United States Army Air Corps

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

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United States Army Air Corps