United States Army World War I Flight Training

With the purchace of its first airplane,built and successfully flown by Orville and Wilbur Wright, in 1909, the United States Army began the training of flight personnel. This article describes the training provided in those early years, though World War I, and the immediate years after the war until the establishment of the United States Army Air Corps Flight Training Center in San Antonio, Texas during 1926.

Early Signal Corps Flight Training
The history of aviation training in the United States military began on 8 October 1909, when Wilbur Wright began instructing Lieutenants Frank P. Lahm and Frederic E. Humphreys on Signal Corps Airplane No. 1, which the Army had recently purchased from the Wright brothers. Each of the two men received a little over three hours training before soloing on 26 October 1909. The Army airplane trials had been held at Fort Myer, Maryland in 1908 because of its proximity to Washington, headquarters of the Army and its Aeronautical Division, but the commandant at Fort Myer (a cavalry and field artillery post) refused to relinquish the parade ground for further flight training. He was already disgruntled because the trials had disrupted his summer training schedule of mounted drills. Moreover, the Wright Brothers expressed reluctance to teach beginners to fly on the small, enclosed area.

Another site was found near College Park, Maryland, about eight miles northeast of Washington, D.C. The Signal Corps agreed to lease the site. However, the winter weather meant the College Park site could not be used for year-round training. Various sites in the south and west were used during the early 1910s at Fort Sam Houston, near San Antonio, Texas, North Island, San Diego, California, and Augusta, Georgia. However flying training in the Army remained on a small scale until the outbreak of World War I in April 1917. In February 1913, the Aviation School contingent in Augusta, Georgia, alongwith two pilots who had been training in Palm Beach, Florida, transferred to Texas City, Texas, to join ground forces on duty along the border. This meant that the Army Aviation school was concentrated on North Island, San Diego.

World War I Flight Training
When the United States entered World War I, the exhausted British and French forces wanted American troops in the trenches of the Western Front as soon as possible. By 1917, aerial warfare was also considered key to the success of the ground forces, and in May 1917, The French, in particular, asked the Americans to also bolster Allied air power. The French wanted the Americans to supply 5,000 pilots and planes, along with 50,000 mechanics to supplement the French and British air forces already in combat.

The training system of the Signal Corps at that time would simply not be capable of producing such numbers. It was decided to establish a system, similar to the British training program of a ground school, then a primary flight program, then a specialized program to train new pilots in the three basic areas that had been developed by the French and British air forces, pursuit, bombardment and observation.

Preflight Training
The Air Service instituted the first phase of air training, ground schooling, first, because a vast reservoir of eager and qualified young men that volunteered for the Air Service, and also because this phase did not require flight instruction and no aircraft. The Signal Corps sent several representatives to the University of Toronto School of Military Aeronautics, where they attended classes, listened to reports from the war zone, and gathered instructional materials and regulations used at the school. The Canadians enrolled a new class every week, graduating students in six weeks' time. Successful ground-school graduates proceeded to flying school. The system served to weed out some unfit or incompetent students early, conserving time and instructional and equipment resources. The American committee decided to adopt the Canadian program in its entirety, only lengthening the course to eight weeks (later extending it to ten weeks, then to twelve), using existing American universities for instruction. During World War I, approximately 23,000 volunteers entered flying cadet training. Eight private and state universities offered preflight (ground school) training. This was conducted at: Upon successful completion of preflight training, flight cadets were sent to Camp John Dick Aviation Concentration Center, located at the Texas State Fairgrounds in Dallas. There the cadets would be processed and placed in groups for their primary flight training.
 * Princeton University, New Jersey
 * University of Texas
 * Cornell University, New York
 * University of California
 * University of Illinois
 * Massachusetts Institute of Technology
 * Georgia School of Technology
 * Ohio State University

