While in Europe the Marine fliers served with Squadrons 213 (pursuit squadron), 217, and 218 (bombing squadrons), Royal Flying Corps of England; and with pursuit, observation, and bombing squadrons of the French Flying Corps. In February, 1918, the Marine aviation section of 8 officers and 40 enlisted men was organized and stationed at the naval air station, Miami, Fla. The personnel of this section was later increased and served at that station throughout the war, taking over the deep-sea scouting of that station. Capt. Thomas R. Shearer was in command during the entire time. STRENGTH AT BEGINNING AND END OF WAR. The strength of Marine aviation on April 6, 1917, and on November 11, 1918, was as follows: APRIL 6, 1917. Commissioned officers 4 Warrant officer 1 Enlisted men 30 ----- Total 35 NOVEMBER 11, 1918. Commissioned officers 250 Warrant officers 32 Enlisted men 2,180 ----- Total 2,462 STATIONS. The following are the stations at which Marine aviators operated, showing whether they operated independently, with the Navy, or with the Army: --------------------------+------------------------+--------------------- Independently. | Navy. | Army. --------------------------+------------------------+--------------------- Marine flying field, |Marine section naval air|Roosevelt Field, Min- Miami, Fla. | station, Miami, Fla. | eola, Long Island. Balloon Company, Marine |Day Wing, Northern |Gerstner Field, Lake Barracks, Quantico, Va. | Bombing Group, France.| Charles, La. Naval Base No. 13, Azores.|Naval air station, |Army balloon schools Marine flying field, | Pensacola, Fla. | at St. Louis, Mo., Philadelphia, Pa. | | and Omaha, Nebr. Naval air station, Cape | | May, N. J. | | --------------------------+------------------------+--------------------- PLANES OPERATED BY MARINES. The number of planes operated by Marine aviators at Pensacola, Fla., on April 6, 1917, was four, and the type, AH Curtiss. On November 11, 1918, the following planes were operated by the personnel of Marine Aviation: