page_title: Third Army Air Service
section_title: Initial operations
hierarchical_section_title: Third Army Air Service / History / Initial operations
caption_attribution_description: English: 91st Aero Squadron - Gate at Coblenz Airfield, January 1919
context_page_description: The Third Army Air Service was an Air Service, United States Army organization stationed in France and Occupied Germany in the immediate aftermath of World War I. It was demobilized in Germany on 2 July 1919. There is no modern United States Air Force unit that shares its lineage and history.
context_section_description: Upon the command's arrival in Germany, an airfield was constructed on the former parade ground of Fort Kaiser Alexander for aircraft squadrons being assigned to Coblenz.  The former  Deutsche Luftstreitkräfte (German Air Force) aerodromes at Trier and Weißenthurm were also taken over by the Command.
  Initial Observation units assigned to the Headquarters  were the 1st Aero Squadron at Weißenthurm, the 12th Aero Squadron at Coblenz, and the 88th Aero Squadron at Trier.  These units were initially ordered to photograph the entire corps area, including interesting features of the terrain, cities and towns, the road and railroad network and any such points as Headquarters may designated.    The 94th Aero Squadron (Pursuit) and  166th Aero Squadron (Bombardment), both at Coblenz were ordered to carry out "show of force" formations over the Third Army area.  Whenever possible, large formations of aircraft were to fly low over cities and towns, but no lower than 500m altitude.   Acrobatic and stunt flying was to be avoided.  The 9th Aero Squadron (Night Observation) was assigned as a courier squadron for the Commander of Third Army.
  An extensive training program was organized in Aerial photography, infantry liaison, artillery adjustments, machine guns, infantry drill regulations, map reading and the study of photographs, lectures on the cooperation of aviation with the other branches of the Army.  Practice flights included long-distance cross country, photographic missions, formation flying and also, the flying of German aircraft obtained and evaluation of their capabilities and other aspects of their construction.
  The VII Corps Observation Group established an infantry liaison school at Trier in January 1919.  The mission of the school was to train infantry units in displaying panels by the front line troops, the use of pyrotechnics as employed to signal from the ground to aircraft and from the aircraft to the ground.   Artillery units were trained in the use of aircraft for adjusting barrages.  As many officers and non-commissioned officers as possible were taken up in airplanes to view the exercises.   Radio officers were taken up to perform duties in actual exercises.
caption: Lion's Gate Entrance to Fort Kaiser Alexander
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