▁Canal ▁and ▁for ▁US AF ▁relations , ▁including ▁foreign ▁military ▁sales ▁( F MS ) ▁and ▁dis aster ▁relief ▁assistance , ▁with ▁the ▁Latin ▁American ▁nations . ▁The ▁command ▁supported ▁dis aster ▁relief ▁to ▁countries ▁such ▁as ▁Gu atem ala , ▁J ama ica , ▁Nic ar agua , ▁the ▁Domin ican ▁Republic , ▁Pan ama ▁and ▁Colombia . ▁It ▁also ▁assist ed ▁nations ▁in ▁Central ▁and ▁South ▁America ▁in ▁purch ases ▁of ▁United ▁States ▁military ▁aircraft ▁and ▁trained ▁their ▁techn icians ▁in ▁log istics ▁and ▁maintenance ▁for ▁the ▁aircraft . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁Pre - World ▁War ▁II ▁activities ▁▁ ▁The ▁first ▁United ▁States ▁air ▁units ▁arrived ▁in ▁the ▁Canal ▁Zone ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 1 7 , ▁with ▁the ▁ 7 th ▁A ero ▁Squadron ▁being ▁organized ▁on ▁ 2 9 ▁March ▁at ▁An con . ▁It ▁was ▁equ ipped ▁with ▁Curt iss ▁J N - 4 ▁" J enn ys " ▁and ▁Curt iss ▁R - 3 ▁and ▁R - 4 ▁float plan es . ▁ ▁The ▁squad ron ▁initially ▁came ▁under ▁the ▁control ▁of ▁Head quarters , ▁U . S . ▁Tro ops , ▁Pan ama ▁Canal ▁Zone , ▁and ▁beginning ▁on ▁ 1 ▁July ▁ 1 9 1 7 , ▁Army ▁av iation ▁units ▁were ▁assigned ▁directly ▁to ▁the ▁Pan ama ▁Canal ▁Department , ▁which ▁was ▁the ▁senior ▁United ▁States ▁Army ▁headquarters ▁in ▁the ▁Canal ▁Zone . ▁During ▁World ▁War ▁I , ▁the ▁ 7 th ▁A ero ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁pat rol ▁for ▁German ▁U -