The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-06-13
JACK O'LAUGHLIN
NOW LIEUTENANT
IN AVIATION

John F. O'Loughlin has received
his commission in France as first
lieutenant in the aviation service, &C.
cording to letters received in Moor
head on Wednesday. by his mother
Mrs. D. F. O'La.ughlin. He was a
former member of Co. B, Of the North
Dakota naional guard and served
with his regiment on the Mexican
border. He enlisted in the aviation
service at Los Angeles, Cal, and
worked his way up from the ranks,
The day he received notice that he
had been accepted in the aviation
service he also received a call to re-
port at the second officers training
Lieut.. O'Laughlin writes an inter
esting letter, telling OF the tests that
must be passed before cadet Is
eligible to be commissioned. In the
second letter he tells of receiving
his commission. The letter follows:
France, May %, 1918.
Dear Mother-Two letters from
you in the last week-was tickled to
death to get them.
"A few days ago I was Iached.
This is q word we use meaning to
leave one flying class for another.
Perhaps. before I go farther, had
better give you g. few Of the words
and terms used here. possibly the
pronunciation may help.
P1ste' (peest) means field. One
is 1ached Qashayed) when he has
double control for his first solo ride.
Spirale' (speeral) is the class in
which one does 'hairpin' serpentines,
tight spirals, etc. You then go on
your voyages (voyaZZes), both petite
(peteeD and triangles, two of each
covering about $50 miles, An altitude
test is taken at 1900 meters, about
1000 feet.
"A course in acrobatics follows in
which we loop, do vrilles and reverb
ments and any other stunts we care
to try. So far I am In the spirale
class. VIII finish it in another day.
Our flying work is quite different
from the r. M. A. tests in the states.
Made my solo rides without any
thing unusual happening; then went
to the solo class where I made 26
trips and was then sent to the spiral
class. This generally takes one day;
then the voyages are made. These
can be made in two days If the
weather is good. When they are
we are given the 'Brevete
Militare.' This is about the same
as the r. M. A. gives flyers in the
states and entities one to wear the
aViators' wings, so you see am
finally getting along in the flying
game.
81 had been told that the first solo
ride was the big thing. The old
French moniteurs Cnstructors) said
it took more nerve to go up alone
than it does to fly over the lines.
expected a wild sensa-
ton when my moniteur got out Of the
machine and said: Now you take it
up alone / started off and found it
was easier to fly alone than with an
instructor. Another person in the
plane tends to make one nervous
at least at first. I circled the fields
and came down and made q good
landing; was given the signal to go
around again. After I had landed the
moniteur came up. shook hands, and
said: You are now lached.' Enough
Of this for it must sound like Greek
to you"
Wins Commission.
In the second letter announcement
Is made of the receipt Of his COM
as first lieutenant. He
writes:
Nothing Of Importance has hap
pened except that received my COM
today and was sworn in at
once. Only a few days left at this
school before leave for my advanced
training on high speed planes. Better
address my mail to the 8pd Aviation
Instruction center as expect to be
back there soon."