22d Aero Squadron The 22d Aero Squadron was an United States Army Air Service 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 2d Pursuit Group , First 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 . It also attacked enemy observation balloons , and perform close air support and tactical bombing attacks of enemy forces along the front lines . After the 1918 Armistice with Germany , the squadron returned to the United States in June 1919 and was demobilized . In April 1937 its lineage and history was consolidated with those of the United States Army Air Corps 22d Observation Squadron . History . Origins . The 22d Aero Squadron was organized at Kelly Field , Texas , on June 16 , 1917 . Initially 150 men , it was later expanded to a size of 200 . Once organized , the 22d was sent to Toronto , Canada , on August 9 to begin formal training under the auspices of the Royal Flying Corps at their facilities . In Canada , the squadron trained on the Curtiss JN - 4 " Jenny " , and detachments attended schools at locations around the Toronto area . The men received instruction on engine and aircraft maintenance . On October 19 the squadron finished its initial training and was sent to Hicks Field , near Fort Worth , Texas . Hicks was also designated Field # 1 of the Camp Taliaferro training complex , operated also by the British Royal Flying Corps . When the squadron arrived , Hicks Field was still under construction ; however , flying training in the JN - 4 was conducted and 42 flight cadets soloed in the Jenny . Orders were received for overseas movement to France , and the squadron left for the Aviation Concentration Center , Long Island , on January 21 , 1918 , arriving on the 25th . The squadron boarded the RMS " Adriatic " in New York Harbor on the 31st , arriving in Liverpool , England on February 16 after an uneventful voyage and proceeding to a " Rest Camp " , where the pilots were sent to various advanced training schools in England , while the enlisted support personnel were sent to France for training with RFC units on the continent . Training in France . In France , the squadron was divided into Flights and divided among units of the Royal Naval Air Service that were engaged in day - bombing : " HQ " , " A " and " B " Flights to No . 6 Squadron , and " C " Flight to No . 2 Squadron . Later transfers were " A " Flight to No . 4 Aviation Service Depot at Guînes for instruction and repair work and " B " Flight to No . 3 Squadron , RNAS on the Somme , where one man was captured by the Germans in a ground attack during the German drive of March 21 . The segments received much experience in German bombing , sea - raids , and shelling by the famous " Ludendorf " gun . During the British retreat , camps were hurriedly broken up and re - pitched at a succession of locations . On June 24 , 1918 , the flights were reassembled at Guînes Aerodrome and then went to the American 3d Air Instructional Center at Issoudun Aerodrome , where the Squadron remained until July 7 , when the pilots received their final combat training . It then moved to the Air Service Acceptance Park No . 1 at Orly Field , near Paris . At Orly the enlisted strength was reduced to 176 men , who were detailed to work in the several departments in the Park . At Orly , the squadron was classified as a Pursuit ( Fighter ) Squadron and was assigned to the 2d Pursuit Group , 1st Pursuit Wing , First American Army , AEF , joining the 13th , 49th and 139th Aero Squadron s . From Orly , the 22d then moved to their first combat airfield in the " Zone of Advance " , Gengault Aerodrome , near Toul . There the squadron received its combat aircraft and pilots , SPAD XIII ' s from the 1st Air Depot at Colombey - les - Belles Airdrome , equipped with 220 hp Hispano engines . It received its full compliment of 25 aircraft and pilots by 26 August . Combat in France . The 22d Aero Squadron flew its first combat patrol on August 21 , 1918 in preparation for the St . Mihiel offensive . As the date of the attack grew nearer , the flying over the sector increased . The squadron achieved its first aerial victory on September 2 with the shooting down of a German Rumpler in the region of Arracourt by Lt Brooks . The next victory came two days later on the 4th when Lieutenants Brooks , Tyndall and Jones attacked a Fokker that had attacked Allied balloons . From this point contact and combat with enemy aircraft was frequent , along with German anti - aircraft artillery fire ( Archies ) causing damage to several squadron planes . With clear flying weather by September 13 , the air