90th Aero Squadron

90th Aero Squadron
90th Aero Squadron - Capt. W. G. Schauffler - Standing Lt. Fred Tillman - Seated in a Salmson 2A2, Bethelainville Aerodrome, France, 11 November 1918
Active	20 August 1917 - Present
Country	United States
Branch	Air Service, United States Army
Type	Squadron
Role	Corps Observation
Part of	American Expeditionary Forces (AEF)
Engagements	World War I
Commanders
Notable commanders	Maj J. L. Dunsworth Lt William G. Schauffler Jr. Lt H. M. Gallop Lt Norris E. Pierson
Insignia
90th Aero Squadron Emblem
Aircraft flown
Fighter	Sopwith 1½ Strutter, 1918 SPAD S.XI, 1918-1919
Reconnaissance	Salmson 2A2, 1918-1919 Breguet 14 A.2, 1918-1919

III Corps Observation Group
Western Front, France: 11 June-11 November 1918

The 90th 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 Corps Observation Squadron, performing short-range, tactical reconnaissance over the III Corps, United States First Army sector of the Western Front in France, providing battlefield intelligence. After the 1918 Armistice with Germany, the squadron returned to the United States in May 1919 and became part of the permanent United States Army Air Service in 1921, being re-designated as the 90th Squadron (Surveillance) .

The current United States Air Force unit which holds its lineage and history is the 90th Fighter Squadron, assigned to the 3d Operations Group, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.

The 90th Fighter Squadron origins begin with Special Order 104, Headquarters Kelly Field, San Antonio, Texas, on 25 September 1917. The men in it were largely from two detachments; one from Vancouver Barracks, Washington, which arrived at Kelly Field on 18 August; another from Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, which arrived on 25 August. Both of these detachments had been held from the date of their arrival until 25 September under Recruit Camp Headquarters as a Provisional Squadron.

The first few months of its existence were consumed by the necessary training to prepare the men for operations in France during World War I. On 30 September, the Squadron left Kelly Field for the Aviation Concentration Center, Camp Mills, Garden City, New York, Long Island, where it arrived five days later. On the night of 5 October the Squadron detrained, and early next morning hiked out to Field No. 2 of the Aviation Concentration Center (Hazelhurst Field), where they were quartered with the Headquarters of the First Provisional Wing in Barracks No. 5. Here they stayed for several weeks performing guard duty and fatigue work, and carrying on the work of organization, equipment and preparation for overseas duty.