The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-07-18
u. S. FLYERS IN
FRANCES ARMY
join SAMMIES
Lafayette Escadrille To Be
Transferred to Pershing.
viii Be "Eyes" for American
Artillery at the Front.
PROMOTION FOR AERO STARS
"Noncoms" To Become Caps
tains and First Lieutenants.
Thaw VIII Be Major and Pur-
suit Squadron Commander.
win Be "Eyes- for American
Artillery at the Front.
PROMOTION FOR AERO STARS
ssNoncoms" To Become Caps
tains and First Lieutenants.
BY w. S. FORREST.

Paris, July 1S.-Within fortnight
the Lafayette escadrille, Frances
fighting American airmen, will be
formally transferred to the American
army An American army officer who
will have direct charge of the eyes
of General Pershings army made this
statement today.
The Lafayette escadrille will be re-
organized, but its personnel retained.
except for displacement of the French
commanding officers. Lieutenant Will
liam Thaw, of Pittsburgh, OF the
French army. will become Major
Thaw, U. S. A, and pursuit squadron
commander of the unit.
Half a dozen of the star flyers. now
holding commissioned rank in the
French service, will be commissioned
as captains and first heutenants.
The unit will go on the American
army records as the Lafayette squad
rom since both the French and Amer
can army chiefs have a sentimental
regard for the name.
Use Fast Biplanes.
Technical examinations of all the
Americans in the squadron will be
held shortly in order that. they can
be regularly commissioned in the
army. The flyers will continue to use
a new and fast biplane "spad." The
veteran mechanicians, many of them,
will remain with the unit and draw
pay from the American government.
The Lafayette personnel has even ar
ranged for permission to keep mas
1 cots of the camps. These include two
! lions, twenty-seven dogs, and ten rab-
| bits The American armies are anx-
ious to get into the regular American
army uniforms with their new rank.
| They have been flying the American
| flag and wearing an adaptation of the
| American 80. d." uniform for sew
eral weeks.
According to authoritative iTforma-
/ ton today, all Americans now flying
| at French aviation schools will be
turned over to General Pershing. They
will have to pass the American avn
1 alton examination and also improve
i their fitness under fire before receive
! ing commissions.
| American army officers have be-
come more and more impressed with
| the necessity for complete domination
/ of the air to win the war.
Aviation of Most Importance.
The officer who will have charge of
this aeri Il branch declared today:
| "Ascendancy in the air means blind
| ing the enemy. OF the three great
arms of the service-aviation, infan-
try and a-tillery-it is aviation which
must get the first decision.
| Heretofore the forces on each side
have been about equal One side or
the other has been successful by con-
centrating at certain place and con-
tinued successful until the attacked
! side over-concentrated. The Germans
did the first big concentration at Ner-
| dun. but the allies won there by out
| airing them.
IF we had absolute ascendancy in
the air we could destroy Zeebrugge
and make the submarines harmless.
Planes Carry Cannons.
| 1T is difficult for the folks at home
| to understand maybe. but when a ma
chine ascends near hostile lines today.
! it does not come home unless it is OF
the latest type, and unless its pilot is
! highly trained, not only in scientific
flying. but in shooting. Aeroplanes
today not only carry machine guns,
but cannon"