Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-17
RED ARMY SUFFERS
IN AERIAL ATTACK
Successful Bombing Raids
Are Carried Out by "BIues"
on Columbus.
BY JOSEPH S. EDGERTON.
StaF Correspondent of The Star.

ARMY, FAIRFIELD, ONO, May IT,
Crippled by successful aerial bombing
attacks upon their capital. Columbus.
and upon their main supply base and
nerve center, Newark Ohio, Army chiefs
of the mythical Red Army today were
struggling 10 regain air superiority
along the international" boundary be-
tween the Red and Blue nations from
Lake Erie to the Ohio River.
The Newark base was subjected to
two heavy bombing attacks by Blue
bombardment and attack planes yes
terday and has been ruled out OF action
until tomorrow afternoon by the umpireS
oficiating in the Spring maneuverS OF
the Army Air Corps. in cooperation
with ground troops of, the 5th Corps
Area, the Ohio and Indiana National
Guard and the organized Reserve. The
railroad yards at Columbus and big
Red Army supply base just east of Co.
lumbus also were bombed" and badly
damaged theoretically.
Army Organization Hindered.
The bombar6ment attacks have inter-
fered seriously with the organization OF
the Red Ground Army, which are NOV
ing forward from Newark and Columbus
toward the international boundary, with
the expectation of developing field
trench system of defense along the high
banks east of Big Darby Greek, about
IL miles east of Columbus.
The Red ground army, inferior in
strength to the Blue army in the ratio
of 9 Army divisions to IL, is acting on
the defensive, although it is not ex-
pected that contacts between the
ground forces will be established before
Tuesday. The Blue first army is organ
izing west of Dayton and preparing to
open offensive operations against Co.
lumbus on a 17-mile front from Wood
stock and Milford Center south to Con-
cord School and Pancake Chapel. The
first Blue army, theoretically, is in con-
tact with the second army to the north
while the Army cavalry is operating to
the south.
BY Tuesday afternoon, when it is
expected the first clash between the
ground armies will occur, the headquar-
tiers of the 1st Corps of the Blue first
army will be at fredericksburg and OF
the 2nd Corps at London. Ohio. with
divisional headquarters at ReSsaca
Checkery Unionville Ceuter, Lilly
Chapel, Lafayette and Plumwood.
Forty Planes Lost" in Day.
For the last "a hours, since the
declaration of war" at 1901 am. yes
terday, there have been continuous
aerial actions on the part of the air
forces Of both armies, represented by
more than 200 Army Air Corps planes
from all parts of the United States.
This morning there was a brief lull
while the umpires of the air forces,
headed by Maj. w. H. Frank and Maj.
r. Bradley, checked on the results OF
the igi.ting, which resulted in the
Theoretical loss of 40 airplanes during
the first DAY of operations.
Six bombardment planes took of
from Fairfield Air Depot at 10-minute
intervals, beginning at 9 o'clock last
night, to bomb a Red pursuit plane aero
dome. located by Blue observation pilots
near Norton Field. Columbus.
The Red pursuit planes, surprised by
the attack, attempted to take of and
lost Is planes, according to the decision
of the umpires. These planes were put
out of action by Blue bombardment
/ crashed in shell holes, while attempting
to take off, or crashed while attempting
to land in the dark. The Blue planes
returning before 1880 without loss.
Broadcasting Tests Today.
Tests of broadcasting between planes
and ground points were to begin today.
Special broadcasting equipment has
been installed on a Keystone bomber
and this plane will be used by the AIT
Corps and the National Broadcastlng
; Co. for network broadcasting of de-
scription of maneuvers over Cincinnati
tomorrow afternoon and on the nom
stop bombing flight to be made from
Dayton to New York and back May Y,
with two refuelings in the air over
Washington.
After "a hours of continuous aerial
fighting, in which rs airplanes OF all
types were ruled as having been de-
stroyed in action, either before the guns
of opposing pilots or the bombardment
of flying fields, a short lull in hostiltles
occurred after midnight this morning
while the weary flyers prepared Ior
further attacks this afternoon.
Supply Base Is wrecked"
The first attack OF the war" was
made in theory by seven single -motoreo
bombing planes, which left Fairneio ar
depot, headquarters OF the Blue army,
shortly after midnight yesterday ano
bombed the Red Army reguia sn o STA
ton and supply base at Newark, ONO
inflicting damage which the umpires
ruled put the base out OF commission il
hours.
The first actual attack by air was
made early yesterday morning, when the
Blues sent a combined force from tne
Sd Attack Group and the gath Pursur
Squadron against the Red pursuit group
thought to be on an alrdrome near
Brice. Ohio The Red pilots, however
cannily had changed their base to fore
stall such an attack and the banned
Blue pilots on their way. back TO Fair
f1eld bombed" the big Army depot east
of Columbus, the capital Of the Red ma
ton, and the railroad yards at Colum-
bus, while over enemy territory the 94tn
pursuit Group encountered three REQ
pursuit planes. which were ruled to
have been shot down. The same rate
befell three more Red pursuit planes
encountered few minutes later. :,
Later in the morning the RED purSul'
rroup attacked the airdrome OF the Blue
attack group supposed to be near Troy
Ohio. destroying 10 Of the Blue planes.
Red Planes Retaliate.
The Blues retaliated with concen-
trated attack by bombardment squad
ron. supported by pursuit and attact
xouadrons on the already crippled Rec
base at Newark, pounding 1t SO severely
that the umpireS ruled 1t out OF acIloi
for 48 hours. While the polnpeI'
dropped their explosive cargoes, II
theory. of course on Newark, the at
tack planes battered down the anti
aircraft gun crews and the pursui
planes, high overhead. offered protec
ton from Red pursuit planes.
Early yesterday afternoon the Re-
bombers attacked the home field OF tn
Blue bombardment force at Falrnelo
The Red planes. flying in tight forma
tion for defensive purposes, were free
upon by .5o-caliber anti-aircraft bat
teries, but completed their bombin
mission, destroying" nine of the Blu
bombers on the ground. Fortunatel
the Blue planes had been scattere,
around the field in anticipation OF Suci
49, II. "A ,ounral Of them had bee