The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1909-12-04

army omcers are already congratulating themselves
at the new aeropane squad organized at the very
outset OF the armys experiments in this most mportant
branch OF aeronautics The outcome Ia sure IN be A.
contrast to the history American military balloonne
wherein there were innumerable disappontments Par
ucuariy was this the during the
war when the department sought To eet results With
war balloons in the hands men who had had no CD
portunity to specialize in this unusual line of work The
newy-organized aeropane detachment on the other
nand VIII grow up in military aeroplane work from
It's inception What is more these caretakers of the sv
senries have acquired experience most valuable
KIND In establishing Uncle Sans aviation field II
not meant Of course that the soldiers had much hand
In clearing the field, blasting stumps or erecting the
shed that shelters the $4,000 craft but
tney did almost everything else setting
things In order not forgetting the transportation army
aeropane No. by wagon previous resting place
at Fort Myer Va, dozen miles away The insight thus
gained into the how Of such things will be nigh in
valuable since will possible to send this squad
around the country to lay out aviation fields wherever
needed by the army
While, as has been explained, the aeroplane de-
tachment Is entirely separate and distinct from the bal
loon squad. its brief history is linked many points
with that Of the older branch Of the aeronautica div
sion Some OF the star members of the original balloon
squad have lattery been transferred the aeropane
detachment and indeed the organization will have
sort Of dual existence regular aeropane corps
and emergency balloon squad since the members will
have charge of flights that may be made from the
capital in signal balloons the regular balloon squad
having been transferred meanwhile to Fort Omaha and
Fort Leavenworth The present membership of the
plane detachment alike to that Of the balloon squad Is
expected to be merely the nucleus for much more
numerous body later on-when Uncle Sam shall have
gone In more extensively for military aeronautics
The aeronaucal division of the signal corps Of which
both the aeropane detachment and the balloon
squad branches. established result of the
pride and interest aroused by Lieut. Lahms victory In
the first international balloon held in Europe
In 1896. The young American army officer then barely
% Of who unknown and unheralded defeated
the most experienced aeronauts OF Europe Is the self
same Lahm who is qualifying at College Park as our
premier army aeropanst and who Is In general COM
mand of asroplane detachment He had made about
20 balloon flights he assembled for the first time in
aeroplane and he has the complete confidence Of his
important requisite in and untried realm
such military aeronautics.
The order formally creating the aeronautical division
Of the signal corps issued on August 1907 and
lAs new organization launched with membership
Of sole individual. Sergeant Edward Ward. who has
since graduated to the position Of head chauffeur for
he chief OF the general star Gradually the membership
Usw TO dozen or more At hrst the work OF the new
organisation merely with the old balloons Of foreign
make which had been purchased By the United States
during the Spanish and had been In storage ever
snce. Then army dirigbls No. I. which the war
department purchased from Capt Thomas Baldwin and
finally the initial Wright aeroplane which II now at Col
lega Park AT the outset the headquarters Of the
nautical divsion 1t Fort Myer. va- and the nom
,onmmiooonod o1Acep and enlisted Of the aeronau-
deal divston displayed their versatility By handling in
eisorminsts spherical balloons drgbls and asrop.ne
9or eonerafng hydrogen 90 It Fort Omaha Il was DE-
vo 70 fo1p the westorn post the headquarters for all
6z4y balloon work and the dirigble Transferred
ilhsr. with went the balloon squad: Consequently.
msnt and preparatons were undetasn for establishing
Govenmsnt school for ssroplonfsts Il necessav
10 ofgonso aeroplane detachment ~ new adjunct
AZ II bcen szpl6ino1 some ~ ~ most capable men
IA sssetsd nom as nnks = ths sisssi eorps. svsry