The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1917-11-09

Antonio, Tex.-Will Be Nothing to
Compare to 1t in Magnitude in the
World.
Thousands OF young men are being
taught the game Of flying and fighting
in the air at Kelly Field, situated ad-
iacent to San Antonio, Tex. This
training ground is being rapidly
brought up to the largest aero field in
the world.
The United States government is
constructing buildings and making i'm
provementS to the Eeliy Field at a
cost of more than $4,000,000. 1t is now
the largest government flying ground
in the United States, and when the
present plans are finished it is stated
that there will be nothing to compare
with it in magnitude in the world.
Accommodations will be provided
for more than 10000 army flyers here.
These will be divided into squadrons,
each to consist of 154 enlisted men and
10 commissioned officers. To each
squadron there will be assigned II air.
planes.
The organization is oficered by
major, a captain and two commis-
stoned officers each for supply Sec
tion, engineering section and II aero
sections, making 19 in all.
The personnel also includes the fol-
lowing: Four master signal electric
ians and one sergeant major, one first
sergeant, two clerks, one truck master
and 1G mechanicians with the grade
of sergeant, first class. Ranked as
sergeants there are an assistant truck
master, mess sergeant, supply SER
geant, mechanic, photographer, chauf-
feur and II mechanicians. There are
also 33 corporals, six cooks, 80 pri-
Yates, first class, and medical depart
ment of four.
In the Engineering Section.
Four of the first class and five
ranked as sergaants belong to the
engineering section. The sections in
the squadron are the headquarters
section, supply section, engineering
section and 12 aero sections. The dis
position Of the corporals is four to the
headquarters, eight to supply, three to
engineering and Is to the aero section.
One of the interesting camp features
Of this. great training camp for ARMY
flyers is the machine shop, where the
airplanes are not only repaired but
are being rapidly constructed. Many
skilled mechanics are employed In this
work. These men are not only capa-
BILE of building machines, but they are
experts in flying as well.
In q way the arrangement Of the
aero squadron is similar to that OF
the racing teams that short time ago
were maintained by the leading motor
car manufacturers. Classed in this
way the team would consist of II driv-
ers each with it's particular machine.
In the aviation section the aero squad
ron is the "tcaln." The II drivers and
machines are represented by II COM
missioned officers. Each section OF
the aero squadron has machine and
flyer. The mechanicians and helpers
of the various auto race drivers have
their counter-parts in the mechanics
and men assigned to each section.
The machine shop Of the flying held,
corresponds to the automobile factory
and there the more elaborate work
is done.
The men Of the squadrons are
housed in barracks built in orderly
military fashion. Each building is
numbered, but the building numbers
do not always tally with The squadron
number.
Examining Board Meets Regularly.
An examining board meets regularly
and examines applicants for commits
sions and applications are numerous.
Flyers also come from the ground
schools which have been opened at
many places throughout the United
States. The ground school nearest to
San Antonio is that at Austin. Avi-
alton work has been featured as a part
Of the summer school courses at many
of the leading universities, and this,
too, aids in getting men of education
and training for the aviation sections.
It is assured that one Of the attrac-
tons that winter tourists will find In
San Antonio during the coming season
will be that Of flying men over and
around the city. Already myriads OF
airplanes are often seen performing
the various kinds Of feats above Kelly
Field. One day recently great flock
oe h,,uuardn 11,oc noficod To anna rPQflY