On March 19th, 1916 the United States launched its first ever military air mission. The United States Air Force recognizes this mission as its first official mission, too. On March 9th, 1916, Pancho Villa destroyed the small village of Columbus, New Mexico, which was also home of the 13th Cavalry stationed at Camp Columbus. There were 300 Cavalrymen at Camp Columbus when 500 Villistas ransacked the village, and there were soon to be more US troops there than Villa would ever be ready to face. The US Armys 1st Aero Squadron, a flight of eight JN-3 Jenny biplanes, were shipped to Ft Bliss where they were assembled and then flown to Camp Columbus. These Jennies were real pieces of junk, and were constantly breaking down. The heat in the mountainous areas in northern Chihuahua caused violent updrafts that threatened to break the flimsy wood and cloth biplanes into pieces. One airplane was actually knocked from the air by a dust devil and fell 50 feet to the ground. The 1st Aero Squadron had two functions; messengers and aerial observers. The aircraft werent armed, but the pilots usually carried a pistol for personal defense. Only one of the pilots knew how to fly at night, so during their first flight, leaving Columbus at dusk and heading 100 miles into Mexico, they became separated and the Cavalry had to go looking for them. A few days later, they flew their first recon mission. Two of the aircraft were still missing, and a third had crashed. That mission ended when the winds were so rough they had to turn back. By the end of April, all eight aircraft were destroyed. Although the squadrons first 8 aircraft only lasted a little over a month, they flew many successful sorties over Mexico. This helped to improve the Armys strategy and planning in regards to air power. The Villa Expedition helped prepare our country for entry into the war in Europe, by proving that, if done correctly, aircraft can give the US a distinct advantage over the enemy. Ill bet you didnt know that tiny Columbus, New Mexico is the birthplace of the United States Air Force! The photos are all taken at Camp Columbus. The photo of the airplane lifting off is part of the very first US military air mission.
Posted on: Tue, 02 Dec 2014 04:03:35 +0000
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