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From the very beginning a great deal of hostile opposition was met in the air. The Germans seemed to have concentrated a large part of their aerial forces in this sector, possibly to counter-act against a group of English chasse which were operating over this front until the beginning of the offensive at which time they were ordered to Flanders, having this squadron to cope with the Boche concentration. The casualities sustained in the attack therefore were very heavy.

The reputation already established by this squadron was such that it was made the Army Corps Squadron of the First Army Corps and as such was intrusted with missions of the greatest importance. Nor was this confidence mis-placed. Throughout the attack all members of the squadron did heroic work. Operations began with the sqaudron having less than its required quota of either ships, pilots or observers. The losses were heavy and replacements impossible to obtain. Still the squadron efficiency was maintained. Mechanics worked day and night keeping ships in condition, pilots and observers flew twice, sometimes three times a day. A great deal of credit is due the man who commanded the squadron during these trying times. Lieut. Coyle, who by his own example and by his cheerfulness and helpfulness did more than anyone else to maintain the morale and working efficeincy of his squadron.

On July 21st, the squadron entered its next name upon the rolls of honor, when Lieut. Boldt, observer was killed in action by a machine gun bullet from the ground while doing infantry contact mission. Four others made the supreme sacrifice on Aug. 1st, when a photographic mission with two protection planes was attacked by a formation of 18 Fokkers. Lieuts. Wooten, Wold and Lieuts. Miller and Sykes were shot down and the observer in the third plane, Lieut. Spencer was seriously wounded. Many a story of heroic deeds, of risks run and chances taken, have been told of the fliers of this squadron during this offensive, and many others forever untold have been buried under the fair soil of France with the remains of our illustrious dead.

Follow a few of the incidents which occured during this period taken at random. The quoted portion is taken from the log. 

"July 29. Photo Mission, Pilot Lieut. Wold, Observer Lieut. D'Amour. 11 pictures." This is what actually happened as told by Lieut. D'Amour. Protection had been promised by the First Pursuit Group, then at Saints. We landed there and agreed to meet their patrol over Coulomiers, at 1000 meters. The meeting having been effected we started for the front. Low clouds were here encountered and the chasse patrol was lost in the clouds, Nevertheless, we decided to go in and get our pictures. They were to be obliques of strong points in the rear of the enemy lines. One magazine was taken without accident, and after five photos had been exposed on the second magazine, the camera jammed. I changed magazines, but the camera still refused to work. On investigating, I found that broken glass had worked into the shutter and the camera was definitely out of commission. By that time we were some distance into Germany, so we decided to make a reconnaissance of the enemy rear area. We progressed to a distance of some twenty kilometers inside the German lines, locating several pill-boxes and newly constructed strong points, and machine gun nests. We started for home, flying at about 600 meters, up to this time the ground fire had been no more than normal, when we started back, however, it became extremely active. When we were still about twelve kilometers inside the German lines an anti-aircraft shell exploded directly underneath the motor, tearing a large piece off the end of one propeller blade and stopping the motor. We started at once for the ground, both of us emptying our machine guns on the way down on account of having incendiary bullets. The German machine gun fire never ceased for an instant. Lieut. Wold was just levelling off preparatory to landing when the motor started again. However the piece torn off the propeller cut down the power and we flew the rest of the way out, almost ten kilometers, at from ten to fifty meters. Tracers from ground machine guns formed a fountain all around the ship, tearing away a flying wire and landing wire and riddling wings and fusilage and another shell tore a large hole in the elevator. Some days later the Chief of Staff of the Army Corps visited the field and stated the photos obtained had given them information of