New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-07-22
The Bombing ests
Unarmored Ships Helpless Against Air Attack
By Quarterback

line, stiffened her hull and helped to
keep her af1oat. Destroyers and other
auxiliary vessels have no such armor
protection, and bombs dropping near
them will be much more effective.
The racking effect of these under
water explosions must not be ignored
Ships distant one mile felt the shock.
1t is probable that 500 or 1000 pounds
of INT exploding within 100 feet Of
an unarmored ship may seriously dam
age the steering gear, condenser tubes
and other parts of her machinery.
Not Necessary to Sink Ship
1t is the belief of some observers
that the bombs that struck the water
very near the Frankfurt contributed
more to her sinking than the actual
hits on deck. But it must be kept con-
stantly in mind that it is not always
necessary actually to sink a ship to
render her helpless and useless, If
her upper works are destroyed, her
fire control wrecked and her person
mel killed or stunned she will be per-
manently out of action. 1t is useless,
in such q case, to waste more ammuni-
ton upon her. Let her float harm
lessly. When the top of mans head
is blown off it is not necessary to bury
him to extinguish lifel It is strange
that many persons-including news
paper reporters and not a few con-
servative naval officers who seek to
pooh! pooh! at the Importance of avia-
ton in warfare unmindful of this
fact. They insist that the aviator
must always hit and that he must
send every ship to the bottom-other-
wise the surface ship can ignore him.
They have grasped the shadow and
lost the substance.
Praise for AUiotion Personnel
The officers and men of the army
and navy aviation forces cannot be too
highly praised. They have worked I'M
der many handicaps. They have been
compelled to fight against conservative
influences at the War and Navy de-
partments, as we'll as in the army and
feet. There is fear lest aviation may
prove itself too important.
In the bombing tests thus far the
navy and army flyers have taken e1-
traordinary risks. They have flown 100
miles to sea in land planes, circled
around for hours and returned to base,
covering as much as 800 miles over
water in making these attacks. They
have run the risks of war and have
taken their lives in their hands with
out hesitation. In developing aviation
and in working with poor material and
wornout planes there have been many
casualties. Their patriotism and gal
for the love of the army and the navy
and country-merit affectionate recog-
milton.
The aviator has fairly won his place
as a factor in war, afloat or ashore.
In these navy tests he has only used
one weapon-the bomb. He has three
others-the mine, the torpedo and gas.
In using the bomb he is compelled to
come near the ship. But he can lay q
barrage of mines around an advancing
feet, and he can attack it with torpedo
planes from a distance of miles at
sea. These facts are astonishingly for
gotten or ignored by conservative naval
officers and others who insist that anti
aircraft guns can keep off bombing
attack and that .zigzagging feet can
ignore air forces!
When the subject is calmly considered
the navy will awake to the truth--we
must have air forces and submarines
not only to protect cur surface fleet,
but to enable it to assume the offensive
in war.