The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-02-06
HINDERE D
BOMBING
TESTS HI.
CHARGES
''FIying General Claims Navy
Department Put Obstacles
in the Way


Brigadier General William Nit
eheIl took the lid off the aircraft
investigation today with q bang
and cIatter that shocked official
Washington.
Bringing his fight for =
greater air service into the open,
General Mitchell charged fatty
that not only are the War and
Navy Departments inefficiently
conducting their air services. but
that the Navy Department delib-
erately shindered the air-bonbing
experiments conducted by the.
joint army-navy air services off
The Virginia capes in 1921.
Flying General Explains"
General Mitchell's grave and az
the same time sensational charges
were laid before the special Con-
sressionsk committee that il investi.
eating the aircraft situation. They
were also cor3ainef ii / letter
which the Flying General. sent.
90 Secretary of War weeks in reply
30 Weeks recent demand that
Mitchell explain some OF his re-.
cent statements on the air service.
Tears Aside Ven Of Secrecy.
So serious were the charges made
~ Mitchell today against the ad.
mtnistration of the Navy Depart.
there viii be greater and more
far-reaching Investigation, which
may cost the heads of some of the
higher ranking officers of the
Navy. and perhaps that Of Michel
himself.
Mitchell denied tradition and pre-
eedent by tearing aside the veil
Of secrecy that for several years
has shielded the bombing tests off
the Capes, in which old warships
have been sunk by aerial bombing.
Blocked Efforts, He Claims.
After reviewing the alleged handi-
caps he says were placed In the way
Of the air service in it's effort to fol-
low the instruction Of the Congress
SIGNAL resolution, Mitchell said, "in
my opinion the navy actually tried
to prevent our sinking the Ostfries.
land"
1.-THE whole performance referring
70 the handicaps) was absolutely un-
necessary" said Mitchell, land in
the minds of the air officers partici-
pattng, appeared to be q deliberate
attempt to handicap US in the ac-
eomplishment of our mission.
ar fhfa
were not defended by the War De.
partnent."
Tells Of Obstacles.
Reciting the alleged hindrances
placed in the way OF the test the
flying general declared the air
service was ordered to lombard the
nattleship from an altitude Of 10000
feet.
''It is impossible to develop a
proper aviation personnel when It
Il merged with ground personnel in
the way that it is both from a
standard of career, command OF
units or reserve" he, said.
Nearly one.half Of the deaths
that annually occur I'm the commits.
stoned personnel Of the army take
place In the air service"
Mitchell then formally charged
an entire lack or plans for air de-
Tense Of the nation by either Of the
military branches OF the Govern.
ment.
Since the sinking Of the battle.
ships by air bombs in 1921, Mitchell!
said I'VE have not been assisted by
the War Department I'm the develop
ment OF this most important feature
q coast defense.
Lack Of Concrete Plans
"As an instance of this may be
mentioned our entire lack of CON
crete plans for air defense OF the
United States, including the or.
CARNATIONS for defense against air
craft for important places such as
the city of New York: the lamen
table lack Of organization of oul
air forces and lack of plans FOL
their use that found in the
Hawaiian Islands and in the Philip
zines.
'I know of no country I'm the
world that follows the same sys
tenn that we do in this respect"
Mitchell mercilessly flayed thu
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