147th Aero Squadron The 147th Aero Squadron was a 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 1st 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 March 1919 and became part of the permanent United States Army Air Service in 1921 , being re - designated as the 17th Squadron ( Pursuit ) . The current United States Air Force unit which holds its lineage and history is the 17th Weapons Squadron , assigned to the USAF Weapons School , Nellis Air Force Base , Nevada . History . Origins . The 147th Aero Squadron began as a widely scattered group of men , mostly in Texas who arrived at Kelly Field during the summer of 1917 where they spent time on learning the rudiments of soldiering . On 10 November 1917 , the unit was organized and given a designation . Once formed , they were ordered to proceed to Everman Field ( # 2 ) , Camp Taliaferro , Texas , near Fort Worth . At Everman Field , the men received a most practical and excellent training in the hands of the Canadian Royal Flying Corps . The course training for mechanics being completed , the squadron was then transferred to Hicks Field ( # 1 ) at Camp Taliaferro , where primary flight training was conducted for the flight cadets . When formed , the squadron consisted of some 300 men , all of which were candidates for flying training . The rapid and thorough training given by the RCFC resulted in numerous accidents . Training consisted of bombing , photography , contact patrol , artillery observation , and scout combats and patrols . Upon completion of the training , the 147th Aero Squadron consisted of 30 flying officers and 193 men , with five more pilots to follow . On 14 February 1918 , the squadron entrained at Hicks Field , and was bound for Garden City , New York for overseas travel . The squadron arrived on the 19th and was quarantined , as the camp was in an ill condition . The officers were kept clear of the quarantine and spent their time in New York City or at home if possible . On 5 March the 147th was ordered to board the RMS Cedric bound for Liverpool , England . A stop was made at Halifax , Nova Scotia on 8 March , and the trans - Atlantic trip was uneventful . Landing was made at Liverpool on 14 March . After disembarking , the squadron was marched from the docks to the Liverpool railway station where it boarded a London and North Western Railway train which took them to Winchester , Hampshire , near the south coast of England . Arriving in the late afternoon the squadron was moved to the Romsey Rest Camp . Everyone was held in camp until 21 March , when the squadron traveled by train to Southampton in the morning . That afternoon , the men boarded the " Northwestern Miller " , which left the harbor in a thick fog , also carrying horses and cattle . All though that day and evening , the men and officers remained on the boat that night and all of the next day as the ship sailed through a very thick , cold , damp fog . On the second night the boat crossed to the French coast however the fog prevented entrance into Le Harve harbor . Finally , on the third evening the ship docked , and the men finally arrived on French soil . Then a six - mile march was made in rain and darkness to another rest camp , arriving after midnight , the squadron fully drenched , worn out and sleeping in small , dark tents which were as cold and wet as the march had been . The next afternoon , the squadron was again marched to the Le Harve railway station and entrained for Tours Aerodrome , reaching it the night of 25 March . Every phase of the trip had been the most tiring and miserable , and everyone was glad to have at least gotten somewhere . At Tours , the squadron spent the balance of March awaiting news about where they would be going next . On 31 March , the flying officers were sent to Issoudun Aerodrome , the US Third Aviation Instruction Center , for a course of training on the Nieuport 28 aircraft the squadron was to be assigned . The balance of the squadron remained at Tours , training insofar as much as it was possible . The end of April saw the squadron depart Tours and move to Epiez Aerodrome , about 25 miles from the Toul lines . Here , the final organization of the squadron was made , and the receipt of the Nieuport 28 airplanes . Training continued with practice formations and an occasional alert when enemy aircraft were seen or rumored to be in the vicinity . On 31 May , the squadron moved to the Gengault Aerodrome , near Toul and formal combat operations over the lines commenced . Toul Sector operations . The first formation of the 147th Aero Squdron to fly in combat was led by Lieutenant Loomis of the 95th AS . The 94th and 95th squadrons had been operating over the lines for over a