Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1919-08-01
History Of the 484th Aero Squadron,
A. E. F.
Continued from last WeeE.)

Master Electrician SchablitZkc
had active charge of the work at
Lay st. Remy, and had personally
supervised the field work at VinetS
and LoncauX. AT LoneauX he cx-
hibited an unusual ability for i'm
provising new field implements out
of broken and cast off machinery.
Master Electrician Riethmiller,
assisting Lieut.. Baker at Belrain,
Vaucon and Moulan, displayed
both here and in later work a mark
ed ability for handling construction
work. His adyicc and assistance
was of greatest value in all the
Squadron's work.
Master Electrician Alderman
and Sergeant First Glass Reinke as
sisted Lieutenant Suckcrt at Bulain-
vile and Souilly and had personal
charge of large details at these and
subsequent locations. Both these
n. e.. O'S. were always invaluable
in carrying on the work Of the
Squadron.
One of the greatest aids to the
morale and unllagging enthusiasm
of the Squadron was the continu-
GUS sunshine of ScrgcantS First
Class ii. e.. GcrtiScr and Winfield
S. Byron. Their QuipS and Wit
caused the laughing away of many
a case of fatigue and blues. and
they were unconSciouSly valuable
men to the outfit.
Noviant-auX-PrcS was the next
scene of action. The st. Mihicl drive
had moved the Front lines out of
the vicinity OF this town TO point
five or six Kilometres northeast. A
flying field was contemplated in this
region, SO the Squadron camp was
moved from Lay ST. Remy to this
point, leaving, however, the Head
quarters detachment behind with
Lieutenant Sucket, for the purpose
of Supply-which gave the other
members of the organization Il
chance TO kid the abandoned de-
tachment for being left behind in
The S. o. S. Actual work began on
the Noivant field on Scmptcmbcr
18TH. train of twenty trucks was
borrowed from the First Air Depot,
and together with the Squadron
trucks, brought seven barracks, ten
huts, and eighteen individual hang
ars to this point where they were
erected in short order.
The Noivant Camp was closer
to the front lines than any previous
camp had been. Artillery batteries
were planted on all sides. Aviators
reported that the newly erected
hangers could easily be seen from
the front lines. The Germans sent
several messages to the same effect
by dropping few wclI-dircctcd
shells from their nearest battery.
Continued wet weather made the
work on the field more difficult
and 1T finally became apparent that
the Noivant field would never be
dry enough to us" for flying lin the
immediate future. Therefore. on
October 10th, the Headquarters de-
tachmcnt was ordered to Saizcrais.
where AN old French Auxiliary
Night Bombing Field offered fairly
good landing surface.
SaizcraiS is south of Ponl-a-Mous-
son, and the lines were about six
kilomctcrS from the field. The
success Of The st. Mihicl drive bad
turned This heretofore "quict" sec
tor into red hot inferno of hate
The town was far from being bomb
proof. In fact, one day chance
shell hit inside a courtyard of an
abandoned farm. hit "Chow" line
of hungry "Tanks," killing ten, and
woundiDg fifty more.
The Squadron started i'm at once
10 erect English and French Bcs-
Soneaux Hangers and to move from
the field at Noviant all the barracks
and hutS erected. On the 18th of
October the Squadron camp was
moved to the new field, while the
work of construction and improve
mcnt continued.
True to form, the Squadron had
the SaizeraiS field ready for The fly
crs in more than ample time. The
Sixth Corps Observation Group
moved into the field during the last
days Of October and the 4S4th
turned over the new barracks to
the Service Squadrons and again
moved into its own tents. Because
ii was now operating in The terri
Tory occupied by the newly formed
Second Army, the Squadron was
transferred from the First TO The
Second American Field Army on
October 28th, 1918.
AT Saizcrais, the men and officers
Of the Squadron received the most