The 28th Aero Squadron was a United States Army Air Service unit that fought on the Western Front during World War I.
The squadron was assigned as a Day Pursuit (Fighter) Squadron as part of the 3d Pursuit Group, First United States Army. 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 perform close air support and tactical bombing attacks of enemy forces along the front lines. After the 1918 Armistice with Germany, the squadron returned to the United States in June 1919 and was demobilized.
The current United States Air Force unit which holds its lineage and history is the 28th Bomb Squadron, assigned to the 7th Operations Group, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas.
History
Origins
The squadron was first assembled at Kelly Field, San Antonio, Texas, on 10 February 1917. At the time, there were about 20 men assigned to the unit. The first few months were spent on learning the rudiments of soldiering, and it was not until 22 June that the squadron received its official designation.
Orders were received that the squadron would be attached to the British Royal Flying Corps for training, and the 22d was assigned to their flying school in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The squadron left Kelly Field on 22 August 1917, arriving at the recruiting depot at Leaside, Toronto on the evening of the 25th. After a few days of rest to become accustomed to the new surroundings, the squadron was split up by the RFC to be placed at the different schools for instruction. Squadron Headquarters was assigned to the school at Deseronto, for training under the 43d Wing, RFC. Another detachment proceeded to Camp Borden, Ontario under the 42d Wing, RFC. The remainder of the squadron were placed in different schools and on the flying fields in the vicinity of Toronto. In Canada, the squadron was trained in aircraft construction, overhaul, upkeep, motor transport work, aerial gunnery and other skills.
At the end of October, the squadron was re-assembled at Leaside. New orders were received and the 28th was transferred to Everman Field (#1), Camp Taliaferro, near Fort Worth, Texas, for additional RFC training. At Everman Field, those men selected as pilots were taught to fly the Curtiss JN-4 "Jenny" trainer. Late in December, flying training practically ceased on account of cold weather and rumors abounded about being sent overseas. Upon completion of the flying training, the cadets were commissioned as officers and assigned to the squadron as First Lieutenants.
On 21 January 1918 the squadron was ordered to proceed to Garden City, Long Island, New York for overseas deployment. The 22d arrived on the 26th. Due to an epidemic of fever, the squadron was immediately quarantined, although the men was allowed to spend time in New York City as passes were plentiful. Finally on 25 February, the squadron was embarked on the troop transport HMS 527, better known as the White Star Liner RMS Olympic at New York Harbor, Pier 54. The trans-Atlantic trip was uneventful until the second day out of Liverpool, England when the ship was picked up by four US Navy destroyers. That afternoon, all on board were suddenly alarmed by a heavy explosion, followed by several smaller detonations which shook the big ship from bow to stern. A German U-boat was being attacked by the destroyers, with one of them passing directly over the destroyer, dropping depth charges in the attack. The trip to England ended the next day about noon, however the 22d did not disembark the ship until the following morning, 6 March 1918.
After disembarking, the squadron was marched from the docks to the Liverpool railway station where it boarded a London and North Western Railway train which took them to Winchester in Hampshire, near the south coast of England. Arriving in the late afternoon the squadron was moved to the Romsey Rest Camp. At Romsey, the squadron was split up into four flights and the pilots were ordered transferred to Royal Air Force Airdromes in England for combat flying training. On 17 March the non-flying personnel were moved to the Southampton docks and embarked on the Channel boat "Archimdos", leaving about 18:30. Overnight was spent on the boat and daybreak found the ship in the harbor of Le Havre, Upper Normandy, France. The men disembarked about 16:30 and were moved to a rest camp on the hills above the city.