The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-01-02
FLIGHT Of ARMY
A|RMEN IS A
SUCCESS
Six Machines Make Very Long
Trip under Crucial
Conditions.

Conditions.
FORT WORTH. Tex. Jan. Tho
4sO.niile fight OF tho first aero
squadron OF the regular army from
Fort Sill, OKLA, to Fort Sam Hous-
tom, Tex, was more successful than
even the most optimistic Of the ayla-
tors had, expected. None Of tho pilots
suffered any mlshap, but an elcctrl-
clan had d leg broken while travel
Ing overland and one OF the motor
trucks was destroyed by fire ct Fort
Worth.
Resides the six aviators who made
the light under command of Capt
B. d. Foulols, there were forty men
In the signal corps and six mechanics.
The signal men made the trip to San
Anatonio in eight heavy motor trucks
and the mechanics on motorcycles,
Tho squadron began tho Journey
from Fort Sill, reaching San An
tonic in 1--WE flights, the lnterme-
date stops being at Wichita Falls
Tex, Fort Worth, Waco and Aus
tin. During the greater part Of the
journey the six alrmen flew at a
height between 1000 and 5000 feet
and averaged a mile minute. When
flying from Wichita Falls to Fort
Worth good north wind accelerat-
ed their speed, and much of 1t was
at the rate Of eighty miles an hour.
Under Real War Conditions.
This was the flrst general fight
OF the squadron since Its organiza-
ton. The army authorities arrang-
ed conditions as II In real warfare.
Flights began early In the morning
and usually occupied but little more
than, one hour for each leg. Thou
sands OF Texans waved greetings to
the flyers. officers preceded the fly
ers and selected landing sites, each
OF which was marked by alarge white
"T." The squadron spent the night
at each stop, and city officials, cham
bers OF commerce and other organize
lions banqueted them.
In the flight from Waco to Austin
four Of the aviators became confus-
ed, two having landed at Lampasas,
flfty miles west OF the Waco-Austin
air line. They had followed the Santa
Fe tracks instead Of those OF the
M. X. and 7. Railroad. Another
landed at Kingsland. The six men
did not gather at the Austin field
until late that afternoon, although
they had begun the flight at $3.50
that morning. A thirty-fye mile
wind and hazy atmosphere prevent
ed them from seeing their way clear
lily. It Is twenty miles from Waco
to Austin. ltS
Lieut.. ]. u. Carberry was first
away in each fight. while, Capt. Fou-
lois always brought up the rear, the
machines leaving within two minutes
Of each other. The other alers were
Lieut.. T. 8. Bowen, Lieut.. @. G.
Chapman, Lieut. ]. A. RAIDER and
Lieut.. 7. D. Milling. All except
Foulois are unmarried.
The six machines had to be gone
over carefully and adjusted before
each flight, maps and topography Of
the next leg carefully studied by all,
atmospheric conditions considered
and weather predictions obtained.
One Of the dangers Of the trip was
the possibility Of collision. Instead
OF one landing to be guarded there
were six, and, counting each stop,
there were thirty landings that had
to be negotiated. The aviator has
much more difficulty In making o
safe landing than o big liner has In
entering port in a storm. Besides
the ayiators had to keep In direct
communication with the motor squad
every day and wait for tito come
up;, 80 the trip did not lack thrills.
Difficult all the Way. !
1.-THE flight was difficult the en-
tire distance" said Capt. Foulois,
because Of the high winds during
the early stage Of the trip and the
haze during the last half. A gale
sweeping thirty to thirty-hve miles
mn hour tended to drive us from our
course. Passing over Fort Worth
the wind was exceedingly choppy.
We found the weather comfortable Of
6 900 and 5000 feet"
The aero squad will maintain per-
,aarent headquarters in San Antonio
and perhaps take part In border troop
movements, especially II there are
any more rails along the Rio Grande.
These expert fiiers could easily de-
tect any rading parties in that Tat
country.
The stxl machines, blplanes. are OF
the lateBH Curtiss type, built espe-
cially for military purposes. They
are equipped with eight cylinder mo-
torss Of ninety horse power, and are
capable Of making ninety miles an
hour when the wind is In their favor.
Zach machine carries seat for on
observer, who would be able to throw
bombs or handle a gun. They cost
the government $500 each. They
measure forty feet from tip to tip
and are similar to scores that the
French arc now using on the western
European front.
. Lieut.. Carberry. the pilot Of the
squadron, is q graduate Of West
Point, class Of 1912. He holds the
American record OF altitude when ac-
conipanied by an observer-12,00o
feet al San Diego a year ago. Car
berry played end in the West Point
football, team for two years.
7 Lieut., Chapman Is one Of the
crack polo players In the army.
Harry Smith. coruoral In the