New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-16
American Flyer, Here on
Furlough, Tells of Armies
Directed from Air
DR.. DARWIN LYON
BACK FROM AFRICA
Former Member of Column
bia Faculty Returns on
the Chicago

Throughout France preparations are
going forward on a gigantic scale in
preparation for an early spring often
sive on the Western trent, according
to passengers returning yesterday on
board the French liner Chicago from
Bordeaux.
Lieutenant Frederick Zinn, Of Battle
Greek, Mich. who returned on furlough
after lighting for more than two years,
first in the Foreign Legion and then as
a member of the famous NJ l24 avIa-
ton escadrille, told of the remarkable
coordination at present existing be-
tween the infantry and aeroplanes IN
an offensive action.
"The moment the colonel gives his
regiment the order to charge the at
tack is directed by signals from aero
planes" said Lieutenant Zinn. "a new
system of signalling is employed,
whereby constant communication may
be maintained with the advancing
forces.
I'm many instances the infantry may
be warned of concealed gun emplace-
ments or other dangers which lie dl-
rectly in the path of the charging lines.
In other words. the work of the general
or colonel directing the charge IS trans
ferred TO the sky lieutenant. and the
success or failure of an attack rests IN
a large measure on him.
Guides Fly Low
"The aeroplanes directing an attack
fy at an altitude varying from 1000
TO 1.500 feet, and naturally bear the
brunt of the enemy's fire. Many an
aviator has lost his life, because in the
interest of the troops being led by him
he has taken an unwarrantable chance
to warn them Of a particular peril, and
in so doing was winged However,
the system of having aeroplanes direct
an attack has been found most advan-
tageous for the infantry, as their losses
have been appreciably lessened.'
At the outbreak Of the war Lieu
tenant linn volunteered his services
to France and joined the Foreign L.
cion. After serving a little more than
a wear and a half he received pleas
ant" wound. When asked to explain
what A pleasant wound was, ne re-
piled that il was soldier slang for any
wound not in the face. Lieutenant Zlnn
was wounded in the shoulder by ex-
ploding shrapnel. and was laid up five
months. When he had sufficiently re-
covered 10 return to the front he de-
cided to become an aviator. and accord
inglv entered the military training
school at Pau. Since last summer he
has been flying.
Boy Soldier Returns
Another soldier who has been serv-
ing with the French forces on the
Western front to return yesterday was
Emil Muller, of Cincinnati. He came
To America at the age Of eight with his
parents, but when the war broke out
he returned to France in the autumn
of 1914, at the age Of seventeen. lie
has not yet celebrated his twentieth
birthday, but is a veteran, having
served at Verdun and on the Somme.
Other passengers on the Chicago in
cluded two Americans who have been
serving as ambulance drivers. They
are Robert McCleary, Of New York,
who was engaged with the field service
of the American Ambulance, and Dr..
Darwin o. Lyon, formerly head Of the
department of psychological research
AZ Columbia University.
During the summer Of 1914 DR.. Lyon