For the current active service branch, see
United States Air ForceThe Division of Military
Aeronautics was the name of the aviation organization
of the United States Army for a four-day period
during World War I.
It was created by a reorganization by the
War Department of the Aviation Section, U.S.
Signal Corps on April 24, 1918, still as part
of the Signal Corps.
It was removed from the Aviation Section by
executive order on May 20, 1918, and existed
as the sole Army aviation agency until a War
Department general order issued May 24, 1918,
established it and the Bureau of Aircraft
Production, created by the same reorganization
on April 24, as coordinate components of the
"Air Service".
As such, it is recognized by the United States
Air Force as the third of its antecedents.
As a subordinate component of the Air Service,
the DMA continued until March 19, 1919, when
the Board of Aircraft Production was consolidated
with it into the Air Service, United States
Army.
== History of the DMA ==
=== Creation ===
The failure of the Aircraft Production Board
(after October 1, 1917, the Aircraft Board)
and the Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps
to meet aircraft production goals for the
establishment of an adequate air combat force
in France by the summer of 1918 forced the
administration of President Woodrow Wilson
to overhaul the bureaucratic structure of
military aviation.
In addition the Aircraft Board was being investigated
by both the Justice Department and the United
States Senate for possible fraud.
For similar reasons, the Division of Military
Aeronautics was created on April 24, 1918,
replacing the Air Division, which had been
the final designation of the original Aeronautical
Division, U.S. Signal Corps.
On May 20, 1918, by Executive Order 2862,
issued under authority of the Overman Act
signed into law that date, the Division of
Military Aeronautics was removed from the
Aviation Section of the Signal Corps for duration
of the war and six months thereafter.
The administration, training, aircraft requirements,
personnel, and facilities of Army aviation
became the responsibility of the DMA, headed
by the Director of Military Aeronautics, reporting
directly to the Secretary of War, Newton Baker.
The existing Aircraft Board was replaced at
the same time by a Bureau of Aircraft Production
(BAP), headed by a civilian director, John
D. Ryan, formerly president of Anaconda Copper,
who had been appointed Director of Aircraft
Production on April 24.
=== Consolidation into the Air Service ===
Four days later War Department General Order
51 implemented the executive order, specifying
the duties and responsibilities of both the
DMA and BAP, in effect creating the Air Service,
United States Army.
From May 24, 1918, to March 19, 1919, the
Division of Military Aeronautics continued
as a part of the nominal Air Service.
Although it recognized that both the DMA and
BAP together formed its Air Service, the War
Department determined that no Director of
Air Service would be appointed as long as
the BAP was a separate executive bureau.
The Director of Military Aeronautics thus
also acted as titular head of the Air Service
except in matters of aircraft production,
a major shortcoming in authority.
In August, the Senate completed its investigation
of the Aircraft Board, and while it found
no criminal culpability, it reported that
massive waste and delay in production had
occurred.
Ryan, the Director of Aircraft Production
(who had also been chairman of the Aircraft
Board), was appointed to the vacant position
of Second Assistant Secretary of War and by
War Department General Orders No. 81, designated
as Director of Air Service on August 28.
The separate status of both the Division of
Military Aeronautics and the Bureau of Aircraft
Production technically ended, but Ryan allowed
them to continue to operate separately, reporting
to him, and were not officially terminated
until an executive order was issued on March
19, 1919.
The first Director of Military Aeronautics
was Major General William L. Kenly.
His executive officer was Colonel Henry H.
Arnold, who had also held the same position
in the former Aviation Section.
On March 6, 1919, Kenly reverted to his permanent
rank of Colonel, Field Artillery, and Brig.
Gen. Billy Mitchell was named to replace him
as Director of Military Aeronautics.
Mitchell became Director on March 10, but
nine days later Executive Order 3066 by President
Wilson consolidated the Board of Aircraft
Production and the DMA into the Air Service
under a Chief of Air Service, leaving the
position titular only.
Mitchell retained the title until the Training
and Operations Group came into being.
Initially Menoher's "Third Assistant Executive",
as chief of the Training and Operations Group
he was able to expound his airpower theories.
== Lineage of the United States Air Force
==
Aeronautical Division, Signal Corps: August
1, 1907 – July 18, 1914
Aviation Section, Signal Corps: July 18, 1914
– May 20, 1918
Division of Military Aeronautics: May 20,
1918 – May 24, 1918
Air Service, United States Army: May 24, 1918
– July 2, 1926
United States Army Air Corps: July 2, 1926
– June 20, 1941
United States Army Air Forces: June 20, 1941
– September 18, 1947
United States Air Force September 18, 1947–present
== Sources ==
Mortenson, Daniel R., "The Air Service in
the Great War," Winged Shield, Winged Sword:
A History of the United States Air Force Vol.
I (1997), ISBN 0-16-049009-X
"2005 Almanac," Air Force Magazine, May 2005,
Vol. 88, No. 5, the Air Force Association,
Arlington, Virginia
