Item Description
Original Items: One-of-a-kind set. This is a fantastic aviator pilot officer set from World War One. Lieutenant Walter Rahman (ASN 32385) was a pilot assigned to the 25th Aero Squadron.
The 25th Aero Squadron was an Air Service, United States Army unit that fought on the Western Front during World War I. The squadron was assigned as a Day Pursuit (Fighter) Squadron as part of the 4th Pursuit Group, Second United States Army. Its mission was to engage and clear enemy aircraft from the skies and provide escort to reconnaissance and bombardment squadrons over enemy territory.
This group consists of the following items:
- Tunic named in the inner pocket "Lt Walter Rahman Army Air Service", sewn above the pocket is a fine quality bullion embroidered Army Air Service pilot wing, collar displays a pair of French made officer's "US" collar insignia and pair of French made Air Service officer's collar insignia. Left sleeve exhibits a painted 25th Aero Squadron patch.
- Original Dog tag stamped "Walter Rahman 1st Lieut A.S. USA" the reverse stamped "25th Aero Squadron".
- High quality printed copy of original photography of the Officer Corp of the 2nd Aero Squadron from 1918 featuring Lieutenant Walter Rahman in the middle row on the far left.
- High quality printed copy of original roster of flying officers from the 25th Aero Squadron, 4th Pursuit Group dated November 30th, 1918 naming "Walter Rahman 1st Lieut ASUSA"
- High quality printed copy of original WWI Officer Card which shows his dates of overseas service as June 3, 1918 through August 12, 1919.
The following pieces were most likely added by a previous collector for display purposes:
- Original Leather Sam Brown belt with cross strap, interior inked "A.L. Homier"
- Original pair lace-up russet leather boots. US Army contract marked and dated 11/20/34.
- Original Tan cotton breeches with the initials "FTE" embroidered in the waistband.
25th Aero Squadron on the Western Front
After several days at Rest Camp #4, the 25th Aero Squadron boarded a French troop train bound for the Replacement Prison Center, AEF, St. Maixent Replacement Barracks on 18 August for equipping, and personnel processing. Then on the 27th, it moved again to the Air Service Production Center No. 2. at Romorantin Aerodrome, arriving on the 29th. There, the squadron went back to performing the same work it was doing at Kelly Field, that of ten hours of fatigue work each day, unloading steel from cars and placing it in piles. It continued this until 16 September when they departed for the 1st Air Depot at Colombey-les-Belles Airdrome.
At Colombey the squadron was finally classified as a Pursuit Squadron, and also began to receive pursuit pilots. Many of the pilots had been trained in England and had been attached to British squadrons, flying Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5s over the lines. During its time in England, the 25th had gained much experience in maintaining S.E.5s, and it was delighted to learn it would be the first American Squadron to be equipped with the British aircraft. However, the S.E.5s which it would be equipped were intended to be fitted with American license-built Hispano-Suiza 8 engines manufactured by Wright Aeronautical. The planes were being assembled by the Austin Motor Company, in Birmingham and Coventry, England and several flying officers were sent to England to ferry the planes to the front. However, this did not proceed as quickly as was hoped, as delays in the delivery of the aircraft in England and with one aircraft being flown to the American Air Acceptance Park #1 at Orly Field, it was held for an engine overhaul, a thorough examination and it needed to be equipped with armament.
On 24 October, the squadron was moved to Croix de Metz Aerodrome, near Toul, where the squadron was assigned to the Second Army Air Service, 4th Pursuit Group. The 141st Aero Squadron of the group was already operating over the lines with SPAD XIIIs, but the 25th was still awaiting aircraft. The next ten days were spent on camp duty awaiting the problems with its aircraft being sorted out. Finally, on 1 November, the first S.E.5 was delivered to the squadron, with the second aircraft being delivered the next day. Deliveries of the planes continued, although at a slow pace though November until the full complement of twenty-one planes was received by the end of the month.
On 10 November, the 25th Aero Squadron made its first flight over the lines, joining with the 4th Pursuit Group in a hunting expedition in front of Metz, with many of the 25th's S.E. 5as missing their "overhead" mount Lewis machine guns. No enemy aircraft were seen, but the squadron bombed German targets in Metz with twenty-pound bombs each pilot carried on their lap. This patrol qualified the squadron as an aerial pursuit unit operating on the front. The morning of the 11th saw another patrol being made over the front, being in the air at the time of the Armistice with Germany. However, again no enemy aircraft were seen, no bombs dropped and no rounds were fired by the squadron.[3] One of the 25th's new pilots flying on the 10th and 11th was Philadelphia-born Joseph E. "Child Yank" Boudwin, the former wingman of Royal Air Force ace pilot Andrew Beauchamp-Proctor, when both men (often with Hugh Saunders as the other wingman to Beauchamp-Proctor) flew S.E.5as with No. 84 Squadron RAF from Bertangles, in the summer of 1918.
