Origins The 185th Aero Squadron was organized on 11 November 1917 at
Kelly Field #2, Texas by the transfer of men from the
24th Aero Squadron. Many of the men had experience flying or maintaining the
Curtiss JN-4B "Jenny" trainers. On the 15th, additional men were transferred to the squadron from the 2d Recruit Battalion and 3d Recruit Battalion. On 20 January 1918, the squadron was transferred to Aviation Concentration Center,
Mitchell Field, Long Island for duty overseas. After just over a week, the squadron embarked on the RMS
Adriatic, arriving in
Liverpool, England on 16 February after being delayed in
Halifax, Nova Scotia for a convoy. At Liverpool, the squadron boarded a train and arrived at
Winchester, England that evening, where it was assigned to the Romney Rest Camp. Active operations of the squadron ended on 11 November with the signing of the Armistice with Germany.
Demobilization Daylight Proficiency flights were conducted after the Armistice with Germany, however, no flights were permitted to be flown over German-controlled territory. The squadron remained at Rembercourt for about a month. On 11 December 1918 orders were received from First Army for the squadron to report to the 1st Air Depot,
Colombey-les-Belles Airdrome to turn in all of its supplies and equipment and was relieved from duty with the AEF. The squadron's Sopwith aircraft were delivered to the Air Service American Air Service Acceptance Park No. 1 at
Orly Aerodrome to be returned to the British. There practically all of the pilots and observers were detached from the squadron. During the organization's stay at Colombey, the men attended to the usual camp duties. Personnel at Colombey were subsequently assigned to the commanding general, services of supply, and ordered to report to one of several staging camps in France. There, personnel awaited scheduling to report to one of the base ports in France for transport to the United States and subsequent demobilization. On 6 May 1919, the 185th was moved to Base Station #5 near the port of
Brest prior to its return to the United States. Upon arrival the men were caught up on any back pay owed to them, de-loused, a formal military records review was performed and a passenger list was created prior to the men boarding a ship. ==See also==