Primary Training
Primary and advanced training became a major issue with the United State's entry into World War I. In April 1917, the Army had fewer than 100 flying officers and only three flying fields-- Hazelhurst Field, Mineola, New York; Camp Kelly, San Antonio, Texas,  and Rockwell Field, San Diego, California. There was also a seaplane base, Chandler Field, Essington, Pennsylvania. However, Chandler Field was closed in the summer of 1917 as inadequate, and its personnel and equipment transferred to the new Gerstner Field, Louisiana. Because it would take a long time to construct adequate training facilities in the United States, Canada provided flying bases at Deseronto and Camp Borden in the Toronto area during the summer of 1917 so that several hundred American cadets could begin primary flying training under the tutelage of the British Royal Flying Corps. The British also operated three flying schools in the United States, located at Camp Taliaferro, Fort Worth, Texas. Among the benefits of the arrangement was the integration of aerial gunnery into the U.S. flight training program. A few Americans who had taken an aerial gunnery course in Canada returned to become instructors at American flying fields. By late 1917, about one-third of Hicks Field, Texas, had been given over to the RFC School of Aerial Gunnery. There, Canadians supplied the planes and equipment to train both Americans and Canadians.

When the United States entered World War I, only the North Island field was a useable military airfield. Essington had been a quarantine station and Mineola, an exposition ground. In May 1917, construction began on Wilbur Wright Field near Dayton, Ohio. Soon afterward, Chanute Field opened at Rantoul, Illinois, as did Selfridge Field near Detroit. By October 31, fourteen facilities had been built, of which nine had begun flight training.

During 1917, a number of fields provided primary training: Hazelhurst Field (Mineola, New York), Selfridge Field (Mt. Clemens, Michigan), Wilbur Wright Field (Fairfield, Ohio), Chanute Field (Rantoul, Illinois), Scott Field (Belleville, Illinois), Camp Kelly (San Antonio, Texas), and Rockwell Field (the old North Island site in San Diego). Proposed advanced schools at Houston, Texas, and Lake Charles, Louisiana, were also used for primary training until the necessary equipment could be supplied for specialized instruction. All of these new airfields were named after Americans who lost their lives on aeronautical duty, some of which in the days when aviation was in its infantry. Three civilians who were pioneers in aeronautics were also honored.

On December 15, 1917, the five northern schools closed and cadets transferred to the two southern schools. Because of year-round training, southern schools permitted a more even flow of students. Each training field consisted of 100 airplanes and 144 cadets, with several training squadrons and a Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC).

Between June and late November 1917, manufacturers met the immediate demand for primary trainers with the delivery of 600 new Curtiss JN-4A Jennies, as the airplane became known. The famous Jenny remained the ubiquitous primary trainer throughout the war Depending upon the vagaries of weather, equipment, and individual ability, the aspiring pilot needed six to eight weeks, including forty to fifty hours of flying time, to earn his wings.


 * Barron Field (Camp Taliaferro Field #2)**
 * Everman, Texas
 * Named after Cadet R. J Barron
 * Construction started 18 September 1917; flying began 20 November 1917.
 * 32.62556°N, -97.30472°W
 * Primary Flying School: 8-week course


 * Carruthers Field (later Benbrook Field) (Camp Taliaferro Field #3)**
 * Benbrook, Texas
 * Named after Cadet W. K. Carruthers
 * Construction started 18 September 1917; flying began November 1917.
 * 32.67806°N, -97.46°W
 * Primary Flying School: 8-week course


 * Chanute Field
 * Rantoul, Illinois
 * Named after Octave Chanute, Pioneer Aviation Engineer
 * Construction started 31 May 1917; flying began 14 July 1917.
 * 40.29417°N, -88.14306°W
 * Permanent flying field, Primary Flying School: 8-week course


 * Eberts Field
 * Lonoke, Arkansas
 * Named after Captain Melchior Eberts
 * Construction started 11 December 1917
 * 34.79528°N, -91.91917°W
 * Temporary flying field, Primary Flying School: 8-week course
 * Closed, May 1919


 * Kelly Field
 * San Antonio, Texas
 * Named after 2d Lieutenant George E. M. Kelly
 * Construction started 24 July 1917; flying began 11 August 1917.
 * 29.37611°N, -98.58139°W
 * Permanent flying field, under lease 1917-19, purchased, 1919
 * Primary Flying School: 8-week course
 * Aviation Mechanics School
 * Concentration Camp, Air Service Indoctrination training
 * Ground School for Adjutants, Supply Officers, and Engineer


