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-12-
used as the nucleus of the 3rd Pursuit Group at Vaucouleurs, which participated in the St. Mihiel drive. After the drive it moved to Lisle-en-Barrois and took part in the drive of the 1st Army between the Argonne and the Meuse.

[[underline/DAY BOMBARDMENT/end underline]]

Day Bombardment began on May 18th when the 96th Squadron, the first of these units, was established at Amanty. This Squadron conducted numerous bombing operations using Breguet machines, (300 Renault) which had been previously flown for instruction purposes for seven months and constantly needed repairs. It was impossible to get spare parts and discarded farm machinery and telephone wires were utilized. Wagon tires were used for tail skids and an oxcart tongue was used to reinforce wing spars. Some of the teams had had experience with French bombing squadrons and a British squadron gave further instructions while the 96th was waiting for equipment.
    
The first bombing mission carried out by the 96th was on June 12, when a formation hit the railroad yards at Dommary-Baroncourt with nearly a ton of explosives in a four hour raid. Bombing raids were continuous until July 10, when the squadron was left with but one airplane after an unfortunate landing of a flight at Coblenz. A supply of new Breguets