Chapter 1 Flashcards
When the first shots of the Great War were fired in Europe in August 1914, the entire air arm of the United States Armed Forces consisted of: (1.2.1.)
the 1st Aero Squadron
When WWI started in 1914, the 1st Aero Squadron had a dozen officers, 54 enlisted men, and 6 aircraft. By the end of 1915, the squadron counted 44 officers, 224 enlisted men, and 23 airplanes. By 1916, a second aero squadron was added, assigned to duty in _______. (1.2.1. and 1.2.2.)
the Philippine Islands
In October 1916, plans were laid for 24 squadrons: 7 to serve with the regular Army, 12 with the National Guard, and 5 for coastal defense, supplementing balloon units for the field and coast artillery. How many aircraft was each squadron scheduled to have? (1.2.2.)
a dozen
In October 1916, 24 squadrons were planned: 7 to serve with the regular Army, 12 with the National Guard, and 5 for coastal defense. All 24 squadrons were formed by early 1917, but only _______ was/were fully equipped, manned, and organized when the United States declared war on Germany 6 April 1917. (1.2.2.)
the 1st Aero Squadron
By April 1917, the U.S. Army Aviation Section consisted of 131 officers, 1,087 enlisted men, and fewer than 250 airplanes. Even as the war in Europe dragged on, the U.S. Congress refused to appropriate significant funds for Army aeronautics. The Army’s poor state of preparedness was due to: (1.2.3.)
- the Army not sending trained observers to Europe
- the Army not having a plan to enable them to build an air force
- General staff officers being out of touch with modern aerial warfare requirements
Tradition dictated that pilots be drawn from the ranks of commissioned officers but, during WWI, the Aviation Section soon realized the pressing need for trained enlisted personnel to perform duties in supply and construction and to serve specialized functions in the emerging aviation-related fields of photo reconnaissance and radio. Most of all, the Aviation Section needed _______. (1.2.4.)
mechanics
WWI demanded engine mechanics, armament specialists, welders, riggers, and sail makers. The Army first pressed factories into service as training sites, but by the end of 1917, the Aviation Section began training mechanics and others at a number of special schools and technical institutions. The two largest were in: (1.2.4.)
St Paul MN and at Kelly Field TX
Even before the outbreak of hostilities in Europe during WWII, the General Headquarters (GHQ) Air Force had begun a massive expansion program. The Air Corps planned to have _______ by 1941 which would require greatly enhanced manpower, training, and equipment. (1.3.)
24 operational combat-ready groups
In 1938, when the United States first took seriously the signs of war in Europe, the Army’s air arm was still split into two cumbersome command organizations: (1.3.1.1.)
the Army Air Corps and GHQ Air Force
Congress passed the first peacetime conscription law in U.S. history in _______. (1.3.1.1.)
1940
From 1939 until 1941, the concept of training did not change drastically, but the scale did. Training centers: (1.3.1.2.)
expanded and multiplied
From 1939 until 1941, training centers expanded and multiplied. The air corps could not build housing fast enough or find qualified instructors in sufficient numbers to keep up with the pace. Army officials turned to _______ to help meet the demand. (1.3.1.2.)
private schools
More than _______ enlisted Airmen served in the U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF) during WWII, the largest war ever. (1.3.2.1.)
2 million
Although a former 8th Air Force gunner estimated “it took an average of about 30 men to support a bomber”, the ratio of support personnel required to keep planes in the air was probably closer to: (1.3.2.3.)
70 men to 1 airplane
Women served with distinction in the U.S. Army Air Force, replacing men who could then be reassigned to combat and other vital duties. The Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) was created in _______. (1.3.2.4.)
May 1942
