UA 80.02 US Naval Aviation French Unit Collection
Documentary & photographic history of the US Naval Aviation French Unit, 1917-1919. Approximately 300 photographs are included, as well as documentary history on US Naval Aviation Forces, Foreign Service. The documents, maps, charts, and photos date from 1918-1919.
The bulk of the historical material in the collection comes from a report titled: History of US Naval Aviation: Foreign Service French Unit (1917 and 1918). Chapter headings include: Purpose (necessity for seaplanes, dirigibles, and kites and brief description of their need), Developments (movements of first Aeronautical Detachment, arrival in France, assignment of duty to officers, arrangement and policy of detachment), Preliminary Training (locations include: Moutchic, Lake Hourtin, St. Raphael, Cranwell and Roehampton), Organization (disposition of officers in the First Aeronautical Detachment, memos and letters regarding US Naval Aviation Forces, Foreign Services), General Organization (letters regarding US Naval Aviation in France, formation of Northern Bombing Project, memo on Dunkirk bombing project), Organization of Stations (letters regarding convening board to draw up organization), The German Drive on Paris (dispatches, letters, cables, regarding air stations, plans, and bombardment synopsis), Re-Organization of US Naval Aviation, Foreign Service (letters and memos), General (transportation, personnel, public works, supply, assembly & repair, etc.), Gunnery and Bombing, Seaplanes, Dirigibles and Kite Balloons, Hydrogen, Radio and Communications, Pigeons (blueprints showing method of handling), Aerography, Photography, Intelligence, Operations, Stations (Moutchic, Pauillac, Le Croisic, Ile Tudy, St. Trojan, L’Aber Vrach, Fromentine, Treguier, Brest, Areachon, Paimboeuf, Guipavas, Gujas, La Pallice, La Trinite) Statistics, and Inspections.
An index of photographs is included and consists of topics related to aircraft, officers of the First Aeronautic Detachment, bombardment of Paris and Dunkirk, homing (carrier) pigeons used and bred by US Naval Aviation units (blueprint drawings for handling and message useage is included), and the following stations: Moutchic, Pauillac, Brest, Treguier, L’Aber Vrach, Guipavas, Ile Tudy, La Trinite, Fromentine, Rochefort, La Pallice, St. Trojan, Areachon, & Gujan. Also included are maps and charts (organization), & blueprints.
