Evening star., 1921-07-19
BY the Associated Press.

PORTSMOUTH, Va. July 10
Gen. John j. Pershing, chief OF
STAFF of the American armies. and
Secretary of War Weeks arrived in
Hampton roads this morning to
witness the Army and Navy air
maneuverS OF the Virginia capes.
Gen. PershinE and Secretary
Hampton roads aboard the WASH
ingtOn steamer. They were to go
directly to the naval base. thence
to sea to witness the bombing
tests on the former German battle
ship OstfriesIand.
NEWPORT NEWS. Va. July 10
The former German cruiser Frank
furt is lying on the floor of the
Atlantic today with the six other
| former enemy craft disposed of in
recent bombing and target practice
off the Virginia capes. as the result
of a successful attack by Army and
Navy fliers yesterday. which con-
tinued all day before the cruiser was
sent to the bottom. Surviving eleven
$50 to 800 pounds. scored during the
first phase of the attack. and hVe
with heavier bombs up to 500 pounds
the cruiser received its death OloW
from a 600-pounder hurled from one
of squadron of six Army Martin
planes which proceeded to the attack
from Langley Field, Va. late in the
day.
Although failing to hit the target
the bomb. as observed from one OF
h.
ploded with such terrific force on
striking the water a few feet from
the starboard bow that the Frank,
furt was literally lifted up several
gradually by the head the end was
hastened by two more 6oo-pound
bombs placed close to the port bow
by another Army plane. The cruiser
disappeared twenty-eight minutes
after the fatal blow.
7S Bombs Are Dropped.
A total of seventy-eight bombs
were launched at the Frankfurt by
naval and Army aircraft. which
came eighty-fiye miles from Hamp-
ton roads and Langley Field.
AS the bomb left it's carriage under
the great wings of the Martin plane
from an attitude of about 1900 feet
it appeared as though 1t woud strike
on the fo'caste deck. 1t missed by
water exploded with terrific force. The
, Frankfurt literally was forced up sew
eral feet by the concussion and upor
setting down after rocking and roll
ing for a minute or two she begar
to go down gradually by the head.
Another Army Martin plane put tive
other 6OO-pound bombs close by the
port bow, and these were believed &c
have hastened the end. The cruisers
bow filled slowly and in twenty min
, utes her focastle deck began goins
under The end was not long delayed
then, as the ship had sunk low enough
for the water to rush through two
gaping holes in the hull at the upper
deck, caused by the explosion OF
bombs dropped earlier in the day.
Mainmast Snaps on.
Twenty-eight minutes after it be-
gan to settle the battered and twisted
hulk disappeared. the mainmast
: plosion of one bomb. swapping off as
"the once proud ship took the fina,
plunge amid cheers from the crews
of the observing battleships, destroy
ers and other surface craft.
Brig. Gen. Mitchell assistant chief
of the Army air service, whose decla-
ration before ascongresSional commit
tee some months ago that aircraf TT fas,
were making capital ships obsolete
caused something of a sensation, cir
cled around the SINKING hull IN lds
pursuit plane, in which he had ac'
com1anied to sea the fleet of big
bombers under Capt. Lawton Whicf
destroyed the cruiser.
In all seventy-eight bombs. fifty
seven of $50 and 300 pounds. and TWEEN
ty-ona of $50 and 600 pounds. were
laufched at the Frankfurt by nava
and Army aircraft. which came eigh'
ty-fve miles from Hampton roads anC
. Langley Field. The Navy machines
kwere the first to attack, beginning al
s:12 am, and one direct hit was
scored by the first division of F-5-I
seaplanes to go into action.
Hole Torn in Deck.
This projectile hit aft of the three
tunnels on the cruiser and damaged
the upper works in the Immediate vi
cinity. An Army Martin bomber made
a direct hit at 1855 am. with a 300
pound bomb. which exploded on the
starboard side between the second ano
third tunnels, tearing a hole in the
deck and several shell plates off the
hull at the upper deck line.
When the official observers wen
aboard at the conclusion of the frs
phase of the operations with the
small bombs they found that besides
the two bombs which were seen to ex.
plode on board. four others had STRUCK
the craft, but failed to explode. Two
went through the fo'castle deck tc