Combat Operations

At Amaty, the first patrol was made over the lines on the night of 14 September 1918. Regular flights were made thereafter. "A" Flight would be on duty from dark until 01:00; "B" Flight from 01:00 until dawn each night. Flying was between 700 and 1200 meters altitude. Operations orders were issued each day for the nightly operations, taking off at staggered times. To reduce visibility of the aircraft when performing night missions aircraft were painted in black. Operations orders delineated the areas to be flown over by each sortie. During each mission, the observers would look for railroad activity with trains moving; road convoys; lighted areas indicating troop concentrations; locations of anti-aircraft artillery and searchlights, carefully noting their locations. Not all missions were successful, as weather would interfere with observations, and night fogs would cover the ground, making observations impossible.^[3][8]

As the war progressed the unit participated in many night missions and battles. Most famous of those battles were the Battle of Lorraine, Battle of Saint-Mihiel, and the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. For those, the unit earned their first battle streamers. The flying of night reconnaissance was a learning effort, as well as an operational necessity. The squadron history is replete with notes such as the following:

"..On a full moonlight night or an approximately full moonlight night observation is easy and can be carried on from a height of from 1,000 to 1,500 meters. Artificial flares are not necessary unless very detailed information is required when a lower altitude becomes necessary..."

"..When enemy search lights are sweeping the sky searching for one, it is best to refrain from shooting till they actually find and hold the light on the plane, for the tracer bullets are an aid to the searchers in locating the fliers position. As soon, however, as ones position is discovered the use of quick, well directed machine gun fire will greatly disturb the men directing the light and aid the pilot in eluding the trap.."

"..In shooting up a train load of troops or motor transports, one should drop to a level of three hundred meters or lower, and rake the train in a longitudinal manner. Good coordination between the pilot and observer is essential as the machine (aircraft) should be flown slowly, straight and as nearly as possible in a direction parallel to the movement of the target to get the best results.." ^[3]

On 24 September, the squadron was moved north from Amaty to Vavincourt Aerodrome. Night reconnaissance flights were performed during the Meuse-Argonne offensive as weather conditions permitted. On 24 September an attack was made on squadron aircraft by two enemy chase planes. The planes were not identified until they were less than 100 meters away. The forward aircraft was firing when it was first observed. By diving rapidly, first to the right, then to the left, the 9th squadron aircraft escaped, although the two enemy planes were seen several hundred meters above searching. Four days later information was received from the Intelligence Department that a night reconnaissance flight had been identified on one of the enemy airdromes. Although the planes of our Allies were attacked three times after this incident, the planes of the 9th met no further resistance in the air. The squadron remained at Vavincourt until the armistice on 11 November.^[3]

Third Army of occupation

After the war had drawn to a close, the unit was moved Germany to serve as part of the occupation force of the Rhineland under the Third Army Air Service.^[7] The 9th was initially assigned as a courier squadron for Headquarters Third Army, flying from Coblenz Aerodrome. The squadron was also able to perform test flights on surrendered German aircraft. Flights of the Fokker D.VII, Pfalz D.XII, Halberstadts and Rumpler aircraft were made and evaluations were made.^[9]

On 15 April 1919, the 9th was reassigned to the VII Corps Observation Group at Trier Aerodrome, where it became part of the infantry liaison school where it assisted in the training of infantry units to work with Air Service units and vice versa.^[9]

On 12 May 1919, the squadron first went to the 1st Air Depot at Colombey-les-Belles Airdrome, to turn in all of its supplies and equipment and was relieved from duty with the AEF. The squadron's Breguet aircraft were delivered to the Air Service American Air Service Acceptance Park No. 1 at Orly Aerodrome to be returned to the French. There practically all of the pilots and observers were detached from the squadron.^[10]

Personnel were subsequently assigned to the commanding general, services of supply, and ordered to report to the Marseilles staging camp. There, personnel awaited scheduling for transport to the United States.^[11] Upon return to the US, most squadron personnel were demobilized at Mitchell Field, New York.^[5]