 * Love Field
 * Dallas, Texas
 * Named after 1st Lieutenant Moss Lee Love
 * Construction started 26 September 1917; flying began 8 December 1917.
 * 32.84889°N, -96.85056°W
 * Temporary flying field
 * Bombing School, Advanced flying, 8-week course for bombers, ll-week course for pilots
 * Reserve Military Aviators' Concentration School indoctrination training
 * Closed, May 1919


 * March Field
 * Riverside, California
 * Named after 2d Lieutenant Peyton C. March, Jr.
 * Construction started 23 March 1918; flying began, 15 June 1918.
 * 33.88944°N, -117.25889°W
 * Permanent flying field, Primary Flying School: 8-week course


 * Mather Field
 * Sacramento, California
 * Named after 2d Lieutenant Carl Spencer Mather
 * Construction authorized 3 March 1918; flying began 17 June 1918.
 * 38.55833°N, -121.3°W
 * Permanent flying field, Primary Flying School: 8-week course


 * Park Field
 * Millington, Tennessee
 * Named after 1st Lieutenant Joseph D. Park
 * Construction started 18 September 1917; flying began 1 December 1917.
 * 35.35417°N, -89.86861°W
 * Temporary flying field, Primary Flying School: 8-week course


 * Payne Field
 * West Point, Mississippi
 * Named after Captain Dewitt Payne
 * Construction started, 8 February 1918; flying began, 20 May 1918.
 * 33.66556°N, -88.6325°W
 * Temporary flying field
 * Pursuit School: Advanced flying, 6-week course
 * Reserve Military Aviators' Concentration School Indoctrination Training
 * Closed, May 1919


 * Rich Field
 * Waco, Texas
 * Named after 2d Lieutenant Perry C. Rich
 * Construction started 11 September 1917; flying began, 1 December 1917.
 * 31.54583°N, -97.18778°W
 * Temporary flying field, Primary Flying School: 8-week course
 * Closed, May 1919


 * Scott Field
 * Bellevielle, Illinois
 * Named after Corporal Frank S. Scott, the first enlisted person to be killed in an aviation crash.
 * Construction started, 4 July 1917; flying began, 12 September 1917
 * 38.54056°N, -89.85306°W
 * Permanent flying field, Primary Flying School: 8-week course


 * Souther Field
 * Americus, Georgia
 * Named after Major Henry Souther
 * Construction started 19 February 1918; flying began, 1 June 1918.
 * 32.11139°N, -84.18694°W
 * Temporary flying field, Primary Flying School: 8-week course


 * Taylor Field
 * Montgomery, Alabama
 * Named after Captain Ralph L. Taylor
 * Construction started 11 December 1917.
 * 32.30389°N, -86.12167°W
 * Temporary flying field, Primary Flying School: 8-week course

** Camp Taliaferro was a flight training center under the direction of the Air Service which had and administration center near what is now the Will Rodgers Memorial Center in Fort Worth, Texas. Flying airfields consisted of Hicks Field near Saginaw Texas where US flight cadets and Canadian aerial gunnery students trained, Canadian and British cadets trained at Barron Field in Everman and at Carruthers Field in Benbrook. From 1917 to 1918 British Royal Flying Corps instructors trained 6000 flight cadets at the facilities making up Camp Taliafero.

Advanced Training
Over 11,000 flying cadets received their wings and were commissioned before entering four weeks of advanced training either in the United States or Europe.
 * Bombing instruction took place at Ellington Field and Gerstner Fields.
 * Observer instruction took place at Call Field, Post Field, Langley Field, and Selfridge Fields.
 * Pursuit instruction took place at Rockwell Field, Carlstrom Field, and Dorr Fields

Upon deployment to France, additional training was conducted by a series of Air Instructional Centers (AIC)s in France using French and British aircraft that were used in the combat squadrons at the front. This supplemental training was provided because of a lack of necessary equipment in the United States.

The Training Section also established auxiliary schools at Wilbur Wright Field taught armorers, Brooks Field and Scott Field contained the principal instructor's schools. Radio instruction was taught at Carnegie Tech University, Pittsburgh, Austin University, Texas and Columbia University, New York. A photography school at Langley Field was also developed.

