The Oskaloosa herald., 1918-02-21
CLOSE UP VIEW
OF KELLY FIELD
FORMER HERALD MAN DRAWS
GOOD PICTURE OF CAMP
LIKES HIS new OCCUPATION
Gives Insight Into Signal Corps Train
ing Camp and Aviation Activities
Not Cleaned From other
Communications.
(By DeWayne Foehlinger)

(By DeWayne Foehlinger)
Line E, Kelly Field, No. l, South San
Antonio, Texas, February L 1915
Uncle Sans Aviation sectio, of the
Signal Corps.-The Greatest u" on
Earth-Greater than RingliIlS Broth
ers, Barnum & Baily's, Buffalo Bill
and all the others.
That's the way the aviation branch
of the army at Kelly Field impresses
me. This enormous camp where Uncle
Sam turns civilians from all walks
of life into airmen, and makes them
part of the gigantic machine which
will crush Germany, is truly wonder
full place and surpasses all expecta-
tions. 1t will take weeks to absorb it.
Kelly Field consists of three large
camps. In Kelly the recruits and
transferred men are assembled, they
are given their trade tests and finally
sorted out and sent to trade lines,
where they await squadron assign
ment. The squadrons are made UP at
Kelly Field No. /. Kelly Field No.
is the most attractive. Neat white
buildings house the flyers and cadets.
Here, too, are located number of
aero squadrons. Kelly Field No. 8 is
the camp where outgoing units are
concentrated and receive their final
training. To be sent to Kelly nearly
always means goodbye Kelly Field"
Many thousands of men are located
at the three camps.
A Tented City.
Americas tented cities, as the cir
cusses called themselves, are forced
to the background by Uncle Sans ar
my. Thousands of tents afford shelter
and protection for tens of thousands
of troops. Long rows of tents house
the army's supplies. Canvas tents COW
er the army Kitchens. Some of the
hospitals, canteens, Y. M. C. A.. S, post
offices, fire stations, telegraph and
telephone offices, headquarters office,
construction Offices, military police Of
ficers, guard houses, barber shops,
news stands, etc, are housed in the
brown tents at Kelly Field these rows
of tents extend in some directions for
several miles and each day the camps
are growing. Daily large numbers of
drafted men are arriving. During. the
Texas sandstorms, or 'northers' the
tents afford only partial protection, so
Uncle Sam'is building permanent bar
racks, mess halls, etc. These wooden
buildings are rising as if by magic, but
will scarcely be completed before the
men in camp now are transferred.
While living accommodations here
are limited and while camp conditions
at Kelly Field hardly equal those of
most of the national army canton
ments, national guard concentration
camps or regular army posts, the men
thrive and are hardy lot.
Something in. Detail.
The aviation section of the Signal
Corps is the mechanical side of the
army, and is highly motorized. Natur-
ally the aeroplane tops the list. Then
come hundreds of automobiles, motor
cycles and large motor trucks.
Since the business of the flying de-
partment is machinery there is little
drilling and practically no small arms
instruction. Everything is work, work,
work.
The flyers are heavily armed, but
the naming men of the squ2drons,
although in frequent danger, have lit
tie protection, as far as weapons of
war are concerned. The machinists ire
kept constantly busy on the planes,
trucks, motorcycles, etc. The clerks
handle the office work Chauffeurs
transport the equipment and supplies.
There are many other lines of profess
sion, too, included in the service, and
each line has it's particular work to
do.
To the person accustomed to the
work of the infantry. cavalry or ar
tillery, the aviation service offers a
distinct surprise. There is little about
the service to classify it as military
save the uniforms.
Most of the men here are skilled,
listed as experts. They are set at work
along their particular lines.
Most of the officers of the camp
are from the infantry reserve corps
and are officers training camp men.
They are fine bunch of fellows, gen.
orally.
Likes Iowa Better.
The more see of Texas the better
| like Iowa. One night you freeze, the