondreville-sur-Moselle Aerodrome, France, 1918
context_page_description: The 91st Aero Squadron was a unit of the Air Service, United States Army that fought on the Western Front during World War I. The 91st was one of the first five American flying squadrons to reach France, arriving at Chaumont Hill 402 Aerodrome on 15 November 1917.
  The squadron was assigned as an Army Observation Squadron, performing long-range, strategic reconnaissance over the entire length of the United States First Army sector of the Western Front in France. After the 1918 Armistice with Germany, the squadron was assigned to the United States Third Army as part of the Occupation of the Rhineland in Germany. It returned to the United States in June 1919 and became part of the permanent United States Army Air Service in 1921, being re-designated as the 91st Squadron.
  The current United States Air Force unit which holds its lineage and history is the 91st Cyberspace Operations Squadron, assigned to the 67th Cyberspace Wing, Kelly Field Annex, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.
context_section_description: Finally in late April, word was received that the squadron was being re-equipped with the latest in French observation aircraft, the Salmson 2A2, the first of which arrived from Orly Airport, Paris, on 21 April. Aircraft was received for the next month, and on 24 May, the squadron was moved to the Gondreville-sur-Moselle Aerodrome for combat duty.  However, problems with the propellers forced another delay and it was not until 3 June that the first combat flight of the 91st Aero Squadron was made over the lines.
  In combat, the mission of the 91st was general surveillance of the enemy rear areas by means of both visual and photographic reconnaissance. These missions were carried out for the purpose of intelligence-gathering and informing First Army headquarters informed of enemy movements and preparations for attacks or retreats of its infantry forces. The 91st identified enemy activity along roads and railroads, ground stations, various storage dumps and airfields; the numbers of fires and activities of enemy aircraft, and the amount of anti-aircraft artillery was also monitored and reported. Due to the nature of the missions and the depths of enemy area which was penetrated, the missions were carried out at high altitudes, usually between 4,500 and 5,500 meters.
  The first combat losses occurred on 12 June 1918 when Lieutenants Miles and Schilling were on a combat overflight about 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) behind enemy lines, and did not return. On 30 June news was received that both airmen were prisoners, unharmed after their aircraft was attacked and disabled, being forced to land behind enemy lines. On 25 June, Lt Cook was performing a visual reconnaissance mission and just before crossing the lines, a French Nieuport 28 was seen approaching his aircraft. Suddenly, Lt Cooks's plane was fired on by the Nieuport and then he returned fire. The intruder withdrew and Cook continued on his mission. An investigation revealed that the Nieuport pilot had never before seen a Salmson and thought it was an enemy aircraft.
  During late June, the squadron was engaged in intense combat flying in support of the Battle of Château-Thierry, taking photos of practically the entire sector. This work took place without any protective support from accompanying pursuit aircraft. Air Combat was common on every mission over enemy lines. On 4 July, an otherwise routine combat day, a group of people from the village of Gondreville came to the Airdrome and filled the mess hall with pastry, nuts and champagne, to help the Americans celebrate Independence Day.
  On 12 August Major John N. Reynolds, squadron commander, led a formation of squadron aircraft to try out a new idea that had been suggested. His aircraft was carrying bombs, and over Thiaucourt-Regniéville, he attacked several enemy targets and three bombs registered direct hits. On the way back to Gondreville, four German Pfalz D.VIII scout aircraft attacked the formation, and the squadron lost one observer, Lt Baker was mortally wounded. Although taken to a hospital upon landing, he died of his wounds on the 15th. During the remainder of August, good flying weather kept the squadron quite busy, and by the end of the month, practically every square foot of the sector had been photographed. Aerial combat was engaged in nearly every mission, however no German enemy aircraft were shot down. The 91st was reinforced with additional pilots and observers in preparation for a rumored offensive at St Mihiel. An additional squadron, the 24th, moved into Gondreville on 23 August, and underwent training in the Salmson 2A2.
  September 1918 was an exceptionally heavy combat month. On the 2d, during a photographic mission over Metz, squadron aircraft ran into a large formation of enemy aircraft and engaged in continuous combat which lasted all the way back to the lines. The 91st brought down three enemy aircraft, however they were not confirmed as they fell too far back behind the lines to be observed. None of the squadrons' planes were lost or badly damaged. On the 4th the squadron was also attacked by enemy a
caption: Major John Reynolds, commander of the 91st Aero Squadron, standing next to his Salmson 2A2 with the Squadron Emblem painted on the side of his aircraft, Gondreville-sur-Moselle Aerodrome, France, 1918
exif: {}