San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-04-15
ARMY PLANES
WILL BE USED
! BY RED CROSS
In Times Of Disaster, Doc
tors and Nurses Will
: Be Transported.
WILL SAVE LIVES
Local Air Service Station
Commanders Given Au-
thority to Act.
In an effort to serve the people Of

In an effort to serve the people Of
the nation in time Of peace as well as
- time of war, army and navy air
services and the air mail service oper-
ated by the Postoffice Department,
have recently been placed at the dis
posal of the American Red Cross in
times of stress. The suggestion that
the established air services be author
lied to serve in dire circumstances and
broaden their usefulness by saving life
and property by quick transportation
Of trained relief personnel of the
American Red Cross, was made by
B. H. Mulvihill, vice president of the
National Aeronautic Association.
Red Cross officials say that in cases
of fire, flood, storm and in peculiar
individual cases, the airplane will be
OF great usefulness in quickly reaching
the scene of trouble.
Picked Up WOodsman.
Maj. Gen. Mason NJ. Patrick, chief
of the army air service, and who was
in San Antonio last week, enthusiastic
cally approved the proposal Of having
government aircraft cooperate with
the Red Cross, pointing out that it
will be an opportunity to prove be-
yond a doubt that airplanes can be a
valuable factor in the immediate and
efficient prosecution of relief work.
In order to prevent delay incident
to communication with higher authori-
ty when the cause of humanity is in
volved, the army has authorized vari-
-'ous local air service commanders spe-
cific authority to render assistance
without waiting for approval from
General Patricks office. General Pat
rick illustrated by citing the recent
case of an army pilot from Selfridge
Field, Michigan, flying to an isolated
island in Lake Michigan and brought
to the mainland for medical attention
woodsman who had been seriously
injured in log jam.
In the opinion of experienced RELIEF
workers the saving of time througl,
transporting physicians. nurses aud
medical supplies in airplanes will re
suit in remarkable efficiency and will
cut to the minimum the deaths in dis
asters due to exhaustion of victims
before medical attention is available
The recent devastating fire which al
most wiped out New Bern, n. c., was
an example of possible fire prevention
as well as civilian relief This city is
$50 miles by air from the naval air
station at Hampton Roads, Va. and
the army airdrome at Langley Field
Virginia. There is also an army fly.
ing field. Pope Field, at Fayetteville
n. c., 90 miles from New Bern.
Can Check Fires.
On call for relief in a similar sitU-
alton the response by the two ali
services could be made in less than
two hours, the planes carrying moi
only relief personnel, but bombs t.
check the advance of the fire. AS il
was. the entire center Of the town wa'
in ruins by the time relief for the
sufferers could be brought by usual
channels from Atlanta, Ga, which is
400 miles away.
Forward looking officials of The
three governmental air services are
giving their serious attention TO adj
justing aircraft TO civilian utility and
the idea of using bombing airplanes 70
raze buildings in the path Of fire in
order to check the flames is regarded
by them as wholly practical. 1t is
probable that the plan will be studied
and recommendation for RENDERING
such service be placed before the ali
chiefs in the navy and war depart
ment.s