Aircraft Warning Service

On this day in Arlington history: December 3, 1943, the “Arlington Sun” newspaper reported that 22 students graduated from the aircraft recognition school conducted by the Arlington observation post of the Aircraft Warning Service (AWS). Their accomplishment was celebrated with a certificate and a banquet at the Army-Navy Country Club. The class had 11 women and 11 men.

The AWS was established in May 1941. It combined volunteer observation posts and classified information and filter centers (largely staffed by women from the Aircraft Warning Corps) and was the civilian service of the Ground Observer Corps, a civil defense program of the United States Army Air Forces. The AWS was a civilian service of the United States Army Ground Observer Corps established to keep watch for enemy planes to defend against a potential German or Japanese air attack in World War II. Individuals served in observation posts up and down the East and West Coasts of the US as airplane spotters.

Along the East Coast from Maine to Florida and inland 400 miles, American Legion Posts set up observation posts six miles apart on search towers and bare rooftops with binoculars and the training that women like Mrs. Wight provided. At the peak of operation, the Aircraft Warning Service had about 750,000 volunteers. Many were people who wanted to, but could not, serve in the military and many were women. All who served were sworn to secrecy.

If an aircraft was spotted, observers recorded their observations and called a regional filter center to deliver a verbal “flash message” with the details of the observation. The planes observed, in large part, were friendly.

Efforts began scaling back with military successes against Germany and Japan and on 29 May 1944, the Aircraft Warning Service became inactive. Learn more about the AWS in the Virginia Memory blog: http://www.virginiamemory.com/…/06/keep-your-eyes-aloft/
Here’s a World War II instruction video on You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5DGefrFRhE