W
ith few trained personnel, borrowed weapons, and poor gun sights it was a
wonder the United States Anti-Aircraft Artillery Service hit anything at all. But
as the war progressed, the unit established a success rate far exceeding that
of their allies. The capability of the United States in engaging enemy aircraft from the
ground was somewhat restricted prior to entering World War One as they had neither
any mobile anti-aircraft (AA) artillery nor a dedicated anti-aircraft service (AAS).
Although the Model 1902 3in gun had been adopted as an AA weapon, these were
heavy guns which were emplaced in fixed mountings near potential targets (ports
and cities) and were operated by the corps of heavy coast artillery. Up until this time
the risk from the air to the United States was always thought to be enemy airships
undertaking bombing raids. There had been no anticipation of the kind of aerial
conflict which was now taking place over Europe.‘Devising a way to make such a
heavy weapon mobile would always be challenging’
words Tim Gosling pictures archive
Tim Gosling looks at the
role of the United States
Anti-aircraft Artillery
Service, which
was formed
in 1917Too little, too late
A De Dion-Bouton of Battery B
of the 1st AA Battalion goes into
action near Montreuil June 15, 1918