The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1918-10-21
AMERICAN
BOMBING
SQUADRONS
Our Airmen are Winning
Laurels in the Skies
FLY IN PROPER
FORMATION
All Follow the Leader Over
the German Lines

With American Aviators in France
Sept. 30, Correspondence of The
Associated Press)-The start of an
American bombing squadron on
raid into German territory is a spec
tacle to stir the enthusiasm of an
American and inspire him with an
appreciation of Americas growing
strength in the air.
The squadron had been over the
German lines twice that day with fair
success and the aviators lounged in
shady spots jibing one another or idly
commenting upon the evolutions of
practice aiTplanes overhead, when the
correspondent of The Associated
Press visited the flying field.
Out of a concealed and camoufag
ed office hut there stepped suddenly
the flight leader, Lieutenant Gunder
ZACH, who already has been named in
the official American communiQue for
prowess in the air.
The aviators sprang to their feet
and gathered around their leader for
| the final instructions. He had not
been at ali satisfied with the two per-
formances Of the day. They had
shown a tendency to straggle over
much and had not kept sufficiently
"bunched."
| Hot criticism poured from his lips
and the youngsters were silent in en-
barrassmenr. The leader did not
spare them, but iterated and reiter-
ated that "the formation is the thing,
the squadron is the thing" and, final
ly, "God help a 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 swad-
ding themselves to the eyes, tucking
chocolate into their pockets (fo1
they get hungry up in the air) OF
breaking open a fresh package OF
chewing gum, which helps to allie
viate nervousness and has a steady
ing 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.
Airplaae number one, bearing the
fight leader, threw off its restraining
mechanics and swept in a big curve
across the field, taking" clumsly
across the field with its weight Of
bombs, to q position from which i
could rise at the head of the group.
One by one the others followed
suit, taking up position just behint
: and to the right and left of the lead
! er until they were spread out like ;
huge ~covey of ungainly and marvel
lously colored birds. AS they wait
t ed they tossed out rockets which, des
l pite the brilliant sunlight, f1ared ;
= binding red and white. The test wa
: complete. They were ready for tn
start.
Again the commander gave a sig
Ii nal. The noise Of the motors rose
: deafening proportions. The grea
e covey began to move, gained speed a
t they sped rorthward across the fielc
S then one after another "took off" tn
ground. All the clumliness of tn
e taxing" was gone. The machine
: had become graceful birds in fact.
e Swiftly they rose, while still with
: in sight, to great height, looking flo
Y. all the world like a flock of gees
n with the leader at the neck of tn
+ formation. Later on, when about t
cross the Ene, they would draw clos
er together into a compact, tightly
knit group, but always following
whether to left or right, the two Ii
Il tie white pennants streaming OF
from the leaders machine.