The U.S. Army Spruce Squadrons in the First World War

Updated August 28, 2008

During my research on the First World War, I discovered a fascinating corner of American history that has been all but forgotten.

The states of Oregon and Washington form the backdrop for one of the most interesting dramas of the First World War. When the U.S. entered the War, it was quickly discovered that the nation had no capacity to build warplanes. Even though the U.S. had invented the airplane, the European powers had already spent years developing it for warfare. Those nations were trying to produce enough machines to keep the skys occupied over the front lines in France. The U.S. was supplying the Allies with spruce timber, vital to wing construction. However, the actual production volume was small, and the lumber industry was plagued by labor strife.

The Army stepped in and took over the production of airplane spruce. Army people built a plant to process the wood, built roads and railroads into the forests to cut the timber, and organized the workers into the Loyal Legion of Loggers and Lumbermen, to provide good wages and working conditions to prevent labor strife. Month by month, the production of airplane lumber soared to levels never before imagined.

The soldiers of the Spruce Squadrons were officially in the Signal Corps, since it was this organization that began and oversaw all Army aviation. The term "squadron" would normally be applied to a flying group, but it was also used for these small construction and logging units. Many of these fellows were itching to go "over there" and take part in the real fighting. Their labor and brains were needed far more, however, in the forests of the Pacific Northwest.

About 50,000 soldiers, overseeing about 100,000 lumber workers, were in the Pacific Northwest in 1918. 10,000 of these soldiers built railroads and roads into the forests. Others worked at small lumber camps throughout the coastal areas of Oregon and Washington. The Army lists the many small camps where these soldiers were located in the Order of Battle book (now also on CD-ROM).

Postal history (which I collect) is rare from these logging camps. Far more material is seen from the large training camps located all over the U.S., even though the total population of soldiers in Washington and Oregon equal the population of one of those large camps.

The following are some images of, or concerning the Spruce Squadrons:

Real Photo Postcard of Spruce
Soldiers at Agate Beach, Oregon [47k JPG]

Real Photo Postcard of Spruce Soldiers
with a Logging Truck [58k JPG]

Patriotic Postcard for the Spruce Squadrons [56k JPG]

Chart Showing Oregon Spruce Squadrons [115k JPG]

Chart Showing Washington Spruce Squadrons [103k JPG]

The U.S. Army Spruce Squadrons in the First World War

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