138th Aero Squadron The 138th 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 5th 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 was never fully organized , and with Second Army ' s planned offensive drive on Metz cancelled due to 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 August 1919 and was demobilized . The squadron was never re - activated , and there is no United States Air Force or Air National Guard squadron that carries its lineage and history . History . Origins . The 138th Aero Squadron was organized on 28 September 1917 at Kelly Field , Texas . Prior to this , the men of the squadron had spent several weeks at various recruiting barracks around the country , and were brought to Kelly Field in August , before the formal organization of the unit . While there , they undertook infantry drill and camp duties . The men lived in tents and messed in the open , having to contend with the heat , wind and dust of the late Texas summer . The squadron was ordered to proceed to Post Field , Oklahoma , on 18 October where it was assigned for training by the 3d and 4th Aero Squadron s . At Post Field , the squadron received instruction in transportation , engineering , aero repair , flying field management , hangars , post headquarters and quartermaster supply duties . An outbreak of measles struck the squadron at Post Field , and it extended the amount of time that would normally be spent at the station . On 5 December the squadron began to train with some Curtiss R - 4 aircraft , with several aviation cadets taking primary flight training . Finally on 16 February , the men of the squadron were examined for overseas duty and were ordered to prepare for service in France . On 18 February , along with the 137th Aero Squadron , the squadron departed for the Aviation Concentration Center , Mineola Field , Long Island , New York . After receiving equipment , it moved to the Port of Entry , Hoboken , New Jersey , on 5 March and boarded the RMS " Cedric " , a White Star Liner impressed into troop ship duty . The trans - Atlantic voyage to Liverpool , England , was uneventful , and the squadron arrived on 18 March . It then proceeded by train to the Romsey Rest Camp , Winchester . Training in England . At Romsey , the squadron was detached to the Royal Flying Corps ( RFC ) for advanced training . It was sent to RFC Montrose , Scotland , arriving on 26 March , where it was assigned to the RFC ' s 5th Wing . The training the squadron had received in the United States enabled it to make a valuable contribution to the wing ' s activities . By the beginning of August , the squadron was eager to go to the front and on the 14th it departed Montrose for Flower Down Rest Camp , Winchester , having being ordered to duty in France . Western Front . Arriving on the 17th , transportation was scarce and it did not arrive at Cherbourg , France , until the 19th before moving to the Replacement Concentration Center , AEF , at St . Maixent Replacement Barracks , where it arrived on the 22d . There , the squadron was equipped with steel helmets , firearms and gas masks . It was also designated as a Pursuit Squadron . From St . Maixent , the squadron then proceeded to the Air Service Production Center No . 2 , Romorantin Aerodrome , arriving on 29 August . At Romorantin , the squadron was engaged in fatigue and garrison duties . Next , it went to the 1st Air Depot , Colombey - les - Belles Airdrome on 20 September . There , all preparations were made for active service as a Pursuit Squadron , with pilots and an armament officer being assigned . On 5 November , sixteen British Sopwith Camel F . 1 s were assigned to the squadron . On the 14th , together with the 41st and 638th Aero Squadron s , the 138th traveled from Colombey to its new aerodrome at Lay - Saint - Remy . Post - Armistice activities . At Lay - Saint - Remy Aerodrome , the three squadrons constituted the 5th Pursuit Group , Air Service , Second Army . Despite the signing of the Armistice , the squadron continued to engage in flying and undertook proficiency flights , and training in formation flying , patrols and in air combat on schedule each day when the weather permitted , although all flying was performed in friendly territory . Demonstration flying was also performed for various events to thrill crowds and to demonstrate to the other branches of the service the capabilities of the Air Service . The pilots were skilled in aerobatic flying , and no accidents resulted from these exhibitions . On 15 April 1919 , orders were received that the Second Army Air Service was being demobilized . The entire 5th Pursuit Group was ordered to Coblenz , Germany , to become part of the Third Army Air Service . The squadron prepared for the journey , and their equipment and supplies were moved the 200 - odd miles in their own trucks . The enlisted personnel moved by rail and also by truck , while the pilots ferried their aircraft to their new airfield in the Rhineland . The squadron established itself in Fort Kaiser Alexander , which had been built by Wilhelm Hohenzollern ' s grandfather . The fort commanded a high ridge between the Rhine and Moselle rivers , overlooking the city . At Coblenz , the groups flew their assigned aircraft , and also performed test flights on surrendered German aircraft . Flights of the Fokker D . VII , Pfalz D . XII , Halberstadts , and Rumpler aircraft were made and evaluations made . Demobilization . The entire air service of the Third Army , except that of the III Corps Observation Group at Weißenthurm Airdrome , were relieved from further duty , on 12 May 1919 and ordered demobilized . The 138th Aero Squadron was ordered to proceed to the 1st Air Depot at Colombey - les - Belles Airdrome , France for subsequent demobilization . The squadron ' s planes were delivered to the Air Service Production Center No . 2 . at Romorantin Aerodrome , and there , practically all of the pilots and observers were detached from the Squadron . Personnel were subsequently assigned to the Commanding General , Services of Supply and ordered to report to one of several staging camps in France . There , personnel awaited scheduling to report to one of the Base Ports in France for transport to the United States . The 138th Aero Squadron arrived in New York Harbor in late July after which it was sent to Mitchell Field , Long Island , where it was demobilized in August 1919 .