| |
KF5JRV > TODAY 20.03.24 00:04l 22 Lines 1533 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 18975_KF5JRV
Read: DJ6UX GUEST
Subj: Today in History - Mar 19
Path: DB0FHN<DB0FFL<OE2XZR<OE6XPE<DB0ERF<DK0WUE<DK0WUE<N2NOV<K5DAT<KF5JRV
Sent: 240319/0628Z 18975@KF5JRV.#NWAR.AR.USA.NA BPQ6.0.23
Eight Curtiss “Jenny” planes of the First Aero Squadron take off from Columbus, New Mexico, in the first combat air mission
in U.S. history. The First Aero Squadron, organized in 1914 after the outbreak of World War I, was on a support mission for th
e 7,000 U.S. troops who invaded Mexico to capture Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa.
On March 9, 1916, Villa, who opposed American support for Mexican President Venustiano Carranza, led a band of several hundred
guerrillas across the border on a raid of the town of Columbus, New Mexico, killing 17 Americans. On March 15, under orders fro
m President Woodrow Wilson, U.S. Brigadier General John J. Pershing launched a punitive expedition into Mexico to capture Villa
. Four days later, the First Aero Squadron was sent into Mexico to scout and relay messages for General Pershing.
Despite numerous mechanical and navigational problems, the American fliers flew hundreds of missions for Pershing and gained im
portant experience that would later be used by the pilots over the battlefields of Europe. However, during the 11-month mission
, U.S. forces failed to capture the elusive revolutionary, and Mexican resentment over U.S. intrusion into their territory led
to a diplomatic crisis. In late January 1917, with President Wilson under pressure from the Mexican government and more concern
ed with the war overseas than with bringing Villa to justice, the Americans were ordered home.
73 de Scott KF5JRV
Pmail: KF5JRV@KF5JRV.#NWAR.AR.USA.NA
Email KF5JRV@gmail.com
Read previous mail | Read next mail
| |
