page_title: 1st Operations Group
section_title: Summary
hierarchical_section_title: 1st Operations Group / History / World War I / 1st Pursuit Group / Summary
caption_attribution_description: English: 27th Aero Squadron - 2LT Frank Luke Jr with SPAD XIII
context_page_description: The 1st Operations Group is the flying component of the 1st Fighter Wing, assigned to the USAF Air Combat Command. The group is stationed at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. The 1st Operations Group is the oldest major air combat unit in the United States Air Force, being the successor organization of the 1st Pursuit Group. The 1st Pursuit Group was the first air combat group formed by the Air Service, American Expeditionary Force, on 5 May 1918.
  The Group was first organized at Croix de Metz Aerodrome, near Toul, France, as a result of the United States entry into World War I. As the 1st Pursuit Group it saw combat on the Western Front in France, and during World War II as the 1st Fighter Group combat in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations. Pilots of the 1st Group are credited by the USAF with destroying 554.33 aircraft and 50 balloons, and 36 pilots are recognized as being aces.
  The pilots of the 1st Group included Captain Eddie Rickenbacker, credited as the top scoring American ace in France during World War I. During World War II, the 1st FG was among the first groups deployed overseas in the summer of 1942.
context_section_description: From May until 11 November armistice, the Group recorded 1,413 aerial engagements, accumulating 151.83 confirmed kills of enemy aircraft, and 50 confirmed balloon victories. Nineteen of its pilots – five from each pursuit squadron except the 27th – were recognized as "aces". For its participation, the 1st received seven campaign streamers.
  Two of the four pilots earning the Medal of Honor for actions during World War I were members of the 1st Pursuit Group: 2Lt Frank Luke Jr. and Captain Edward V. "Eddie" Rickenbacker.
  Lieutenant Luke of the 27th Squadron during September became the American Ace of Aces for the time being.  From 12–29 September he gained eighteen victories.  He shot down fifteen balloons and three planes. Joining the Group on 1 August, he had gained one victory on the Chateau Therry front which never was made official.  On 18 September, he brought down two balloons and three planes in a period of less than 10 minutes. On 29 September, he was reported missing in action.  He had dropped a note to one of our balloons asking them to be on the watch for burning balloons.  Twenty minutes later he burned three enemy balloons but did not return from his mission.
  Captain Rickenbacker, commanding officer of the 94th Squadron, became an Ace on the Toul sector in the spring of 1918.  When the group moved to Rembercourt Aerodrome, Captain Rickenbacker made the 94th Squadron the leading American Fighting Squadron in number of aerial victories gained.  From the period 14 September – 11 November he brought down twenty more official enemy aircraft.
  On 10 December 1918, orders were received relieving the First Pursuit Group from First Army with instructions to report to Commanding Officer, First Air Depot, Colombey-les-Belles Airdrome for demobilization.
  SOURCES:
caption: 27th Aero Squadron – 2LT Frank Luke Jr with SPAD XIII
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