Offered here is a U.S. Aviation Section of the Signal Corps guidon that measures roughly 42 x 27 inches and features crossed semaphore flags above an American eagle in flight stitched on both sides. This is an early artifact from American military aviation history and not often encountered outside museum walls. Both the National Museum of the Air Force at Wright Patterson Air Force Base and the Air Force Exhibition Team (Thunderbird) Museum have a 1st Aero Squadron guidon from this same time period. Forerunner to the United Sates Air Force, the Aviation Section, Signal Corps was the U.S. Army’s aerial warfare service from 1914 until its responsibilities were suspended and absorbed by the U.S. Army Air Service in May 1918 per two presidential executive orders. When the U.S. entered World War I in April 1917, the Army possessed 7 observation, 5 pursuit and 2 bombardment aero groups. At the time of the Armistice in November 1918, the Air Service possessed 185 aero squadrons, 86 balloon companies and 55 photographic sections to just name a few. Provenance: The Putnam Green/Sycamore Collection