The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-04-15
WHAT THE AIRMAN
MUST SEE

w@sAaa~4@A. n G.. Apru 1.-THE
~ vt respon sFAihsIos which devoive
upon the yoGthfal s4rmsn before q
successfui infantry sktsSk csS ke made
on the western front are ret forth
hY an experienced French awSmsuS in
the following communications 70 ~
National Geographic society, ISSUED 70
day for the society's Washington
headquarters as war geography bull
Ictin:
THE time has passed when one
could make an inprovised attack upon
the enemy. relying simply upon su
rerior numbers and morale of the at
lacking troops 20 gain the victory.
ITO search out. in alt their details
I the defensive works of the enemy
,bsrbed- entanElements, trenches
block houses, The position OF all his
batteries. TO locate the trails. railways
muntion and supply depots and head
quarters OF the commanders such Is
tine work to be performed by the scout
planes before every offensive opera
ton
TO direct the airing OF all the artil-
Ilery, whose task is 10 destroy. thu
hsrbed- wire entanglements and the
trenches 10 lombard the batteries and
destroy the larger part Of them; to set
on FIRE the muuitiou depots within its
range. to prevent or render periious
iHuv passing along the roads and rail-
VANS: to delay traffic in the support
ing railway stations; TO control the de-
structton OF detectives and the eff
tcacy Of long-range firing; such are the
principal tasks Of the scout planes dur
ljng the preparatory period of an at
tack.
| Moreover they assume the enor-
Imous RESPONSE bilty OF the faithful ex-
ecutIon Of this program. which is car
| rIed out entirely through the inter
mediation Of their eyes,
! Finally, on the day OF attack, II is
| they who, flying at 4 low altitude over
| the asssulttuR waves of the infantry.
/ signal its progress TO the superior
Irommand 1t is they who discover the
/ artive batteries and reduce them 80
silence by causing them to come undo
destructive FIRE it is they who caH~.
/ the dispersion OF wagon trains and
troop columns vrnturing along the roaa>
LAND trains near the battlefield: it :
they who watch for the possihie
Launching Of a counter attack. AWAY
10 be feared, and which they must sn
nounce at the right moment TO the
infantry and 70 the commander in
charge
Thanks to the promptness OF their
reports. sent by radio, the commando
lis enabled to make his authority felt
during the progress Of the operation
When. in the midst OF the hazards Of
battle the energies OF the combatants
become scattered. causing confusion
and disorder. the scout planes, by tht
accuracy OF their reports permit thu
Iharmonizing and Co-ordinattng OF or
tort necessary TO the final victory,
ITO describe the arpianes used II
:. scouting. the details Of their aru1a
lrnent and the devices with which they
are equipped, would carry me beyonF
the limits Of my space, Evidently i
lis the observer who must have charG'
Eof the mission Of reconnaissance. a
photography. Of artillery adjustment
ter OF infantry communications. hut h
is greatly assisted by the pilot. whose
skill and decision contribute in NJ
small measure 70 the successful &C
, complainant OF the aerial task.
This. then. Is a brief sketch OF tn
immense tasl5 Of the scout avtators
You can understand why both Franc
and Germany first organized this class
SO fndispenssb bic for conducting lan'
operations. offenSives as well as de
! fensive"