Because the United States was in World War I only for a year and a half and entered it so unprepared, only about 1,000 of the 11,000 aviators trained during the war were actually involved in operations against the enemy. Most of these operations consisted of artillery observation or air-to-air combat. Rapid demobilization followed the end of World War I, and many of these flying schools were closed and turned over to local authorities as airports, although some remained in service though the 1920s, World War II, and into the modern era.


 * Brooks Field
 * San Antonio, Texas
 * Named after Cadet Private Sidney Johnson Brooks, Jr
 * Construction started 11 December 1917
 * 29.34167°N, -98.435°W
 * Permanent facility, Aviation Flight Instructor School.


 * Call Field
 * Wichita Falls, Texas
 * Named after 1st Lieutenant Loren H. Call
 * Construction started 4 September 1917; flying began 1 December 1917
 * 33.87167°N, -98.555°W
 * Temporary flying field, Observation School: Advanced flying, 5-week course for observers, 4-week course for pilots
 * Field ordered closed, 11 July 1919


 * Carlstrom Field
 * Arcadia, Florida
 * Named after 1st Lieutenant Victor Carlstrom
 * Construction started 11 December 1917
 * 27.13833°N, -81.80278°W
 * Permanent facility, Advanced Pursuit School: 6-week course


 * Dorr Field
 * Arcadia, Florida
 * Named after Cadet Private Stephen H. Dorr
 * Construction started 26 December 1917
 * 27.20722°N, -81.67°W
 * Permanent flying field
 * Primary Flying School
 * Advanced Pursuit School
 * Aerial Gunnery School: 3-week course for pursuit graduates


 * Ellington Field
 * Houston, Texas
 * Named after 2d Lieutenant E. L. Ellington
 * Construction started 18 September 1917; flying began, 15 December 1917
 * 29.60722°N, -95.16389°W
 * Permanent flying field,
 * Armorers' School; Bombing School: 8-week course for bombers, ll-week course for pilots
 * Aerial Gunnery School for Bombing, 3-week course
 * Radio School: For training advanced radio operators


 * Gerstner Field
 * Lake Charles, Louisiana
 * Named after 2d Lieutenant Fredrick J. Gerstner
 * Construction of field started 22 September; flying began, 15 December 1917.
 * 30.11861°N, -93.08°W
 * Temporary flying field
 * Advanced Bombing School: 8-week course
 * Advanced Pursuit School
 * Radio School: Advanced course for radio telegraph officers.
 * Closed, May 1919


 * Langley Field
 * Hampton, Virginia
 * Named after Samuel Langley, Pioneer Aviatorr
 * Construction started 20 June 1917
 * 37.08306°N, -76.35917°W
 * Permanent flying field and balloon station
 * Experimental Engineering Department
 * Observation; School: 5-week course for observers, 4-week course for pilots
 * School of Photography


 * Post Field
 * Fort Sill, Lawton Oklahoma
 * Named after 2d Lieutenant Henry B. Post
 * Construction started 8 August 1917, training began January 1918
 * 34.64861°N, -98.39944°W
 * Permanent flying field, located on military reservation of Fort Sill.
 * Balloon School: for the training of balloon organizations and balloon observers
 * Observation School: 5-week course for observers, 4-week course for pilots
 * Radio School: Advanced course for radio telegraph officers


 * Rockwell Field
 * San Diego, California
 * Named after 2d Lieutenant Lewis G. Rockwell
 * 32.69778°N, -117.21306°W
 * Pre-World War I Flying School, established 1913.
 * Aerial Gunnery School
 * Primary Flying School: 8-week course
 * Advanced Pursuit School: 6-week course


 * Selfridge Field
 * Mount Clemens, Michigan
 * Named after 1st Lieutenant Thomas Selfridge
 * Construction started, 3 July 1917; flying began, 14 July 1917.
 * 42.62083°N, -82.83917°W
 * Permanent flying field
 * Aerial Gunnery School for Observation Graduates: 3-week course
 * Aerial Gunnery School for Fighting Observers: 4-week course


 * Wilbur Wright Field
 * Riverside, Ohio
 * Named after Wilbur Wright, Aviation Pioneer
 * Construction of field started 27 May 1917; flying began, 14 July 1917 and continued to 15 December 1917; resumed 15 April 1918
 * 39.77917°N, -84.10444°W
 * Permanent flying field Placed under Technical Section, Department of Military Aeronautics
 * Armorers' School, for the training of enlisted armorers and armament officers
 * Aerial Gunnery Course
 * Field, school, and depot consolidated 4 January 1919 and designated Wilbur Wright Air Service Depot.

