One day short of their 4th month of existence, the officers and enlisted men of the 1st Aero Squadron stationed at Texas City, Texas, celebrated the Fourth of July with a special meal. This menu also lists a roster of all the personnel assigned to the United States’ first operational flying squadron back in 1913. (U.S. Air Force photo).
Upon the orders of then President Taft, the Army’s 2nd Division was movilized to protect our border with Mexico, because of increasing dangers that the Mexican Revolution might spill over into the United States – – – and part of that Army Division was organized into the nation’s first active duty Army Aviation Squadron: The First Aero Squadron.
Only 4 months into their existence, the men of that unit celebrated their Nation’s Independence with a formal Dinner Party, and printed the below menu, which is in the National Museum of the Air Force’s Archives. If you click to enlarge the below photo, your will be able to easily see the front side of the Menu, where you will recognize the imprint of the American Eagle sitting above the title of the FIRST AERO SQUADRON . . . along with the date of the Dinner.
Menu from the July 4th 1913 Formal Dinner held by the four month old new First Aero Squadron located in Texas City, Texas. Notice that all the Squadron’s Personnel are listed. Click on Menu’s image above to see it in HD quality.
1914 Panaramic Photo of FAS Personnel at their new duty station on North Island, San Diego, California. Click on the photo to see it in high resolution. To the left in this photo, you can recognize some of their Curtiss manufactured Jenny R-2’s, the first planes used two years later at the beginning of the Punitive Expedition inot Mexico from Columbus, NM.