filled with Allied and German aircraft . Flights of the 11th and 20th Squadrons ' de Havilland DH - 4 bombers were attached to the squadron and the mission of the 22d became escorting the DH - 4s to attack ground targets behind the German lines . Salmson 2A2 s from the 1st , 12th and 91st Observation Squadrons flew frequent reconnaissance and photographic missions and the 22d ' s SPADs kept the Germans at a distance . On September 14 , a large air battle took place between the 22d and German aircraft near Verdun . The 22d was to meet a Salmson over Mars - la - Tour about 3 : 00 pm with orders to clear the skies of German aircraft to allow the Salmson to take photos over the area . However , no Salmson was in sight and twelve enemy aircraft attacked the 22d . During the ensuing combat no squadron aircraft were lost , but several pilots returned with heavily damaged aircraft . On September 22 , the squadron moved to Belrain Aerodrome . At Toul , the quarters had been comfortable and convenient with adequate transportation for leaves to such places as Nancy or Toul . But for the next month , the main satisfaction of being an aviator , living outside the muck of battle after the day ' s fighting , was taken away . Billets in Prie - la - Brulee and Belrain were offered , supplemented by shacks on the field . On September 26 , Lieuts . Hudson and Doolin were in a patrol of four of the Squadron ' s planes that were set upon by 13 Fokkers . After considerable maneuvering they reached the Allied lines safely and brought down one of the enemy in the running fight . On the same patrol , Lieut . Beane became separated from the others and shot down a Fokker that had just shot down another SPAD . Although in turn attacked by two more of the enemy , Lieut . Beane succeeded in eluding the offenders . Two days later , on the 28th , a " glorious dog - fight " took place over Montfaucon - d ' Argonne with six victories for the Squadron ' s pilots and none for the Germans . Three biplanes and about a dozen case planes were sighted in excellent position below the group of seven , resulting in 13 combats . That was the kind of work done by the 22d Aero Squadron , although it was not always so concentrated . The last patrol , led by Captain Bridgeman , went over the lines and bombed Stenay on November 6 . The next day , the squadron moved " up " to keep up with the advance of First Army and moved to Souilly Aerodrome , however , owing to bad weather , no combat patrols were sent out before the Armistice on 11 November . Demobilization . The record of the Squadron from August 6 to November 11 is quite remarkable . In spite of a late start , the " Shooting Stars " accounted for 43 official victories , against 34 of its nearest rival , the 139th Aero Squadron " Mercurios " . Casualties were 12 , including 4 known killed , two prisoners and six " missing in action " . During 72 days of flying operations the Squadron conducted 956 sorties and 82 combats and achieved 43 ( possibly 46 ) official victories . Several Distinguished Service Cross es were awarded and recommendations were made for the Congressional Medal of Honor . The AEF was very slow in returning its forces to the United States . The squadron remained at Souilly Aerodrome until January 29 , 1919 when it moved to Grand Aerodrome , France , to help construct a new airfield . On April 18 , 1919 orders were received from First Army for the squadron to report to the 1st Air Depot , Colombey - les - Belles Airdrome to turn in all of its supplies and equipment and it was relieved of duty with the AEF . The squadron ' s planes were delivered to 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 the staging camp at LeMans , France . There , they awaited scheduling to report to one of the Base Ports in France for transport to the United States and subsequent demobilization . On May 22 , the squadron moved to its port of embarkation , Brest . The 22d Aero Squadron ( Pursuit ) , returned to New York City on June 14 , its personnel were demobilized and returned to civilian life , and the was squadron inactivated at Hazelhurst Field , Long Island , on June 17 , 1919 . In April 1937 the inactivated squadron was re - constituted administratively , with its lineage and history being consolidated with those of the United States Army Air Corps 22d Observation Squadron . The current United States Air Force unit that holds its lineage and history is the 22d Intelligence Squadron , assigned to the 707th Intelligence , Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group , Fort George G . Meade , Maryland .