Evening star., 1927-04-24
100 AIRpLANES TO MEET ARMY
DIVISION IN GIGANTIC WAR GAME
Most Extensive Maneuyers Ever Attempt
ed to Be Staged at Fort Sam Houston
From May Ii to 81.


on May 3.
On May II. all the units which
! have participated in these denonstra-
tions will be concentrated at San
Antonio, with additional units from
the 1st Pursuit Group at Selfridge
Field and the I'd Bombardment Group
at Langley Field, which will have
been moved from their home sta
| tions to San Antonio. The maneu-
vers will then take place, ending on
May q.
Stops to BE Made on Flight.
Stops will be made on the South
ward flight by various plane forma-
tions at Washington, New Orleans,
Macon, Montgomery, Galveston. Ran
toul and Belleville, ILL.,; Muskogee,
Okla; Atlanta. Uniontown, Pa: Dali
las, Tex; Little Rock, Fort Sill, Fort
Riley and Fort Leavenworth, Kans,
and Fairfield, Ohio.
A comparative study OF European
and American distances has been
made by Air Corps officers in connec-
ton with the flights to and from Texas.
A fair idea of the enormous dis
| tances to be covered is obtained by
superimposing a map of Europe over
that portion of the United States to
be travelled by our airmen. 1t
shows that virtually every Euro
pean country would be crossed by
the various air units were these
flights to take place on the Euro
| pean continent.
The cities adjacent TO the Army air
posts from which combat planes will
be sent to the maneuvers are De-
troit, Mich: Junction City, Kans.;
Hampton, Va, and Galveston, Tex.
Translating these localities into
European distances. we find that De-
troit is near Settin on the shores of
the Baltic Sea. Hampton lies in the
central part of Rumania. Calves.
ton is on the east coast of Spain,
near Valencia. Junction City is at
Cherbourg, France; San Antonio is
on the exact spot occupied by Madrid,
while New Orleans Is on par with
the Island of Minorca.
VIII Cover Huge Area.
Due to the fact that sevV~al groups
of planes are to give demonstrations
at the Army Schools at Fo t Leaven.
worth, Fort SILL Fort Riley and Fort
Bennings, the units will not proceed
directly to Texas, but go in {. round
about fashion, and 1t is by virtue of
this that the lines OF fight will cover
north of Gibraltar and west of Russia
To Madrid (San Antonio) would come
three groups of pursuit planes from
Stettin Detroit). which would go by
way of Poland, C2echoslovakia, Ru-
mania, Yugoslavia, the Adriatic Sea.
Italy, the Island of Minorca in the
Mediterranean, touch at Valencia and
proceed to Madrid. Another pursuit
group would go from Stettin to Lux
embourg and cross the length of
France, while a third would reach it's
goal by way of Holland, Belgium and
France.
Three bombing formations would
leave their station in central Ru.
mania U.angley Field. One would
follow the course taken by the first
pursuit unit. Tie other two forma-
tons would fly to Breslau Uniontown,
Pa. to Dresden Daytonl. cross Ger.
many TO Luxembourg (St. Louis, and
from there proceed to Dover. Eng
land Fort Leavenworthl. From
Dover one group would cross the
channel 10 Cherbourg Junction City,,
TO go TO st. NaZaire tMuskogeel. cross
the Bay OF Biscay and proceed to Ma
drid By way Of Bilbao lDallasl. while
the other unit Of bombers would fly
more direct course from Dover to
Madrid
Twelve attack planes would make
round trip from Valencia Galveston
t. Pisa tF'ort Benningl. by way Of
Minorca lNew Orleansj. while eight
planes would go from Valencia to
Bilbao fDallas), to Dover, to Cherbourg
and from there southwark to Madrid.
Four observation planes at Cherbourg
Junction City,. would fly to Madrid
(San Antonio) by way Of st. Nazaire
and Bilbao.
Precautions to BE Taken.
81 believe these comparisons Of Eu-
ropean and American distances. :"
Assistant Secretary Dawson said. "are
interesting in view of the fact that
we hear so much about European
, flying activity and are impressed by
European distances because mileage
in our own country has come to mean
so little. In connection with the ma
neuvers, am certain that this impress
i've fleet of airships will demonstrate
their air-worthiness and will accom-
plish their mission Of landing safely
at Fort Sam Houston for the ma jor
exercises with the Second Infantry
| division. Every precaution, however,
will be taken to safeguard our pilots
and property EN- route. Arrangements
are being made for a thorough meteo-
rological survey and the airmen will
delay their flights should weather
conditions prove unsatisfa tory"
In advance Of the actual maneuvers,
of course, the War Department can.
NJ disclose what shape the plans
will take, but it is quite probable
that the exercises will include the op-
Grafton of the Second Division in a
general attach on the enemy" the
defense of a fixed position and with
drawal. In the maneuyers the units
OF the Second Division will take the
field with full. war equipment, includ-
ing rolling kitchens, machine gun
carts, motorized and horse.drawn am.
balances and artillery and the division
trains, or service of supply.
Troops to BE Bivouacked.
Throughout the entire time Of the
maneuvers from May IL to May II,
| the troops will be bivouacked in shell
ter tents and will simulate actual serv-
ice conditions in the field.
The Second Division, as every one
knows, is one of the famous Ameri-
can outfits Of the World War, and is
| now considered the nucleus for any
possible expeditionary force in the
event Of an emergency. The division
was organized in October, 1917, and
was one of the first to actually reach
the front, serving in the Aisne Marine,
| st. Mihiel and Meuse.Argonne often
| sives. Among it's famous commanders
have been Maj. Gen. Omar Bundy.
Maj. Gen. James G. Harbord, who be.