The New York herald., 1921-09-26
night BOMB ATTACK
At SEA SUCCESSFUL
Parachute Flares Make Old
Warship Visible for Fleet
OF Airplanes.
HITS SET FOUR FIRES
Navigation Bridge Of the
Alabama Wrecked by 800
Pound Missile.
MOTORS ARE MUFFLED
First Experiment Shows That
Hostile Coast Is Bad Place
for RattlaShins
MOTORS ARE MUFFLED
BY WILLIAM II. FULLAM.
Henr Admiral, U. y. n. (Retired) !,
Former Commandant Annap-
Oils Naval Academy

Former Comm mandant Annnp-
oils Naval Academy.
6pectdl Despatch TO THE NEW York HT,RAIp.
New York Herald Bureau.
Washington, ID. O., Sept. 25
The experimental attacks upon tn.
oattleship Alabama by the army air
force from Langley Field under the
direction of Brig.-Gen. William T.
Mitchell and his Chief of Staff, Col
Milling, u. S. A., which began with
smoke screens and gas bombs on FRI
day. were continued by spectacular
attack at IL o'clock Friday night and
by further attacks with bombs under
cover Of smoke screens during Satur-
day.
Interest centred in the night work
1t has been generally assumed that air
forces could attack a fleet only during
daylight, when anti-aircraft guns
could be brought to bear for the pro-
lection of the ships and thus force
the air forces to bomb from high alti-
tudes. For some time Gen. Mitchell
has drilled his forces at night and has
brought them to a high standard o;
skill and efficiency. The experiment
1t IL P. M. Friday was the first of
its kind that has ever been made by
the United States air forces against
q man-of-war as a target
The planes left Langley Field, forty
eight miles from the Alabama, at 10:4O
p. M. Although there was half moon
at the time. the dark hull of the Ala
bama could not be seen from the OBJ
serving ships at greater distance
than one mile. Had she been under
would have made her more plainly
visible to an air force.
One ROmb Destructive.
The first planes to approach were
not discovered by observers until they
began to drop parachute flares OF 100000
candlc-power. Several of the flares fell
near enough to plainly light up. and
locate the Alabama and the bnrnbers
then began the attack With 800 pound
bomos charged with 165 pounds Of INT
The marksmanship was excellent. One
deck on the starboard. One of these
failed to explode. but punctured the
forecaste and the main deck under
meath. The other exploded with terrific
force. completely wrecking the navigat-
ing bridge near the coming tower and
creating havoc in a large part of the
supcrstructure. The whole upper works
of the ship appeared TO be enveloped IN
smoke and flame and four fires were
started on deck from bow to stern. 1t
IS believed that the entire anti-aircraft
personnel would have been put out of
action by this explosion.
The interior of the coming tower,
which was near the point OF explosion.
gave evidence Of damage from the blast.
and 1t is doubtful whether the captain
and his aids who are stationed there
in battle would have escaped serious
injury. The communications and the
fire control system of the ship we're
menaced IL they would not have been
destroyed by this bomb.
Attack n Triumph Of skill.
The planes making this night attack
were specially fitted with running lights
to avoid collisions IN the air and the
exhaust pipes from all motors we're
heightened to prevent torching.
This device muffled the motors and
increased the difficulty Of discovering
the planes, which flew above unseen.
The running lights would have been ex-
tinguished in battle. The planes manoeu-
vred with precision In formation. 1t
was triumph OF skin.
II can be asserted that had the second
bomb exploded forward the ship and n
large portion Of the crew would have
been ofNlittle further use IN battle. She
would At least have been forced out
OF the fleet to a navy yard for repairs.
The result OF this test at night proves
beyond question that surface ships are
menaced from the air more seriously
than has been anticipated
On Saturday morning another heavy
smoke screen was laid by pursuit planes
TO windward OF the Alabama. This
screen was very effective and would
have thoroughly protected an air force
attacking by daylight with bombs and
torpedoes in the case of hostile fleet
at anchor.
In connection with this experiment a
further spirited and continuous attack
was made with fast flying pursuit planes
using machine guns and light twenty
five pound bombs for the purpose OF
driving away and demoralizing the anti
aircraft personnel on the upper decks,
preceding an attack by heavy bombing
pound bombs struck the Alabama for
ward on the forecastle. They penetrated
to the protection deck. completely wreck
ing the forward compartments OF the
ship. The upper deck was torn adrift
from the stem and from the ships side
for distance OF twenty or thirty feet
on both sides OF the ship and was forced
up ut an angle OF As degrees TO a height
of twenty feet. completely blanketing
the guns of the forward turret from
firing ahead and 10 degrees on either
bow. This one salvo would have made
the ship useless In a seaway. She would
have taken tons OF water over and
through the bow, flooding the forward
compartments. She would have been
forced to return to her base for extern
sivc repairs. The force OF the explosion
carried away heavy anchor chain and
anchor was let 20 with some difficulty
by the Inspection party after the good
old ship had made short and probably
ncr last cruise with the tide
The last experiment OF tho day was
made 10 determine tho penetrating and
destructive effect OF heavy 100 round
armour piercing shells containing a
small bursting charge OF about ATTY
pounds OF INT. Four Of these shells
were dropped from a height OF about
5000 feet. The aim was good, and three
Of them struck very gear the ship, but
no hits were made f1he effect OF such
an attack remains to 20 demonstrated.