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

Updated May 30, 2011

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 in quantity. Even though the U.S. had invented the airplane, by 1917 the European powers had already spent years developing it for warfare, and deploying it in deadly combat. 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 access and cut the timber. The Army organized the lumber workers into the "Loyal Legion of Loggers and Lumbermen", to provide good wages and working conditions, and 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. Some 10,000 of these soldiers built railroads and roads deep into the forests. Spruce had not been pursued by commercial loggers in the past, so there was no access to the trees. Other soldiers 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:

Spruce Images from my Flickr Account

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]
[Not all units are listed here, email for more information.]

Chart Showing Washington Spruce Squadrons [103k JPG]
[Not all units are listed here, email for more information.]

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

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