[5] The squadron was very successful in combat, having half a dozen air aces including David Putnam, Karl Schoen, Robert Opie Lindsay, and future Brigadier General Harold H.

[1] Upon completion of training by the RFC, the 139th received orders to move to the Aviation Concentration Center at Camp Mills, Garden City, New York on 12 February 1918.

After a short period at the concentration center, the squadron left New York Harbor on 26 February on the RMS Olympic.

It then proceeded to the 2d Aviation Instruction Center, (2d AIC) American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) at Tours Aerodrome, arriving on 21 March.

Language difficulties, however, negated the benefit of these representatives and they returned to their home bases while the mechanics worked out on-the-job training for maintaining the SPAD VIIs.

[1] On 30 June, the squadron was reassigned to the 2d Pursuit Group and moved to Croix de Metz Aerodrome, near Toul.

[1] The first combat between the 139th and enemy aircraft took place on 30 June, and Lt. David E. Putnam shooting down a German biplane.

One pilot, Lt. MacLure, was lost on 17 July when he was forced to land behind enemy lines, however, he was later reported as a Prisoner of War.

However, on the 10th, a massive combat free-for-all resulted with six squadron aircraft engaged with about a dozen German Fokkers.

The remainder of October was quite active and eleven more successful combats were fought, twenty enemy aircraft were destroyed.

However, talk of peace had begun and although regular combat patrols were flown, few enemy aircraft were seen.

The squadron remained at Souilly Airdrome until 29 January 1919 when it moved Grand Aerodrome, France, to help construct a new airfield.

[1] On 18 April orders were received from First Army for the squadron to report to the 1st Air Depot, Colombey-les-Belles Airdrome to turn in all of its supplies and equipment and was relieved from duty with the AEF.

[9] Personnel at Colombey were subsequently assigned to the commanding general, services of supply, and ordered to report to the staging camp at Le Mans.

There, personnel awaited scheduling to report to one of the base ports in France for transport to the United States and subsequent demobilization.

DSC: Distinguished Service Cross; DSM: Army Distinguished Service Medal; SSC: Silver Star Citation; KIA: Killed in Action; POW: Prisoner of War[11] This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency