New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1918-10-11
VERDUN AIR RAID
THRILLS CAPITAL
Largest Squadron in History Flew
From American Base

Washington, Oct. 11.-Word of the
first great American air raid against
the German camps north of Verdun
sent a thrill through war department
officials, although no official report
had been received to furnish details
of the exploit. So far as could be
learned however, the participation of
$50 machines in this one enterprise
marks it as the greatest air offensive
yet undertaken on the western front in
point of the air forces employed. No
record could be discovered here show
ing either allied or German bombing
raids on anything like a similar scale.
No official comment could be OBJ
tanned pending the receipt Of formal
advices. There is every reason to
suppose, however that a considerable
part of the bombing planes used were
De Haviland bomTbers built in the
United States and equipped with Lib
erty motors Shipm ents of these ma
chimes to France have now reached
considerable proportions and recent
performances reported from France
have been encouraging
The language of the account of the
raid permitted to pass by American
military censor is taken here to indi-
cate that the operation was a joint
enterprise, with French and possibly
British airplanes aiding in the protec-
ton Of the Americans. The reference
to fifty triplanes as included in this
great air fleet found no explanation
here. If they were operated by
American pilots they are French built
machines.
The fact that only 80 tons Of bombs
were dropped by such a force struck
some air service officers as surprising
The ordinary bomb capacity of a fleet
of the kind described for such short
trip probably would be ten times that
weight of explosives, it was said.
The most significant feature Of the
first great American raid outside of
it's possible place in the great stra-
tegic game that is being played on
the western front, is the fact that it
indicates that the United States now
has taken its full place beside the al
lies in the air as we'll as on land and
sea. The bombing squadrons which
made up this fleet probably represent
the first definite American unit of
MAYOR Importance Ill Inc lnuSp pend
ent air forces which are being built
up by the entente powers. The Brit
ish and French governments now of
fcially describe their bombing oper-
ations as the work of this independ-
ent air force.
What is meant is that the navy Of
the air is to be expanded until no
part of Germany shall be safe from
the rain of bombs. 1t is thing
| apart from the fighting, observation
, and bombing squadrons attached to
! The various army corps which work
| in close cooperation with the troops
| on attack or defense. The work of
| the Independent force Is bonn bin g
munition works, factories, cities and
! other important centers far behind
| the German lines. It has been spe-
| officially promised that eventually
! Berlin itself will know what an air
raid means and the whole great prof.
| ect is q direct answer to the German
air attacks upon helpless and unfor-
| tilted British and French cities and
| Belgian towns.
! Another striking point about the
i size of the American raiGing fleet is
| the fact that it is only the first Am.
! erican blow from the air in this cam
| paign. The very size of that force
! is n warrant for the overwhelming
! character of the American fleets that
{, will come in time.