The Prop and Wings insignia originated with which service in 1920?

The Prop and Wings insignia originated with which service in 1920?

• A. Navy
• B. Marine Corps Aviation
• C. Army Air Service
• D. Coast Guard Aviation

Answer: (C)

The symbols combine a propeller and wings to represent the essence of flight—propulsion and aerial movement. In 1920 the Army Air Service adopted this emblem as its official aviation insignia, making it a distinct mark of the U.S. military air arm at that time. This is why the correct origin is tied to the Army Air Service rather than the Navy, Coast Guard, or Marine Corps Aviation, each of which developed its own distinctive insignia histories. As the Army Air Service evolved into the Army Air Corps and later the U.S. Air Force, the Prop and Wings motif remained a recognizable early symbol of American military aviation.

The symbols combine a propeller and wings to represent the essence of flight—propulsion and aerial movement. In 1920 the Army Air Service adopted this emblem as its official aviation insignia, making it a distinct mark of the U.S. military air arm at that time. This is why the correct origin is tied to the Army Air Service rather than the Navy, Coast Guard, or Marine Corps Aviation, each of which developed its own distinctive insignia histories. As the Army Air Service evolved into the Army Air Corps and later the U.S. Air Force, the Prop and Wings motif remained a recognizable early symbol of American military aviation.