The 5th Corps Observation Group is an inactive United States Army

United States Army

The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...

 unit. It was last assigned to the V 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. 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.

History

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 our own artillery fire. In addition, it 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 Corps Observation (Aero) Squadron, 12–17 Sep 1918 (Attached)
• 99th Army Observation (Aero) Squadron
  99th Reconnaissance Squadron
  The 99th Reconnaissance Squadron is part of the 9th Reconnaissance Wing at Beale Air Force Base, California. It operates U-2 Dragon Lady aircraft flying reconnaissance missions around the world.-Mission:...
  
  , 7 Aug–Dec 1918
• 104th Army Observation (Aero) Squadron
  13th Bomb Squadron
  The 13th Bomb Squadron is an active United States Air Force organization assigned to the 509th Operations Group, stationed at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri...
  
  , Aug–Dec 1918
• N.219 & N.229 Escadrille, Aéronautique Militaire (Attached)

Engagements

• St Mihel Offensive, 12–16 Sep 1918
• Meuse-Argonne Offensive, 26 Sep – 11 Nov 1918

Aircraft

• 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)
• Spad XIII (French)