The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1909-11-25


k~H aeropane squad. or, as 1t
~ is designated officially. the
azsRszaa'znaa@ aeroplane detachment of
the United States signal
corps. The signal corps has had for
more than year past n balloon squad
or balloon detachment made up Of en-.
listed men OF the signal corps, who
devote their entire time to aeronaut.
zeal work, but the new organization is
separate and quite apart from this.
Indeed II is generally considered to
represent a higher development OF
military specialization, in the same
proportion that the aeroplane marks
an advance over the balloon as an in.
strument for use in warfare.
The new aeroplane detachment.
which at the outset numbers only II
men, or rather a corporal and 10 prl.
Yates, Is further notable from the fact
that II Is the first organization of the
KIND In the world. The American
war department has been severely
criticised for being behind the mill.
tary departments of certain foreign
governments. particularly France and
Germany, in aeronautical inyestiga.
tlon and experiment. but II has now,
In some degree, made up for lost pres.
uge by iLIugurating the first full.
nedged aeroplane corps The federal
governments new aviation field Is
Tor the time being, as much a school
OF instruction for the men Of the aero.
plane squad as 1t is for the two lieu.
tenants who are to qualify as the ar.
my's pioneer aviators. There is this
difference, however, that the men in
enect, have to work out their own sal.
walton as aeroplane mechanicIans
and aerodrome keepers, while Lieut.
Lahm and Lieut. HUMPHREYS had n
competent instructor In the person of
Wilbur Wright to teach them the al.
phabet Of aeropanng.
Army officers are already congrat
that the new aerOplane squad was Org
outset Of the army's experiments in I
branch OF aeronautics. The outcome
contrast to the history Of American ,
wherein there were innumerable disa
ticularly was this the case during the
war, when the war department sought
war balloons in the hands of men "
portunity to specialize In this unusual
newly.organ!zed aeroplane detachme
hand, will grow up I'm our military ne
its inception. What is more, these ca
sentries have acquired experience of
kind In establishing Uncle Sans frs
Is not meant, Of course that the soldi
In clearing the field. blasting out stun
unpretentious shed that shelters the
they did almost everything else COM
things in order, not forgetting the trar
acroplane No. by wagon from its pre-
at Fort Myer Va. n dozen miles away
gained into the how Of such things W
valuable. since It will make It possible
around the country to lay out AWAIT
needed by the army.
While. as has been explained. the
tachment is entirely separate and dis
loon squad, its brief history Is link,
with that of the older branch of the
sion. Some of the star members Of I
squad have latterly been transferred
detachment and indeed the new org
sort OF dual existence as regul
and emergency balloon squad. since
have charge of any fights that may
capital in signal corps balloons, the re
having been transferred meanwhile I
Fort Leavenworth The present meml
IAt %, oil TO hat .
expected to be merely the nucleus
numerous body later on-when UncI
gone In more extensively for military
The aeronautcal division of the sig
both the new acroplane detachment
squad are branches. was established
pride and interest aroused by Lieut..
the first great international balloon RI
I'm 1896. The young American army
20 years of age who, unknown and II
the most experienced aeronauts Of j
premier army aeroplanist and who
mand OF the aeroplane detachment.
40 balloon flights ere he ascended fo
an aeroplane and he has the complet
men--an important requisite in new
such as military aeronautics.
The order formally creating the n,
of the signal corps was issued on A
the new organization was launched
of a sole individual. Sergeant Edwa
since graduated to the position OF
the chief of the general stan. Gradua
grew to q dozen or more. At first tn
organization was merely with the old
make which had been purchased by
during the Spanish war and had be
since. Then came army dirigible No
department purchased from Capt TIL
finally the initial Wright aeroplane. W
lege Park. At the outset the headqu
nautical division were at Fort Myer,
commissioned officers and enlisted n
teal division displayed their versatil
discriminatory spherical balloons. dirig
When the signal corps completed
for generating hydrogen gas at Fort
cided to make the western post the !