The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-02-25
COL. CHAS. LINpBERoHS OWN LIFE STORY .4s s:

ing and he was sent back to his
point of enlistment with an honor
able discharge and the advice to
take up some other form Of occupa-
ton.
With the washing out process
our barracks became less con-
gested. 1t was not unusual to see
the fellows on both sides pack up
and cheerfully depart for destina-
tionS in different corners of the
United States.
After a few weeks there would
be one bunk standing where eight
had been-thiS in some part of the
barracks on which the 'Benzine
Board" had fallen hardest.
In another case an entire bay
was washed out and left entirely
vacant. We never knew who would
be next to go, and we could only
contiue to plug along as best we
could with our flying and study a
little harder on our ground school
work while we waited for the al
most weekly list of washouts to be
published on our bulletin board.
We were in the full swing of ca
det life and under the constant APP
prehenSion which accompanies it.
Along with our trials and wor-
ries went the ia ;cination of flying
together with the priceless goal be-
fore us of graduation with an Air
Service commission.
The wings of the service would
be for those of us who were able
to survive the rigid training and
discipline of a year in the United
States Army flying schools.
Always there was something new
TO look forward to. The start of
actual flying; the first solo; learn
ing various stunts and maneuvers;
transitions from Jennies to faster
and quicker ships, and finally our
transfer to Kelly field, the alma
mater Of Army fliers.
The Army Air Service was an
exacting instructor. There was no
favoritism shown and no amount
of politics could keep a cadet from
being washed out if he fell down i'll
flying.
AS a result, only a small per cent
of those entering Brooks ever gradu-
ate from Kelly. In our class of l04,
thirty-three finished their private
training and only eighteen of us re-
ceived our wings.
This appears on the surface to be
an unusually low number. but as a
result of the rigid requirements and
careful instruction. our Air Corps
schools rank among the best in the
world today.
They have an extremely low
fatality list, not one man in our class
being seriously injured.
Probably the most exciting period
in our flying training was when the
soloing began. The instructor would
climb out of his cockpit, tie white
handkerchief on the rudder as a
danger signal, indicating that the
ship was usually out of control, and
signal his student to take of.
In some cases the plane would
take off nicely, circle the field and
make comparatively good landing.
In others the landing would amount
to a series of bounces, resulting in
the necessity of a second or third
attempt before the wheels would
hold contact with the ground more
than a fraction of a second at a
time.
In one particular instance, after
several futile attempts to get down.
the cadet began circling around
overhead.
His apparent idea was to clinch
the chancs of landing on his next
attempt by waiting until the gaso-
line ran out.
His instructor was out in the field
trying to flag him down without the
slightest success, and for half an
hour we watched the ship intently
for the first signs of lowering gas
supply, hoping that the fuel would