The 25th Aero Squadron was an Air Service, United States Army unit that fought on the Western Front during World War I. The squadron was assigned as a Day Pursuit (Fighter) Squadron as part of the 4th Pursuit Group, Second United States Army. Its mission was to engage and clear enemy aircraft from the skies and provide escort to reconnaissance and bombardment squadrons over enemy territory.
This group consists of the following items:
- Tunic named in the inner pocket "Lt Walter Rahman Army Air Service", sewn above the pocket is a fine quality bullion embroidered Army Air Service pilot wing, collar displays a pair of French made officer's "US" collar insignia and pair of French made Air Service officer's collar insignia. Left sleeve exhibits a painted 25th Aero Squadron patch.
- Original Dog tag stamped "Walter Rahman 1st Lieut A.S. USA" the reverse stamped "25th Aero Squadron".
- High quality printed copy of original photography of the Officer Corp of the 2nd Aero Squadron from 1918 featuring Lieutenant Walter Rahman in the middle row on the far left.
- High quality printed copy of original roster of flying officers from the 25th Aero Squadron, 4th Pursuit Group dated November 30th, 1918 naming "Walter Rahman 1st Lieut ASUSA"
- High quality printed copy of original WWI Officer Card which shows his dates of overseas service as June 3, 1918 through August 12, 1919.
The following pieces were most likely added by a previous collector for display purposes:
- Original Leather Sam Brown belt with cross strap, interior inked "A.L. Homier"
- Original pair lace-up russet leather boots. US Army contract marked and dated 11/20/34.
- Original Tan cotton breeches with the initials "FTE" embroidered in the waistband.
25th Aero Squadron on the Western Front
After several days at Rest Camp #4, the 25th Aero Squadron boarded a French troop train bound for the Replacement Prison Center, AEF, St. Maixent Replacement Barracks on 18 August for equipping, and personnel processing. Then on the 27th, it moved again to the Air Service Production Center No. 2. at Romorantin Aerodrome, arriving on the 29th. There, the squadron went back to performing the same work it was doing at Kelly Field, that of ten hours of fatigue work each day, unloading steel from cars and placing it in piles. It continued this until 16 September when they departed for the 1st Air Depot at Colombey-les-Belles Airdrome.
At Colombey the squadron was finally classified as a Pursuit Squadron, and also began to receive pursuit pilots. Many of the pilots had been trained in England and had been attached to British squadrons, flying Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5s over the lines. During its time in England, the 25th had gained much experience in maintaining S.E.5s, and it was delighted to learn it would be the first American Squadron to be equipped with the British aircraft. However, the S.E.5s which it would be equipped were intended to be fitted with American license-built Hispano-Suiza 8 engines manufactured by Wright Aeronautical. The planes were being assembled by the Austin Motor Company, in Birmingham and Coventry, England and several flying officers were sent to England to ferry the planes to the front. However, this did not proceed as quickly as was hoped, as delays in the delivery of the aircraft in England and with one aircraft being flown to the American Air Acceptance Park #1 at Orly Field, it was held for an engine overhaul, a thorough examination and it needed to be equipped with armament.
On 24 October, the squadron was moved to Croix de Metz Aerodrome, near Toul, where the squadron was assigned to the Second Army Air Service, 4th Pursuit Group. The 141st Aero Squadron of the group was already operating over the lines with SPAD XIIIs, but the 25th was still awaiting aircraft. The next ten days were spent on camp duty awaiting the problems with its aircraft being sorted out. Finally, on 1 November, the first S.E.5 was delivered to the squadron, with the second aircraft being delivered the next day. Deliveries of the planes continued, although at a slow pace though November until the full complement of twenty-one planes was received by the end of the month.
On 10 November, the 25th Aero Squadron made its first flight over the lines, joining with the 4th Pursuit Group in a hunting expedition in front of Metz, with many of the 25th's S.E. 5as missing their "overhead" mount Lewis machine guns. No enemy aircraft were seen, but the squadron bombed German targets in Metz with twenty-pound bombs each pilot carried on their lap. This patrol qualified the squadron as an aerial pursuit unit operating on the front. The morning of the 11th saw another patrol being made over the front, being in the air at the time of the Armistice with Germany. However, again no enemy aircraft were seen, no bombs dropped and no rounds were fired by the squadron.[3] One of the 25th's new pilots flying on the 10th and 11th was Philadelphia-born Joseph E. "Child Yank" Boudwin, the former wingman of Royal Air Force ace pilot Andrew Beauchamp-Proctor, when both men (often with Hugh Saunders as the other wingman to Beauchamp-Proctor) flew S.E.5as with No. 84 Squadron RAF from Bertangles, in the summer of 1918.
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