Writestream Radio Network

The United States, while a late entrant into World War I, began to contribute to the Allied war effort in 1916 and 1917 with volunteers who wanted to fight the German forces as combat aviators. These first "American Eagles," initially joined up with the French Armié de Aire's famous Lafayette Escadrille, but soon began to join the fledgling Royal Flying Corps/ Royal Air Force (RAF). By the time of America's entry into the "Great War," a sizable force of Americans were already flying, fighting, and dying over the trenches of France and the low countries. There they helped hold the line until 1918, when American flying units began to reach the front. Throughout 1918, these Americans helped hold the line against the great German "Michael" Offensive, and later that summer helped the Allies take the offensive along the entire Western front, leading to the victory of November 1918. To learn more about these very first American combat aviators, join military historian, author and journalist John D. Gresham (@gresha