NOTE: Detailed lineage information for Air Base Communications, Airways Detachment, Medical, Ordnance, Quartermaster, and Signal units is located on those units' pages. |
TABLE OF CONTENTS |
AIR SERVICE COMMAND (ASC) UNITS |
Commands |
Air Depot Groups |
Air Service Groups |
Source:
The Army Almanac
U.S. Government Printing Office, 1950
AIR SERVICE COMMAND
Headquarters: Patterson Field, Ohio.
Remarks: This command was organized as the Air Corps Provisional Maintenance Command, 15 March 1941, with headquarters at Patterson Field, Ohio; then reorganized as Air Service Command. After the war started it became Air Technical Service Command with considerably expanded functions. It was "housekeeper" for the combat elements overseas, and was responsible for the distribution and installation of newer-type mechanical airborne equipment. ASC technicians served on all fronts repairing and modifying aircraft.
Source: Army Air Forces in WWII Series, volumes Five and Six (See reference in Credits & References)
Note: As much of the tasking of the units listed in this section was maintenance-related, the following explanation of the various levels of maintenance is offered:
During the war, maintenance was divided into four echelons, distinguished from one another by the amount of work, equipment, and manpower required.
AAF Regulation 65-1, 14 August 1942, defined and discussed the echelons of aircraft maintenance as follows:
1st Echelon: That maintenance performed by the air echelon of the combat unit.
2d Echelon: That maintenance performed by the ground echelon of the combat unit, air base squadrons, and airways detachments.
3d Echelon: That maintenance performed by service groups and subdepots.
4th Echelon: That maintenance performed by air depots groups and at depots.
First echelon maintenance will normally consist of servicing airplanes and airplane equipment, preflight and daily inspections, and minor repairs, adjustments, and replacements. All essential tools and equipment must be transportable by air.
Second echelon maintenance will normally consist of servicing airplanes and airplane equipment, performance of the periodic preventative inspections and such adjustments, repairs, and replacements as may be accomplished by the use of hand to the combat unit. This includes engine change when the organization concerned is at the location where the change is required, Most of the tools and equipment for 2d echelon can be transported by air; but certain items, such as transportation, radio, etc., necessitate ground means of transportation.
Third echelon of maintenance embraces repairs and replacements requiring mobile machinery and other equipment of such weight and bulk that ground means of transport is necessary. Units charged with this echelon of maintenance require specialized mechanics. This echelon includes field repairs and salvage, removal and replacement of major unit assemblies, fabrication of minor parts and minor repairs to aircraft structures and equipment. Normally, this echelon embraces repairs which can be completed within a limited time period, this period to be determined by the situation prevailing.
Fourth echelon of maintenance includes all operations necessary to completely restore worn or damaged aircraft to a condition of tactical serviceability and the periodic major overhaul of engines, unit assemblies, accessories, and auxiliary equipment; the fabrication of such parts as may be required in an emergency or as directed in technical instructions; the accomplishment of technical compliance changes as directed; replacement, repair, and service checking of auxiliary equipment; and the recovery, reclamation, or repair and return to service of aircraft incapable of flight.
-- Army Air Forces in WWII, Volume Six, pp 388-389; Craven & Cate, editors.
COMMANDS |