Other Training Airfields

 * Camp John Wise
 * San Antonio, Texas (Approximate)
 * Named after John Wise, Pioneer Balloonist
 * Opened 20 January 1918
 * 29.42389°N, -98.49361°W
 * Temporary aviation camp, United States Army Balloon School
 * School for enlisted specialists to be assigned to balloon companies
 * Course in maneuvering for officers of balloon companies.
 * Closed, January 1919


 * Chandler Field
 * Essington, Pennsylvania
 * Named after 1st Lieutenant Rex Chandler
 * Established 1 April 1917
 * 39.86056°N, -75.3°W
 * Temporary flying field, Seaplane pilot training
 * Closed November 1917


 * Chapman Field
 * Miami, Florida
 * Named after Victor Chapman, First American aviator killed in World War I (1916)
 * Construction extended from 15 May 1918, to 19 April 1919.
 * 25.63944°N, -80.29222°W
 * Aerial Gunnery School


 * Hazelhurst Field
 * Mineola, Long Island, New York
 * Named after 2d Lieutenant Leighton W. Hazelhurst
 * Established, June 1916 on property previously used by New York National Guard as an aviation field (Mineola Field). Flying started June 1916
 * 40.74222°N, -73.59889°W
 * Temporary flying field under lease.
 * Headquarters First Provisional Wing or Headquarters First Reserve Wing. The Wing controlled all flying fields on Long Island; its principal function, aside from the defense of New York City, was the training of squadrons as units for oversea duty and development of team work in advanced flying
 * Aviation Concentration Center: Located at Garden City. Used as reception center for Air Service recruits; Facilitated Air Service units for the purposes of embarkation to Europe, and after the armistice in November 1918, for the purposes of debarkation.
 * Consolidated with Aviation Concentration Center (Renamed Air Service Depot) at Garden City and combined with Mitchel Field, 5 April 1919.


 * McCook Field
 * Dayton, Ohio
 * Named after Alexander McDowell McCook
 * Construction of field started, 6 October 1917.
 * 39.77583°N, -84.19083°W
 * Temporary aviation experimental station, under lease
 * Experimental Engineering Department
 * Bureau of Aircraft Production District Office


 * Fort Omaha
 * Omaha, Nebraska
 * Established March 1917,
 * 41.30667°N, -95.95694°W
 * Permanent post, United States Army Balloon School (for training balloon observers only)


 * Penn Field
 * Austin, Texas
 * Named after Cadet Eugene Penn
 * Under jurisdiction of the University of Texas, Austin; Opened 18 March 1918
 * 30.22667°N, -97.76°W
 * Primary pilot training (Never made operational); Radio School
 * Closed, 8 August 1919


 * Ross Field
 * Arcadia, California
 * Named after 2d Lieutenant Cleo J. Ross
 * Field established 3 June 1918
 * 34.12972°N, -118.04°W
 * Permanent military reservation
 * School for Enlisted Balloon Specialists
 * School for Balloon Company Commanders and Observers


 * Camp Taliaferro**
 * Named after 1st Lieutenant Walter R. Taliaferro
 * Hicks Field, Saginaw Texas (Field #1)
 * Named after Charles Hicks
 * 32.93083°N, -97.41167°W
 * Aerial Gunnery School for Army Corps Pilots: 3-week course
 * Operated by: Royal Flying Corps, taken over by Air Service 30 April 1918. On May 1, 1918, each field was given independent status. Closed, May 1919

Secondary airfields

 * Brindley Field
 * Commack, Long Island, New York
 * Named in honor of Maj. Oscar A. Brindley
 * Axillary of Hazelhurst Field. Used for advanced flying under supervision of commanding officer, 1st Provisional Wing.


 * Damm Field
 * Babylon, Long Island, New York
 * Named in honor of Lt. Col. Henry J. Damm
 * Axillary of Hazelhurst Field. Used for advanced flying under supervision of commanding officer, 1st Provisional Wing.


