The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-10-23
YANKEE BOMBING
SQUADRON SHOWS
U. s. STRENGTH
Growing Importance Of
America in Air Shown at
Flying Field.
CIV Associated Press)

WITH AMERICAN AVIATORS IN
FRANCE, Oct 23.-The start Of an
American bombing squadron on raid
into German territory is a spectacle
to stir the enthusiasm of an American
and inspire him with an appreciation
of Americas growing strength in the
air.
The squadron already had been
over the German lines twice that day
with fair success and the aviators
lounged in shady spots, jibing one an
other or idly commenting upon the
evolutions of practice airplanes ever
head, when the correspondent OF The
Associated Press visited the flying
field.
Out of concealed and camoufaged
office hut there stepped suddenly the
slight leader. Lieutenant Gunderlach
who already has been named in the
official American communicate Tor
prowess in the air.
The aviators sprang to their feet
and gathered around their leader for
the final instructions. He had not
been at all satisfied with the two per-
formances of the day. They had
shown a tendency to straggle over
much and had not kept sufficiently
punched"
Hot criticism poured from his lips
and the youngsters were silent In en-
barrassment The leader did not
spare them, but iterated and reiter-
ated that "the formation is the thing,
the squadron is the thing" and, finally,
ICED help the straggler."
Then, the ordeal over, the aviators
went silently to their quarters for
their great, heavy, Arctic clothing. In
the turn of hand they were back on
the field. swathing and swaddling
themselves to the eyes, tucking choco-
late into their pockets (for they get
hungry up in the airl or breaking open
which helps to alleviate nervousness
and has a steadying effect.
The last machine gun had been
tested, the last propeller had been
twirled until it revolved at lightning
speed. The commander gave an al
most imperceptible wave of his hand.
Airplane number one, bearing the
fight leader, threw off it restraining
mechanics and swept in big curve
across the field, taking" clumsily
across the field with its weight Of
bombs, to position from which 1t
could rise at the head of the group.
One by one the others followed suit,
taking up position just behind and to
the right and left Of the leader until
they were spread out like huge
covey Of ungainly, but marvellously
colored birds. AS they waited they
tossed out rockets which. despite the
brilliant sunlight, flared binding
red and white. The test was COM
plete They were ready for the start.
Again the commander gave sib-
nal The noise of the motors rose to
deafening proportions. The great
covey began to move, gained speed as
they sped northward across the field,
then one after another took off, the
ground All the clumsiness of the
taking" was gone. The machines
had become graceful birds in fact.
Swiftly they rose, while still within
sight, to a great height, looking for
all the world like flock of geese with
the leader at the neck Of the forma-
ton. Later on, when about to cross
the line. they would draw closer to-
gether into a compact, tightly-knit
group, but always following, whether
to left or right, the two little white
pennants streaming out from the lead
er's machine.