The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-07-14
ARMY PLANES SEND
DESTROYER DOWN
Third Phase in the Joint Army and
Navy Bombing Tests Geld
OFF Virginia Capes.

ON bOAdD u. >. >. DELLA AWARE,
Or the Virginia Capes. July 13.-Army
airmen accounted today for the former
German destroyer G-102 in what was
regarded by army and navy officers as
one of the greatest spectacles in the
history of the American Air Service
Thirty-five army planes and three
Blimps came eighty miles to sea from
Langley field to participate in the OPP
erations, demonstrating army men said,
the ability of this arm of the national
defense forces to go out and meet an
enemy fleet approaching the coast. All
except two of the aircraft returned
safely to their bases, and the crews
OF these two were rescued by naval
vessels after the planes had been
forced down to the water.
This, the third phase of the joint
army and navy bombing tests, was
strictly an army show" Twenty-four
Of the aircraft that put out from shore
took direct part in the attack, launch |
ing eighty-four bombs, twenty of
which found the target Seventeen |
bombs dropped by ten z pursuit
planes and apparently did little dam
age. The other three hits were scored |
with 300 Founders and they sent the 4
destroyer down to join the former Ger
man submarine U-117, sunk by naval |
aviators three weeks ago. The first |
of the big bombs to find the mark |
struck the CHOPS bridge carrying
part of it away and blowing out the
forward smokestack. The second
dropped by the same plane, the thir-
teenth of the Martin bombers in the
second attacking squadron of fourteen
struck the starboard side of the
destroyer near the water line as she
rolled in a heavy swell and tore away
part Of her shell plating above and
below the water.
These two hits were scored at 10:20I
a. m, fifty minutes after the first at
tack was started. The once enemyl
craft Immediately began to settle byi
the bow and in five minutes her fore
castle deck was nearly awash. 1t was
apparent, however, to navy and armyl
officers on the Delaware, the official
observation ship, that the G-102 had
not received her death blow as shell
ceased to settle awaiting the hit. This
came in 20 minutes the fortieth bomb I
dropped by the Martin planes, which
had reformed and returned to the at
tack striking flush on the deck just !
forward of amidships. In a few sec
onds the destroyer's bow was under
and she settled rapidly, her stern ris-
Ing high in the air before she slid
under the surface of the sea a minute ,
after the third hit.
The theory of battle was carried out !
BY the army air forces which operated {
Inder the personal direction of Brig +
General Mitchell, assistant chief of the {
army air service. driving single seat
pursuit plane. II
The G-102 was anchored in a semi
.ircle of battleships, destroyers and !
laval auxiliaries when the first of the !
lrmy planes was sighted just before :
he zero hour set for 8 a. m.
The first army planes out were OBJ
servers, those aboard getting the @
'ange. They had been preceded byl t
ialf dozen naval planes. v
At 9:15 o'clock a bombing squadron a
If ten fast pursuit planes each carry t
ng four twenty five pound bombs. cir
led the target and disappeared behind 9
/ cloud bank only to emerge in a few /.
minutes in single file to go to the at
ack.
The first plane swept down to an :
altitude at less than 1000 feet and let I
20 its bomb, which fell slightly short. i
rhe second and third planes had SINH .
ar experiences, the pilots seeing only
column of water and smoke for their t
Efforts. The fourth aircraft found the Q
arget, however, and thereafter hits
we're rapid each succeeding plane ex-
,ept one scoring. l..
Four times the pursuit planes rushed !
o the attack, but so far as outward !
appearances went, the bombs did little! /
damages e
When the first provisional squadroni t
lad completed its work observing t
planes flew low over the destroyer to t
tote the damage done. Before this T
he big fleet of Martin bombers had
cached the scene. They circled around
overhead with navy planes and three
iilvertoned blimps, which had come upl
Turing the first attack, and it was halfI
IN hour before what really proved tol
,e the final phase Of the attack began.
The big bombers passed over the
arget at attitudes vary from 1900 toI
500 feet each dropping two bombs.
The first two bombs fell wide send
ng UP great columns of water and
LIQUIDS of smoke. Plane after plane
wept above the target in rapid sue,
ession. until it looked as though thel
Irst attack would be without result.
The two bombs launched by the thir
eenth plane found the mark however.
nd cheers went up from the crews of
he attending naval ships. The four
zenith plane also failed to register
lit and the entire squadron reformed
or the second and last attack.
AS was the case the first time sew
raj planes passed without hit, but
his time the twelfth aircraft in the
quadron found the mark. A column
f smoke arose from the destroyer as
he settled down by the bow and it
vas readily apparent that the Show
vas over.
The G-102 was one of three former
ierman destroyers turned over to the
american navy after the war for ex-
purposes and was the larg-
st of the lot. The other two, the
s-l32 and 4-43 are to be sunk by gun