It also performed strategic reconnaissance over enemy-controlled territory, and tactical bombing attacks on enemy forces in support of Army offensive operations.

After three and a half months, orders for overseas duty were received and on 6 December and moved to the Aviation Concentration Center, Garden City, New York.

On 24 June, it was moved to RFC Waddington, Lincolnshire, where again they acted as instructors for newly assigned Air Service units.

After a stay of five days for final equipment issue, the 11th Aero Squadron was moved to the "Zone of Advance" (the Western Front), transiting through the Air Service Production Center No.

On 1 September 1918, seven teams of pilots and observers/bombardiers reported, ferrying a complement of American-built Dayton-Wright DH-4 aircraft from the 1st Air Depot at Colombey-les-Belles Airdrome.

A period of time was spent giving the DH-4s a through overhauling, before proceeding to Amanty Airdrome on 6 September where the squadron was organized into a combat unit and familiarization flights were made.

[3] The first combat mission was flown on 26 September when a formation of nine aircraft crossed enemy lines on a bombing raid on Etain, flying at 12,000 feet.

The 11th didn't carry out a raid again until 2 October, although several of its flying crews were loaned to the 96th Aero Squadron to operate that unit's Breguet XIVs.

6 October saw eight aircraft from the squadron raided Doulcon, about 45 km north west of Verdun, in a trial of low-level bombing from 4,000 feet.

A German aerodrome between Barricourt and Bayonville was visited by 10 squadron DH-4s on 31 October, and the formation was attacked by ten Fokkers over Tailly.

[3] After bombing, the formation was attacked by about twenty Fokker D VIIs from Jagdgeschwader 1's Jasta 11, one of which was flown by Ltn Friedrich Noltenius, an ace then credited with 20 victories.

Noltenius concentrated on AS 32905, flown by 1Lt Dana E. Coates with 2Lt Loren R. Thrall as observer,[7] and hit the fuel tank, setting the aircraft on fire.

[8] Personnel were subsequently assigned to the commanding general, services of supply, and ordered to report to one of several staging camps in France .

[8] Finally on 16 April, it was ordered to proceed to the port of Bordeaux, where it boarded a troop ship for the voyage back to the United States.

DSC: Distinguished Service Cross; SSC: Silver Star Citation KIA: Killed In Action[10] This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency