638th Aero Squadron The 638th 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 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 July 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 . The 638th Aero Squadron was organized as the 117th Aero Squadron on 30 August 1917 at Kelly Field , Texas . While at Kelly Field , the squadron received its preliminary indoctrination training and performed the usual camp fatigue duties . On 26 October , the squadron received orders for overseas duty , and proceeded to the Aviation Concentration Center , Mineola Field , Long Island , New York , arriving on 31 October . While there , the squadron contributed its share of labor towards the construction of the facility and went though the process of equipping and preparing for foreign service . The squadron moved to the Port of Entry , Hoboken , New Jersey on 16 December , and boarded the Cunard Liner SS Orduna on 17 December , bound for Liverpool , England . The voyage across the Atlantic was uneventful with the exception of extremely rough weather on Christmas Day . Also , a pilot boat was sunk off the Irish Coast by a mine or a submarine . This forced a change of destination , the Orduna turning into the River Clyde and docking in Glasgow , Scotland on 31 December . From there , the squadron traveled by train to the Morn Hill Rest Camp , Winchester , arriving on 1 January 1918 . At Winchester , the squadron was detached to the Royal Flying Corps ( RFC ) for advanced training . It was divided into flights , with " A " flight being sent to RFC Harlaxton ; " B " flight to RFC Spittlegate , and " C " and " D " flights sent to RFC Catterick . At these stations , the men were trained in aircraft construction , engine maintenance , motor transport , and other skills . The flights were subsequently sent to several other RFC stations until being re - untied at Camp Flower Down , Winchester on 17 August . There , the men were given a final examination and review by the British before receiving orders for the front . The now 638th Aero Squadron moved to Southampton , and crossed the English Channel , arriving at American Rest Camp # 2 , Le Harve , France on 28 August . It then was moved to the Replacement Concentration Center , AEF , at St . Maixent Replacement Barracks , where it arrived on 31 August . There , the squadron was equipped with steel helmets firearms and gas masks . It was also designated as a Pursuit Squadron . It then was ordered to proceed to the 1st Air Depot at Colombey - les - Belles Airdrome on 26 October . 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 138th Aero Squadron s , the 638th 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 Armistice being signed , the squadron engaged in flying flew proficiency flights , training in formation flying , patrols and in air combat being on the schedule each day the weather permitted , although all flying was performed in friendly territory . Also demonstration flying was performed for various events to thrill the crowd 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 ever resulted from an exhibition . 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 to move , 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 made itself comfortable in Fort Kaiser Alexander , which was 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 a mixture of their assigned aircraft , and also they were was able to perform test flights on surrendered German aircraft . Flights of the Fokker D . VII , Pfalz D . XII , Halberstadts and Rumpler aircraft were made and evaluations were made . Demobilization . The entire air service of the Third Army , excepting that of the III Corps Observation Group at Weißenthurm Airdrome , were relieved from further duty with the Third Army , on 12 May 1919 and ordered demobilized . The 638th 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 and subsequent demobilization . The 638th Aero Squadron arrived in New York Harbor in late July , and arrived in New York Harbor . It was sent to Mitchell Field , Long Island , where it was demobilized in July 1919 .