ABSTRACT
The 1st Aero Squadron played a significant role in Pershing's Punitive Expedition in a way totally unexpected by its air-minded officers and men. The Punitive Expedition gave the U. S. Army extensive, practical experience with motor transport. The officers and men experienced the practical value of truck transport in the field, and virtually every department of the force gained valuable knowledge about the operations, support, and maintenance of motor vehicles under the harshest conditions. During field maneuvers in 1911, the French army fielded twenty aircraft supporting several army corps, and provided that force, army aviators noted, with an extensive truck-based supply and transport system organized into various echelons. The first echelon comprised freight automobiles with complete spares and reserve supplies including extra motors, wings, frames, controls, and materials for complete airplane repairs. The second echelon consisted of a workshop on wheels, carrying a forge, special tools, additional repair materials, and an electrical light plant for work at night.
