Today in Marine aviation history

On Jan. 21, 1918, 12 officers and 133 enlisted Marines from the 1st Marine Aeronautical Company deployed to Ponta Delgada, Azores for anti-submarine duty, becoming the first fully-equipped American aviation unit to serve overseas in World War I.

Throughout the war, the Marines flew constant daylight patrols over shipping lanes near the Azores in their Curtiss R-6, N-9, and HS-2L sea planes. More on Marine aviation in World War I here and here.