United States Army Air Corps
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United States Army Air Corps Seal |
The
United States Army Air Corps was the predecessor the
United States Air Force (USAF) from 1926 to 1941. The
Army Air Corps is also a current subordinate element of the
United States Army and is unrelated to the original USAAC.
Passage by
Congress of the
Air Corps Act of 1926 established the U.S. Army Air Corps on
July 2,
1926, replacing the
United States Army Air Service, established
May 24,
1918. The Chief of the Air Service, Maj. Gen.
Mason Patrick, then became Chief of the Air Corps.
During
World War II the role of the Air Corps changed. In 1941, as part of a re-organization of the Army along functional lines, the
United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) was established on
June 20,
1941. The Air Corps then became a subordinate part of the USAAF as a combatant arm (as
Infantry and
Artillery were subordinate combatant arms of the Army Ground Forces). The required Congressional disestablishment of the Army Air Corps itself did not occur until
1947.
The
Army Air Corps is an administrative corps of the U.S. Army and was established in 1987 and serves to organize, train, equip and operate the Army's light aircraft and helicopter assets. The Army Air Corps was formed by renaming the Army Aviation Branch which was established during the 1950s. Its primary function is the tactical support of the army by providing tactical close air support and transport services. An updated version of the
Key West Agreement governs the division of responsibility for air assets between the Army and the Air Force (the Army is precluded from operating
fixed-wing aircraft in the
airlift or
close air support roles).
See also:
List of military aircraft of the United States