 * Emerson Field
 * Columbia, South Carolina; located on the military reservation of Camp Jackson
 * Named in honor of Lt. Wiliam Emerson
 * Established in connection with field artillery brigade firing center at Camp Jackson.


 * East Field
 * Otay Mesa, San Diego, California
 * Named in honor of Maj. W. J. East
 * Gunnery Range, Axillary of Rockwell Field


 * Godman Field
 * Stithton, Kentucky; Located on reservation of Camp Knox
 * Named in honor of 1st Lt. Louis K. Godman
 * Established in connection with field artillery brigade firing center at Camp Knox


 * Lufherry Field
 * Wantagh, Long Island, New York
 * Named in honor of Maj. Raoul V. Lufberry
 * Axillary of Hazelhurst Field. Used for advanced flying under supervision of commanding officer, 1st Provisional Wing.


 * Roosevelt Field,
 * Mineola, Long Island, New York
 * Initially named Westbury Plateau or as the Plateau at HazelhurstField. Named in honor of 1st Lt. Quentin Roosevelt
 * Axillary of Hazelhurst Field. Used for advanced flying under supervision of commanding officer, 1st Provisional Wing.


 * Pope Field
 * Fayettefille, North Carolina; located on military reservation of Camp Bragg.
 * Named in honor of 1st Lt. Harley Halbert Pope
 * established in connection with field artillery brigade firing center at Camp Bragg.


 * Ream Field
 * Oneonta, California
 * Named in honor of Maj. William R. Ream
 * Axillary of Rockwell Field


 * Reilly Field
 * Anniston, Alabama; located on military reservation of Camp McClellan
 * Named in honor of Capt. Henry J. Reilly
 * Established in connection with field artillery brigade firing center at Camp McClellan


 * Valentine Field
 * Labelle, Florida;
 * Named in honor of 2d Lt. Herman W. Valentine
 * Auxiliary of Carlstrom Field

Support facilities

 * Aviation General Supply Depot, Middletown, Pennsylvania
 * The depot made overseas shipments and also supplied materiel to Bolling Field, Langley Field, and First Provisional Wing at Garden City.


 * Aviation General Supply Depot, Americus, Georgia
 * Adjacent to Souther Field. Depot supplied materiel to aviation fields and in particular to Park Field, Taylor Field, Payne Field, Carlstrom Field, and Dorr Field.


 * Aviation General Supply Depot, Little Rock, Arkansas
 * Its activity consisted in storing airplane parts and supplying materiel for Post Field, Call Field, Eberts Field, Love Field, Hicks Field, Barron Field, Rich Field, and Carruthers Field


 * Aviation General Supply Depot, Wilbur Wright Field, Ohio
 * Supplied materiel to flying fields; in particular to Chanute Field, Scott Field, Selfridge Field, Wilbur Wright Field, and the Aviation Repair Depot at Indianapolis, Indiana.


 * Aviation General Supply Depot, Houston, Texas
 * Its activity consisted in storing obsolete materiel and providing additional storage space for planes, spares, and engines in excess of the storage facilities at nearby Ellington Field.


 * Aviation General Supply Depot, Kelly Field, Texas
 * The depot operated as an equipment station, supplying in particular, Kelly Field, Brooks Field, Ellington Field and Gerstner Field.


 * Aviation General Supply Depot, Los Angeles, California
 * Supplied March Field, Mather Field, Rockwell Field, and Army Balloon School at Arcadia (Ross Field).


 * Aviation General Supply Depot, Sacramento, California
 * Used for storage of aviation supplies


 * Aviation Repair Depot, Montgomery, Alabama
 * Depot repaired wrecked planes and engines; also overhauled planes and engines that had flown the required number of hours.


 * Aviation Repair Depot, Indianapolis, Indiana
 * Depot repaired wrecked planes and engines and overhauling planes and engines when required


 * Aviation Repair Depot, Dallas, Texas
 * Activities consisted in repairing and overhauling airplanes and engines for Barron Field, Brooks Field, Call Field, Carruthers Field, Ellington Field, Gerstner Field, Kelly Field, Love Field, Post Field, Rich Field, and Hicks Field. Used Love Field for test flights of repaired machines.