Volume 17 , Issue 18

Army Air Corps of WWII

As we research the Army Air Corps (USAAC), we find it was the statutory administrative forerunner of the United States Air Force. It was renamed from the earlier United States Army Air Service on 2 July 1926, a part of the larger United States Army and the immediate predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF), established on 20 June 1941.

It was discontinued as an administrative echelon in 1942 during World War II, the Ari Corps (AC) remained as one of the combat arms of the Army until 1947, when it was legally abolished by legislation establishing a Untied States Department of Defense consisting of a Department of the Army (formerly the War Department), Department of the Navy and Department of the Air Force.

The Ari Corps was renamed by the US Congress largely as a compromise between the advocates of a separate air arm and those of the traditionalist army high command who viewed the aviation arm as an auxiliary branch to support the ground forces. Its primary purpose by Army policy remained support of ground forces rather than independent operations.

On 1 March 1935 the Army activated the General Headquarters Air Force for centralized control of aviation combat units within the continental United States, separate from but coordinate with the Air Corps. The separation of the Air Corps from control of its combat units caused problems of unity of command that became more acute as the Air Corps enlarged in preparation for World War II. This was resolved by the creation of the Army Air Forces, making both organizations became subordinate to the new higher echelon. The Air Corps ceased to have an administrative structure after 9 March 1942, but as "the permanent statutory organization of the air arm, and the principal component of the Army Air Forces," the overwhelming majority of personnel assigned to the AAF were members of the Air Corps.

Creation of the Air Corps

The US Army Air Service (USAAS) had a brief, turbulent history. It was created during WWI after American entrance in April 1917 as the increasing use of airplanes and the military uses of aviation were readily apparent as the war continued to its climax. by executive order of the 28th President Woodrow Wilson, it gained permanent legislative authority in 1920 as a combatant arm of the line of the US Army. There was a six year struggle between adherents of airpower and the supporters of the traditional military services about the value of an independent Air Force, intensified by struggles for funds caused by skimpy budgets, as much an impetus for independence as any other factor.

The Air Corps Act (44 Stat. 780) became law on 2 July 1926. In accordance with the Morrow Board's recommendations, the act created an additional Assistant Secretary of War to "help foster military aeronautics", and established an air section in each division of the General Staff for a period of three years. Two additional brigadier generals would serve as assistant chiefs of the Air Corps.[10][n 3] Previous provisions of the National Defense Act of 1920 that all flying units be commanded only by rated personnel and that flight pay be awarded were continued. The Air Corps also retained the "Prop and Wings" as its branch insignia through its disestablishment in 1947.
  |  View or Add Comments (0 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

---