Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-07-26


yT,oGETHER with a number of journalists
md writer's, have boen the guest OF
tho rrenci war Office at Avord, the aerie
OF Allied aviators There I saw 600 young
men, war flers In tho making, every man
inck aa nj as fiddle and eager Tor MS
pilots brovet
The great majority were, Of course
French. but with them were Russian, Japa-
nece Italian, Serbian, Rumanian, Belgian
and Portuguese youths, and last put no,
least. seventy-two boys from the United
States.
They come virtually from every State in
the Union, with brave showing of twenty
from Pennsylvania, Of whom ten are from
PHILADELPHIA or suburban points rev
miles away Their names are Charles D.
Bddle Andalusia. and Julian {. Biudle'
Leo J. Brennan, Lewis Leslie Byers, James
a. Connolly, Joseph Flynn Upton . SUI
iivon, Archibald G.. Mccall and stephen
TYSON. all of the Quaker City. with Charles
Kerwood, of Bryn Mawr. I am honorod IN
being permitted to here inscribe their
names. and / pray every reader OF TINS
article may make them silent salute
Ayord is in the Department of Cher and
about l50 miles duo south OF Paris, belhs
thus virtually in the center of France. Be
fore the war it was village haruiy 10 DO
found on the map. although small avia-
tIon school had existed there from 1913.
Today 1t Is the largest and most important
aviation school in all France, with popu-
lation Of 1000 people 1t Is vast camp OF
flying men, mechanics. sleeping quarters
shops and hangers, with vaster neldS as
nying, starting and landing points. Hangers
abound all over the place Six hundred
machines are in uso and over 1000 motors
From 1900 to 1900 gallons of gasoline
are used daily. Expert mechanics, IN the
main from French colonies, quickly repair
adjust and put together motors as well as
virtually rebuild the machines when neces-
sary There is q hospital and fire depart
ment and all the adjuncts of a city. The
buildings are of wood and cement. solidly
constructed and in no sense temporary
Thoy are, 1t goes without saying, in the
simple good taste prevalent everywhere in
France.
Like a Flock of Birds
We who were privileged to see witnessed
n neyer.to-be- forgotten sight within an hour
after our arrival, $50 flying machines being
sent into the air ut one time for our benent'
the purring of their motors resembling
great roar in different notes of strange
scale, and the machines themselves huge
.ock Of birds which flew not in flock forma-
ton, but seemingly haphaZard in every di-
rection under the lovely blue of June. Ana
after dark. amid starlit, moonless sky,
100 flew again, each with starboard and
larboard light, as a ship. About third Oh
this number performed thrilling stunts as
their lights indicated, while others executed
such maneuvers as are usually only to be
seen at the front. dropping bombs upon I'M
agiuary foes, shooting Lewis shells at imagi-
nar,, Boches, dischargng graceful rockets
as used in Zeppelin attack and defense. 1t
was altogether an unforgettable sight, DEM
onstrating the full worth of this important
branch of q service that has become an
heroic reality and a stern necessity of mod
ern warfare.
The American boys were marshaled In
three squads at different points of vast
field 1000 hectares square. Two of the
squads were photographed, among them
five of the boys from Philadelphia. i:
was my pleasure to shake hands with each
Of them, and to note their eager, modest
vigor and youthful manliness. If signs
count for anything, these boys will be heard
from.
One, Charles KerwoOd, of Bryn Mawr,
has the distinction of being the first Ameri'
can voluntarily to enlist in any branch of
American army service after the entry of
the United States in the war. having applied
in Paris for aviation instruction within
three hours after the April news came over
the wire
More Than 200 Americans Trained