The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1919-04-10
Av|ATORS ACROSS
SEAS MEET HERE
CAPTAIN w. w. SPAIN, VETERAN
OF THREE WARS, VISITING
IN BROOkINGS
LIEUT.. E.V. WILLS HOME FROM FRANCE
Comrades in Air Service Of United
States Meet For First Time Since
Arnistice Was Signed

Tuesday in Bookings two aviatoys
of our army who worked together in
the training of flyers in France, met
for the first time in several months.
Capt. w. w. Spain, we'll known IN
South Dakota as Billy" Spain, was
in the city on business connected with
his present duties as an investigator
for the department of justice, and
Lieut.. Ernest V. Wills, who just ar
rived home from France on Saturday
evening, are the two individuals.
Capt. Spain is a veteran of the Span
ish American war and the Mexican
border, as well as the big war, hav-
ing been the first flyer in the Amer
lean army from South Dakota. In
1917 he was an instructor at Chicago
and Rantoul, IL, and was then sent
to command an aviation school at
Tours, France, where Lieut.. Wills
was his chief clerk and main depend
ance. They certainly had a splendid
W + and talked over all the work
.e on the flying corps at the front.
Lieut.. Wills is now visiting his moth
er, Mrs. G.. A. Wills, being on a ten
days leave from Camp Upton, n. Y,
and is expecting orders that will per
nit of his discharge, either here or
at Chicago, in a short time. The
Register inquired of Capt. Spain re-
garding our home boy, Lieut.. Wills,
and the, captain spoke in the highest
terms of his good work, attention 10
duty and resourceful activity in all
branches of the air service. While in
charge of all the records of the big
flying school at Tours, Lieut.. Wills
kept them in such splendid shape as
to elicit approval of all the officers
above him. He was afterward sent
to Issoudun, France, and placed in
charge of the moving of planes after
the armistice was signed. Captain
Snain was one of the leading officer
instructors in the flying corps and was
kept from the front on account of his
age and experience making him more
valuable in the training of younger
men for the actual flying. 1t is sell
dom hat a small city like BrOokings
can have the privilege of entertain
ing two men who nave worked to-
gether to such good purpose in the
support of the flag, as we have had
this week when these two officers of
the air service were with us. Cap
tain Spain is one of the most valuable
and distinguished officers that the
state sen overseas, and Ernest Wills
is one of our own home boys who
made good, giving a fine account of
himself wherever placed. Many of
the fine things Thai the Register
learned about Ernest Wills would
probably have remained dark to us,
if it had not been for the high praise
given to his work by his late com
handing officer, Captain Spain. And
as all South Dakota knows Billy"
Spain, the Register feels assured that
this praise is all well deserved. Cap
tain Spain having been discharged
from the service has resumed his pO-
sition as an official of the department
of justice. Lieut.. Wills expects soon
to be able to return to the employ
of the Pierce-Arrow Auto Co, where
the place he filled before the war has
been kept open for him.