The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-12-12
CLEMENCEAU ASKED US
FOR 1000 A|RPLANES
A MONTH IN MAY 1917
REPORT SHOWS HOW AMER
ICA WAS HANDICAPPED
IN AIR PROGRAM

Washington, Dec. l1.-An appeal
| by Premier Clemenceau of France
for an American aircraft contribu-
tion of 1000 planes a month and a
total OF 5000 aviators nd $4,000 spec
ilized mechanics formed the basis
for the extensive aircraft program
to which the United States commit
ted itself in the world war. This
was disclosed today by Mai. Gen.
William l. Henley, director of mill
itary aeronautics, in his annual re-
port.
The appeal of the French premier,
the report says, was received May "A,
1917, two weeks before the adoption
of the aircraft program for the ar
my, involving an expenditure or
about SIS 100000 Two months later
congress, at the request of the war
department, enacted another air
craft appropriation bill carrying a
lotal of $640000,000.
This country had never trained
an aviator sufficiently to meet the
demands of overseas aerial warfare"
General Henley points out in illus
trating the difficulties the nation
faced in seeking to comply with the
urgent appeals for aid made by
France.
Teachers Trained Selves
at had not the slightest knowl-
edge OF the instruction necessary for
radio, photography or enlisted per-
sonnel. Consequently the first men
largely trained themselves before
teaching others and experiences led
on from one course to what was to
come next"
Despite this handicap, 1880 men
had been graduated as reserve mill
tary aviators, the first rating tor
pilots by June 80, 1918. the report
saws. and ITO bombers, IS bombing
pilots, 464 observers, $50 observer
pilots and l3l pursuit pilots had been
graduated on that date from the ad-
yanced training schools.
In the year ending last June 50,
there were 152 fatalities in training,
on an average of one death to g.
6S4 hours and 20l,0O0 miles flown.
Stalled engines, usually due to an
error of the pilot, caused 80 deaths,
collision 30, and side-slips 10.
"Regrettable as these accidents
are" the report says, fatalities in
American training are less than half
as large as those OF the other allied
countries.
Had 44O Balloon Officers.
The report says that 440 balloon
officers also had been graduated,
l55 of whom were fully qualified OBJ
servers during the year. /
Discussing the overseas part OF
the air service program, the report
says, the first cadets went over Tor
training six weeks after the declara-
ton of war and by the end OF l9l/
more than $500 men had been sent
TO France, England, Italy, or Cana
da
The collapse of Russia" the re-
port continues, "Italy's serious de-
feat and the weight thrown upon
the allied services made it impos-
sible. unfortunately, for the allies
to meet the schedule OF training
planes necessary, so that many OF
these cadets, the most promising OF
Americas material, were in idleness
for months.
1T was early in May, 1918, how
ever. over year after America
entry into the war, that the first
German plane fell victim to an avia-
tor in the American service. About
the same time. 46S fully trained AM
erican aviators organized into IS
complete American squadrons or
brigaded with British and French
squadrons were actually on the
front. taking increasing toll OF the
enemy.