The 3d Corps Observation Group is an inactive United States Air Force

United States Air Force

The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...

 unit. It was last assigned to the III Corps, United States Army Air Service

United States Army Air Service

The Air Service, United States Army was a forerunner of the United States Air Force during and after World War I. It was established as an independent but temporary wartime branch of the War Department by two executive orders of President Woodrow Wilson: on May 24, 1918, replacing the Aviation...

, during World War I

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

 in France. It operated in the Toul, Alsne-Marne, and Veale sectors. The organization was inactivated in early 1919 as part of the United States withdrawal of forces from Europe after World War I and the demobilization afterwards.

Mission

The mission of the group was primarily to keep the friendly command informed of the general situation within the enemy lines by means of visual and photographic reconnaissances. It was called upon to effect, whenever necessary, the adjustment of U.S. Army artillery fire. In addition, it was expected that the group would serve to complete the schooling of pilots and observers and render them more competent to undertake intensive operations elsewhere on a larger and more complete scale.

Components

• 88th Army Observation (Aero) Squadron, 1 Aug – 1 Nov 1918
• 90th Army Observation (Aero) Squadron
  90th Fighter Squadron
  The 90th Fighter Squadron is part of the 3d Wing at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. It operates the F-22 Raptor aircraft conducting air superiority missions.-Mission:...
  
  , 21 Sep – 30 Nov 1918
• N.219 & N.229 Escadrille, Aéronautique Militaire (Attached)

Engagements

• Champagne-Marne Defensive, 15–18 Jul 1918
• Alane-Marne Offensive, 18 Jul – 6 Aug 1918
• St Mihel Offensive, 12–16 Sep 1918
• Meuse-Argonne Offensive, 26 Sep – 11 Nov 1918

Aircraft

• AR-2 (Avion de Reconnaissance) (French)
• Sopwith 1
  Sopwith Aviation Company
  The Sopwith Aviation Company was a British aircraft company that designed and manufactured aeroplanes mainly for the British Royal Naval Air Service, Royal Flying Corps and later Royal Air Force in the First World War, most famously the Sopwith Camel...
  
   (British)
• Salmson 2.A2
  Salmson 2
  |-References:* Davilla, James J., & Soltan, Arthur M., French Aircraft of the First World War. Stratford, Connecticut: Flying Machines Press, 1997. ISBN 0-9637110-4-0...
  
  (French)