South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-03-28


ICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES.
COLONIA DUBLA. chihuahua
March y Cby wireless to Columbus.
y. II. March 2S)-The first aero
squadron in the United States army
in a weeks service with Brig. Gen.
John J. Pershlng's expedition in
Mexico, has surmounted flying prob
lens more difficult than most OF
those encountered by European avi-
ators.
The work has been done thus far
without serious accident One Of
the senior aviators said today that
only in the Alps are the European
flyers likely TO encounter conditions
paralelling those under which the
Americans are nov working.
Never" said this aviator. have
We had any dying as difficult a.
here. We are under a handicap Of
an altitude Of about 300 feet. when
We rise Some on the mountains
We have tried TO get over are APP
proximately 5000 feet above sea
level. and none Of our machines are
powerful enough 70 carry the pilot,
observer and sufficient fuel at such
an altitude.
We might get over one Of the
mountains. but we probably would
be uHable 70 carry enough fuel for
the return flight"
He told about a fiighl Of some OF
his men over a mountain pass which
the aviatOrs declared was in the
toughest country in Mexico.
E..Fr a. H.
were above a gorge 1000 feet deep.
No landing place was observable
within 10 miles and one of the
flyers had difficulty Ia rising 10 the
nee essary altitude. He turned and
wheeled his machine trying 10 as
cend, but the strong air current
swept him around until ne was
within about 90 feet of the tree
tops near the summit OF the pass.
He had gTazed the trees without be-
ing able 20 fight his way higher
through the treacnerOus winds and
was forced TO turn back
The other aviatOrs succeeded in
making the fight. Two OF them
carrying dispatches landed near the
camp in a wind which they describ-
OF the squadrons since the flight for
the Mackay trophy in 1914 from san
Diego, Calf. 10 Los Angeles. when
Lieut.. Fred GerSerner, an observer,
was killed.
The bad air near this camp drove
one OF the machines into a spiral
nose glide, in which it dropped
about 1000 feet When the aviator
came out of the glide ne saw some
fcavalrymen waving "a blanket and
ne finished the descent. delivering
his orders safely. Five minutes later
the second aviator on this particular
trip came along. his machine rock
ing ike a boat i'm rough sea. The
second plane also Landed safely.
After the landing had been ac-
comphshed the wind was so strong
that il picked up one of the ma
chimes and sent it back 20 or so
feet.
Endure Gold Two DAYS.
The wind increased and was fol-
lowed by severe cold. freezing and
sleet. so that these two planes re-
NAMED for two days out on a high
prairie. their aviators and guards en-
during cold and hunger without a
complaint 10 insure the safety OF
the machines.
A lariat served 10 fasten one wing
Of a plane TO seven tent poles an
choring the machine so that the
wind would not blow 20 away. The
men slept i'm the open without balnk-
cts and with no covering
When the wind moderated enough
for flight IL still was very cold. The
aviators did not wait for favora BILE
weather before resuming flight. and
one OF them cranked his engine from
$50 a N. until $50 a. m. until he
got II into trim 20 take him off the
away by the same process with two
hours OF cranking
Life Against Motor
"In flying here. said the aviator.
cit is a case frequently or pitting
ones life against the motor for II
he motor stops there is no landing
place within reach and the aviator
mas no chance"
Thus far however, the aero squad
ron has kept the motors in running
order in all emergencies.
The aviatOrs themselves believe
hat their work OF gathering and
transmitting Information is a more
iificult duty than being under ac-
.ual fire The chances OF being hit
while under fire i'm this country.
hey estimate at about "a million TO
lne."
The European planes i'm the Alpine
work. they have been informed.