Ramsey County History – Winter 2017: “The US Army’s Air Service Mechanics School in St. Paul’s Midway, 1917–1918”

The US Army’s Air Service Mechanics School in St. Paul’s Midway, 1917–1918
Author: Roger Bergerson

When the United States entered World War I in April 1917, it pledged to develop an air force that would sweep German planes from the skies over Europe. Aircraft manufacture and pilot training began immediately after the US declared war, but only later did the army establish training facilities for aviation support personnel such as mechanics. One of those training facilities was installed in January 1918 in the former Willys-Overland Building in the Midway neighborhood. Local political and business leaders were enthusiastic supporters of the school. They were patriots who wanted to win the war. They also expected the inflow of federal money represented by the building lease, the payroll for the soldiers, and the supplies that would be purchased would give a boost to the local economy. This article tells the story of the Aviation Mechanics School, which flourished throughout 1918 with expectations that it would grow ever bigger, but all that ended suddenly in November with the signing of the Armistice.
PDF of Bergerson article