Aircraft Warning System

Aircraft Warning System. Civilian volunteers monitor the skies. , From the end of World War I until the beginning of World War II, advances in design and engineering led to advances in aircraft and military transportation in general. This progress created more versatile vessels such as aircraft carriers and faster, more specialized aircraft. These new vessels became critical in many important military campaigns., The military and the public alike recognized the importance of scanning the skies for enemy aircraft, but military personnel were needed in combat. The Army Air Forces turned to civilian volunteers to perform this critical function. Scores of women, students, and others unable to serve in combat joined the Ground Observers' Corps (GOC). They received intense training to identify friendly aircraft and distinguish it from the enemy., The GOC worked from anywhere there was an unobstructed view of the sky. Once GOC volunteers spotted an aircraft and followed its path, they relayed the information, known as flash messages, to the Aircraft Observers Corps (AOC) at nearby filter stations. The flash messages were collected from various sources, which made it easy to determine an aircraft's location., The GOC and the AOC were both part of the Aircraft Warning System (AWS). The AOC filter stations were manned by members of the Army Air Forces and the Navy alongside additional volunteers. During World War II and beyond, the AWS gave citizens on the homefront an opportunity to do their part to protect the nation., [Captions:] , Filter room volunteers move pieces to locations phoned in from ground observers, Guide used by volunteers to identify and report aircraft they observe, Magazine published for volunteer ground observers, Diagram used by observers to determine the location of aircraft