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Exhibition Echoes of the Great War: American Experiences of World War I

Echoes of the Great War: American Experiences of World War I

Air War over Meuse-Argonne

William "Billy" Mitchell to his mother, October 7, 1918. General William Mitchell Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress (144.00.00)
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William "Billy" Mitchell to his mother, October 7, 1918. General William Mitchell Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress (144.00.00)
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William "Billy" Mitchell to his mother, October 7, 1918. General William Mitchell Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress (144.00.00)
Enlarge
William "Billy" Mitchell to his mother, October 7, 1918. General William Mitchell Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress (144.00.00)
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William "Billy" Mitchell to his mother, October 7, 1918. General William Mitchell Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress (144.00.00)
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Meuse-Argonne Offensive, Map Showing Daily Position of Front Line, May 24, 1919. Summerall Collection, Geography and Map Division, Library of Congress (152.00.00)
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Air War over Meuse-Argonne

At Meuse-Argonne, Colonel William Mitchell, the AEF's chief aviation officer, led a force of 842 airplanes in bombing raids against German concentrations behind the frontlines, strafing runs against machine gun nests, and aerial reconnaissance missions to observe enemy movements. In this letter to his mother two weeks into the battle, he praised the performance of the air service and noted, "Our ground troops also do well, but are pretty new."

This map depicts the entire Meuse-Argonne Offensive. The engagement lasted from September 26, 1918, until the Armistice on November 11, 1918. During these forty-seven days, more than 1.2 million American soldiers went into action.