Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-27

the average citizen is concerned is
in the realm of aerial photog-
raphy.
Air Corps aerial photographers
are engaged during times Of
peace in scores Of operations
which serve the general public
directly or indirectly and which
represent vast savings to the
Government. Aerial mapping,
special Photographic missions in
connection with reclamation
projects, surveying, scientific
studies, forest conservation plan
ming, studies of coast line
changes, the study of aeronauti-
cal problems and the training OF
aviation students fall within the
province of the military flying
cameraman.
The Air Corps photographer
has given his assistance to scores
of Government departments and
bureaus in connection with al
most numberleSS national and
local projects. The National Capt.
tai has had many examples OF
the beneficial activities of the Air
Corps Photographic section. The
most recent aid rendered the
District through aerial photog-
raphy was IN connection with a
recent traffic survey in the down.
town section of the city. In an
Army observation plane, Lieut..
David w. Goodrich, Photographic
officer at Boiling Field, and Sergt.
e. A. Matos, ranking non-com-
missioned officer of the photo
section there, made series OF
low altitude photographs OF sew
eral square miles of the down.
town section which showed every
automobile and vehicle In the
entire district photographed and
permitted the most thorough
study.
Many Given Publications.
The Army Air Corps photo
graphic sections handle all aerial
photography and technical pho
Biography dealing with Air Corps
and aviation activities, function
ing independently of the Signal
Corps Photographic service, which
handles all other types of mill
tary photography.
Thousands of Air Corps photo
graphs are issued each year for
publication in newspapers, ayia-
ton magazines and other publi-
cations. The Air Corps is per-
mitted by law to issue for this
purpose photographs of non-con-
fidential military subjects. Thou
sands of photographs of a nom
military nature, however, cannot
be issued for publication except
to illustrate articles dealing with
military aviation or photography.
This is because regulations have
been drafted which prevent the
Air Corps going into competition
with aerial Photographic agencies.
No photograph made by the Air
Corps which lies within the
province of the commercial aerial
photographer may be issued for
publication by the War Depart
ment.
This regulation against publ
cation of n-military photo
graphs has locked up in the War
Department files thousands upon
thousands of magnificent photo
graphs. There are bound volumes
containing several thousand beau
tiful photographs of all the Ma
ti0nal Park areas which were
made in 1923 by Capt. Albert W..
Stevens, most famous of all Air
Corps photographers, which can
not be released because Of this
ruling. These photographs, in
GLIDING 5000 oblique views OF
every portion of the parks, were
! made for the National Park Sery-
ice. to be used in study of the
parks as basis for their develop
inent for the benefit OF the public.
Students Do Useful Work.
One of the beauties of the Air
Corps program of training aerial
photographers and officers Is that
while the students are undergo
ing training they also are doing
useful work. The mapping OF
thousands of square miles OF ter
ritory has been completed by
students for the Coast and Geo.
detic Survey and other Federal
Not only are the students so
employed, but all the. Army pho
tographic attachments also en-
gage in similar projects for their
own training and the public
good. It is necessary to keep
qualified Air Corps Photographic
officers busy as a part OF their
training, and their activities at
the same time are Of great value
to many Federal agencies.
There are II Air Corps pho
tographic sections in the field.
practically all of them stationed
with observation squadrons. Each
section is composed of ! officer
and 81 men, and each section has
Photographic equipment totaling
In value approximately $50, 1000.
The Air Corps trains its aerial
photographers at Chanute Field,
Rantoul, ILL.,, the school there be-
ing in charge of Lieut., George W.
Goddard, Army Air Corps. The
highest standards are maintained
at this school and men are not
taken in for training, even in the
enlisted grades, unless they can
show at least a high school edu-
cation or its equivalent.
Test Work in Dayton.
AT Wright Field, Dayton, Ohio
the Air Corps maintains an aerial
Photographic section of the Ma
Terrell Division. Here all photo
graphic test work is carried on
including the testing and develop