month , and it gave the 147th experienced pilots to show us the sector . The first patrol was uneventful , it accomplished its object . Many in the squadron were rather surprised as there has been nothing exciting , that the pock - marked lines seemed so quiet , and no Germans were in the air . The fact was that we failed to realize the danger , but that was soon to change . Over the next several days the squadron began a routine of three scheduled patrols , lasting about an hour each , and then theree or four voluntary patrols each day . On 4 June , the squadron performed seven patrols with the object of keeping enemy observation photographers from coming over . The first of these patrols saw Lt . O ' Neill and Lt . Larwence at an altitude of 5 , 000 meters when Larwence dived away . O ' Neill followed him down and caught him in the heavy clouds between 3 , 000 and 1 , 000 meters . Larwence made a motion to descend and the two went below the clouds . Then Larwence lost control of his Niewuport and fell into a left spin . He was spinning when he hit the ground and the plane immediately caught fire . O ' Neill landed and found him dead . Larwence was presumed to have become sick shortly before he dived down . In the days that followed , saw a continuence of these same types of patrols . Few enemy aircraft were in the sector and the Germans seemed of a respectful nature . However , on 25 June , an entire formation became lost . An hour before dawn two Flights of squadron aircraft took off to meet some of our Salmson 2 photographic planes returning from the vicinity of Metz . While waiting for them to appear , the squadron ' s " A " Flight formation was broken up by a terrific anti - aircraft barrage near the city . The Salmsons did not appear and the squadron ' s Nieuports flew from the barrage separately . Lt . Asheden landed in Switzerland after having been lost during a two hours flight . Lt . Brotherton was also lost , then managed to find the Rhine River landed in our line trenches when he ran out of petrol . Another pilot landed in a swamp near Baccarat and still another crashed near Lunéville . Only one pilot returned to Toul successfully . Later that dame day , orders came to be ready to move to the Marne Sector . On 27 June , the squadron left for Touquin Aerodrome , the pilots flying down the following day . Marne Sector operations . The beginning of July saw more German air activity in the sector . Eight aircraft left Toul about 16 : 30 in two echelons of four each . About 17 : 30 the low flight saw five German Pfalz D . III scout planes crossing the line at Chateau - Thierry . It was engaged in combat and Lt O ' Neill drove one down out of control . Both of his guns then jammed and he was forced to withdraw , with two enemy aircraft on his tail . Lt . Raible engaged another but both of his guns jammed . Lt . Siemonds motor gave trouble and was also force to withdraw and make an emergency landing while Lt Perry attacked and downed the one he engaged . Meanwhile , high flight was in aerial combat with seven more Pfalz . Lt . Porter got on the tail of the leader and shot him down . Three other enemy aircraft were shot down by other members of the flight . It was the first significant combat for the 147th Squadron and it had met the enemy , eight to twelve and brought down half his formation . For the next few days , there were no enemy engagements of substance to report . It was on 8 July the first member of the squadron was lost in action . Lt . Maxwell O . Perry was lost when ten of the 147th flew well into enemy territory chasing their aircraft and he failed to return . On 9 July the squadron moved to Saints Aerodrome and continued to operate from there . On the 15th , the German offensive on the Marne began . The RAF 9 Brigade came down from the British Sector and their assistance was invaluable . Aerial combat was engaged in the succeeding days . On one patrol Lt Abernathy wandered away from his formation and he encountered six Fokker biplanes . In the fight that ensured he shot down one Fokker , but was forced to land near the lines when his plane was badly shot up by bullets . For this engagement he received the Distinguished Service Cross and the Croix de guerre with palm . The counter - offensive began on the 18th and the 147th flew two and often three patrols a day , and met considerable opposition in the air . Lt Brotheron shot down an enemy balloon and Simonds received the Croix de Guerre for strafing German troops and ground positions behind their lines . On the 24th a formation of six met twelve Fokkers and forced a fight , shooting down four . The same afternoon , Lt . White met two German aircraft and shot them both down . He received