WW1 Spruce Squadrons Stationed in Raymond WA.

WW1 Spruce Soldiers

When the United States entered WW1 we had no capacity to produce warplanes in the quantities needed for the war effort mostly due to the lack of spruce lumber.  Spruce lumber had been heavily supplied to allies to build their planes and was now in short supply.  To alleviate this problem, the U.S. Army developed special units dedicated to procure the spruce needed.  This new section of the army was called the “Spruce Production Division”.

The Spruce Production Division was established in November 1917 in Portland OR with the main goal to produce Sitka spruce products used in the production of  U.S. aircraft to be used in WW1.  They were originally units in the Army Signal Corps: Aviation Section, and were based in Vancouver Barracks, Vancouver WA.  The Spruce Production Division was demobilized in August 1919.

Originally part of the Aviation Section, many of the new units had aviation designations that soon changed to newer Spruce Production Division unit designations.

The following units were stationed in Raymond WA:

427th Aero Squadron was originally a construction unit organized at Vancouver Barracks in January 1918.  They were redesignated 47th Spruce Squadron and assigned to Raymond WA in July 1918. They returned to Vancouver in November 1918.  Demobilized in January 1919.

47th Spruce Squadron riving a log.

438th Aero Squadron was organized at Vancouver Barracks in January 1918. They were redesignated 52th Spruce Squadron and transferred to Raymond WA in July 1918.  Their assignment was to work in the Siler Logging Co.  They returned to Vancouver Barracks in November 1918. Demobilized in January 1919.

448th Aero Squadron organized in Vancouver Barracks in February 1918. They were redesignated 54th Spruce Squadron and assigned to Raymond WA in July 1918. Returned to Vancouver Barracks in November 1918.  Demobilized in January 1919.

The 448th arrives in downtown Raymond WA.

454th Aero Squadron organized in Vancouver Barracks in February 1918. They were redesignated 57th Spruce Squadron and transferred to Raymond WA in July 1918.  Demobilized in January 1919.

7th Provisional Squadron organized in Vancouver Barracks in March 1918. Redesignated 59th Spruce Squadron and assigned to Raymond WA in July 1918. Demobilized in January 1919.

45th Provisional Squadron organized in Vancouver Barracks in July 1918 and immediately assigned to Raymond WA as the 65th Spruce Squadron the same month.  Demobilized in January 1919.