During the River Vesle Offensive in early August, 1918, the 88th Aero Squadron assigned to the III Corps, United States First Army[1] for observation duties was stationed on the Ferme des Greves Aerodrome 5 August to 4 September, then 9 - 12 September; the airfield was located on the heights overlooking the left bank of the Marne River, about 10 kilometers east from Chateau-Thierry; it has been used by the French Aéronautique Militaire since May.

Shelter from bombs existed in the form of abandoned trenches and dugouts constructed by the troops which had recently fought over the ground.

The mission of the corps was to seize a favorable opportunity for forcing the passages of the Vesle and to exploit success as far as the River Aisne.

Each day's work was carefully planned by the Chief of Air Service and his assistants on the basis of the tactical situation as communicated by corps and divisional headquarters through the various channels of liaison above outlined.

The operations partook of the nature of harassing infantry and artillery assaults upon the enemy's positions with the object of weakening his morale and wearing down his strength and resources.

Frequent short advances across the river into his lines were carried out, but until the opening days of September the passage of the Vesle was not permanently affected by troops of the III Corps.

It developed upon the Corps Air Service to maintain a constant watch upon the enemy to detect any preparations for attack or retreat upon his part.

Plans for the completion of our own lines of defense and orders for the undertaking of any local aggressive operations could thus be issued with a relative degree of certitude that all contingencies having to do with enemy reaction had been foreseen and guarded against upon the basis of an unchanged situation.

While realizing the importance of the communication of negative information, the Air Service spared no effort to gather as much positive data as the situation permitted.

The morning and evening reconnaissances were particularly effective in locating in the half light the flashes of enemy batteries in action.

The airplane seeking to locate batteries first flew boldly up to the lines and remained at close range for some little time, preserving an altitude of about 700 meters.

They were of great tactical interest in familiarizing the staff and commanders of combatant units with the features of the enemy terrain immediately opposite the corps front.

After the armistice, the airfield was returned to agricultural use; it was located to the NE of the Ferme des Grèves, above the village of Saint-Eugène, with no indications of its wartime use.