the DSC . Saint Mihiel operations . On 15 August the squadron ferried its Nieuport 28s to Orly Airport and exchanged them for SPAD S . XIII s , and the rest of the month was spent getting the SPADs in shape . The SPADs ranged from very reliable to motors that never ran at all . It began an era of forced landings caused by unreliable motors . At the end of August the 1st Pursuit Group became a part of First Army and moved to Rembercourt Aerodrome , and everyone was anxious to get into this new push hoping it would be the last show . During the beginning of the month , the squadron did patrols just over the Airdrome , however on 4 September the 137th flew into enemy territory looking for German aircraft but found none to report . The squadron patrolled between Saint - Mihiel and Watronville , but everything was quiet as the Toul sector had been in June . When the American forces launched the St . Mihiel offensive on 12 September squadron patrols went out one after another . With no enemy aircraft , it was possible to fly low and the squadron ' s pilots returned with much valuable information of enemy forces on the ground . On the 16th significant contact was made with an enemy two - seat Rumpler observation plane , it was attacked and shot down . A few moments later they attacked another Rumpler and also shot it down . Then while returning home alone , Lt Love encountered five German Halberstadt CL . IV fighters . He fired on the enemy but was forced to withdraw . Later in the day , three squadron planes went on a balloon strafing mission , shooting down one . On the 24th the squadron ' s sector was changed and it began patrolling between the Argonne and Verdun , and its mission was changed from air interdiction to ground support of advancing Army forces , normally flying below 800 meters . The first task was to shoot down German observation balloons . The Meuse - Argonne Offensive began on the 26th and each day before daylight patrols to attack enemy balloons were sent out . Low patrols continued throughout October . On the 2d , Lt Jones brought down a Halberstadt biplane well inside our lines . Many German planes were seen in the air every day and combat was frequent , with the squadron being frequently outnumbered . On 10 October Lt . White shot down a Hannover CL in conjunction with Lt . Porter and another pilot shortly past noon . Three hours later , Lt White took off again . He had already become the 147th Aero Squadron ' s leading ace and had orders to return to the United States when he flew this last sortie . When he saw a Fokker D . VII on the tail of an inexperienced pilot , White intervened . When his guns jammed so he couldn ' t fire at the enemy , he instead rammed the German instead , to score his eighth victory . White was posthumously recommended for the Medal of Honor , but was instead awarded an Oak Leaf Cluster to his DSC . During the balance of October , the usual patrols took place with large German Fokker formations were frequently encountered , with air to air combat taking place . During the first days of November , patrols were kept up , even though the weather was unfavorable . It was during this time rumors of an armistice were about , and the enemy was not very active . The squadron ' s patrols collected valuable intelligence that was passed down to the ground units . On 11 November hostilities ceased and the 147th Aero Squadron made its last patrol over the lines . During its time in combat , the squadron gained 62 victories and suffered nine casualties . The squadron flew 2 , 000 combat hours . Demobilization . Proficiency flights were conducted after the Armistice with Germany , however , no flights were permitted to be flown over German - controlled territory . The squadron remained at Rembercourt for about a month . On 12 December 1918 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 was relieved from duty with the AEF . 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 . During the organization ' s stay at Colombey , the men attended to the usual camp duties . 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 and subsequent demobilization . On 5 February 1919 , the 147th was moved to Base Station # 5 near the port of Brest prior to its return to the United States . Upon arrival the men were caught up on any back pay owed to them , de - loused , a formal military records review was performed and a passenger list was created prior to the men boarding a ship . On 8 Mar 1919 , the 147th Aero Squadron boarded a troop ship and sailed for New York Harbor , arriving on the 18th . It proceeded to Camp Mills , Long Island , on 19 March where the personnel of the squadron were demobilized and returned to civilian life .