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Auction: 24111 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 881

A Great War Combat Report of Lieutenant G. D. Wicks, 17th Aero Squadron, United States Air Service

United States Army Air Service Combat Report, signed and dated for 14 August 1918, flying Camel B - 9166 in search of Fokker Biplane Time:- 11-30am Locality:- S.W. of Bruges

"While on Patrol co-operating with bombers encountered flight of 6 Fokker Biplanes and 1 monoplane. 1 dived on formation turning into me from rear I pulled round and fired about 75 rounds at 50 feet closest range saw tracers going into fuselage. E.A. went over my head and without attempting to pull up went straight into Camel machine behind me. Camel's tail smashed and E.A.'s left lower wing was torn off. Both machines went straight down flopping about. While on same patrol saw E.A. and Camel falling together. The Camel had tail plane and fuselage broken and E.A. had one wing torn off. Decisive.

The 17th Aero Squadron was a United States Army Air Service unit that fought on the Western Front during the Great War.

As a Day Pursuit (Fighter) Squadron 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 performed close air support and tactical bombing attacks of enemy forces along the front lines.

The unit achieved a number of "firsts". It was the first United States Aero Squadron sent to Canada to be trained by the British; the first squadron to be completely trained prior to be sent overseas with its complete quota of trained pilots; the first squadron to be attached to British Royal Air Force squadrons and the first to be sent into combat.

In October 1918, the squadron was transferred to the United States Second Army 4th Pursuit Group. However, with Second Army's planned offensive drive on Metz cancelled due to the 1918 Armistice with Germany, the squadron saw no combat with Second Army. It returned to the United States and was demobilized on 1 April 1919 as part of the demobilization of the Air Service after the war.

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