The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1918-09-07
Progress So Rapidly in italian
Camps They Amaze
instructors.
MANY GUARD ITALY'S COASTS
Their Watchful E~agerness Is OF Great
Help In Spotting Sneaky Sub
marines--AIi Are Anxious
for Action.

American Navy Aviation Camp,
Somewhere In Italy.-Back there at
home you have all heard by this time
of the thrilling exploits of American
aviators on the Piave river-the army
aviators who dropped their bombs on
the frail Austrian p%ontoon bridges and
helped turn the enemy invasion into a
disastrous retreat. 1t is now permitted
to that American naval avia-
tors are also aiding the Italian de-
Tense.
For more than three months now
these bronzed boys Of ours, skimming
the air in their flying boats, have kept
along the Italian seashore, watching
for the stealthy moving blur beneath
the waves that means n of the foes
submarines, scanning the horizon for
the specks which might be overbold
Austrian d~estroyers, or rising beyond
the clouds that screen the enemy's
seaplanes.
AS a matter of fact, American naval
flyers are cooperating with the navies
of all the great allies In Europe. Num-
berless "eyes" are required down the
long coasts from the North sea to the
Mediterranean, and the United States
Is furnishing its share as fast as pos
sible. This work, of course, is all I'M
der Admiral Sims, but there is special
headquarters for American naval avia-
ton, under Capt. III. /. Cone, in Paris.
This system of American co-opera-
ton has been developing since last Au-
gust, and naturally will extend in the
future as our naval forces grow. In
France naval aviators were the first
to fly beneath our flag. But in Italy
the effort of the American navy is
comparatively new. The number of
our men now there Is a matter of mill
tary Observation-Disclosures a secret.
But there are enough to have done
plenty of useful work.
Our Flyers Relieve italians.
The work falls into two branches
the taking over of the actual opera
ton of coastal air patrols from the
Italians and thus relieving Italian fly
ers for other duties, and the training
of our own men for further endeavor
in the same direction. OF course, the
men who are actually operating above
Italian waters are finished aviators,
most of whom learned the game in
the naval flying schools which have
sprung up since the war along our
own Atlantic coast. But the chaps who
are getting their instruction In Italy
are rapidly catching on"
The American training school lies
on the shores Of q charming Italian
lake circled by picturesque hills. Right
beside 1t is another training camp for
Italian naval flyers, and the candi-
dates In both camps have developed a
ready camaraderie. Our camp ends liz
a little public square which, In honor
Of the Americans, now boasts a new
name-the Piazza degil Staff Unit.
Here the two fiags-the red, white
and blue and the green. white and
red-float ali day together. At dawn
and sunset they are raised and low
cred side by side before uniformed
squads representing each nation. 1t
is a bit of symbolism that counts.
Americans Make Swift Progress.
The lot Of splendid American boys
at our camp, most of them fresh from
college, are getting on In q way that
is inspiring. Many Of them are al.
ready solo flyers" and will soon be
turned out" equipped for active serv.
Ice. They are up at dawn, all of
them, and more anxious about the
weather than they used to be at home
on the morning Of the big intercolle-
gate football game. You see, every
man Is trying to squeeze In as many
flying hours as the day will hold in
order to pass quickly to his first
'sbrevet."
Each is on tiptoes to take a hop"
This is naval air slang for a trip in
the air. Their talk Is all a jargon of
motors and planes, Of "spirals," or
'peaking her over" or STRENGTHENING
her out" and 1t falls more familiarly
from their lips than even the home
grown patter Of the baseball fiend.
The instructors are all Americans
and they r certainly on the job.
This shows In the spirit Of endeavor
and swift progress among the men.
Many Of these students have seen
service In France In other branches.
No wonder their hearts are now in
this bigger opportunity.
They are well cared for. They sleep
In comfortable new barracks and have
their meals at an oficers' club. though
yQnL often e man with bis coffee
$500