Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-30
AIR PARADE BRINGS
RECORD ASSEMBLY
Largest Group of AirpIanes
Gathered in Peace Time
Has Noted Squadrons.

The great air force which Is passing
! In review over the National Capital to-
day not only Is the largest ever as
sembled In the world for peace time
maneuvers. but it is one Of the most
colorful gatherings Of airmen and planes
this country has known.
In the column passing over the Po-
tomac today were most OF the famous
World War squadrons, the planes bear
ing shields emblematic Of their squad
rons combat history. There were
suuadrons which few with Pershing
into Mexico: squadrons which few on
| the French frontier and over the Alps
, on the italian front.
There were combat veterans in the
| great column, and two OF the squadronS
| were led by World War aces. At the
| head of the division new the first mill
tary pilot in the United States and in
the van were 90 flying cadets from the
Air Corps School at Kelly Field. Tex,
embryo Army Ayers who have not yet
| won their wings. There were National
Guard pilots from every corps area,
! dying the 80 Guard observation planes
composing the 22d Observation Wing.
Noted Flyers Here.
There were veterans of a number Of
! the most stirring peace-time exploits
of the Army flying in or accompanying
| the column as observers. Men who flew
| in the Army around-the- world night,
! the South American goodwill expedi-
ton. the flight to Alaska and return,
California to Hawaii and the men who
participated in the highest two-man al
| titude flight in history and other not
able aviation achievements were here
with the aerial army.
Every type of service airplane used
| in the Air Corps was to be seen IN the
! various SQuadronS, as were the shields
! of a great majority OF the combat
Squadrons and special attachments OF
the service. Many Of these shields,
after the historic practices Of heraldry,
recount the story and outstanding
feats Of the squadrons.
Many of the famous squadrons were
| in the pursuit wing at Boiling Field.
whsre 43 staff airplanes. flown by the
| commanding general and his chief OF
staff, officers of the GIL, Ga. Ga and
Ca branches of the staff and officers
of the special staff also were quartered.
Have Duty Of Attacking.
The First Pursuit Wing is composed
of many of the famous fighting squad
| rons of World War days and is divided
into three groups, the First Pursuit
! Group: goth Pursuit Group and l0lSt
Pursuit Group. equipped with 200 single
scatter pursuit planes Of the Boeing
! P-12 and Curtiss P1 and Pc types.
1t is the duty Of the pursuit squadrons
| to shoot down and destroy enemy air.
craft and thus protect their own air
craft and ground forces. They must be
fast, maneuverable at high attitudes and
have a high ceiling. They must be
| powerfully built to stand the terrific
strains to which they are put when in
combat
The 1st Pursuit Wing is commanded
by Maj. G. H. Brett, with Maj. G. E.
Brewer, Mai c. L. Tinker and Capt. J.
K. Cannon as his group commanders.
Squadrons Form Groups.
The lst Pursuit Group, veteran group
Of the Army, is composed Of the 18th,
9th, oath and 36th Pursuit Squadrons
and is stationed at Se.fridge Field,
Mount Clemens, Mich. The goth Pur-
suit Group halls from Mather Field,
| Sacramento, Calf. and is composed of
the 55th and 77th Pursuit Squadrons.
! with the 95th Pursuit Squadron at
tached from Rockwell Field. Calf.
| The l0lst Pursuit Group is a pro-
! viSional organization composed Of fly
ing cadets, flight instructors and others
from Kelly Field. Tex, home of the Air
Corps Advanced Flying School. 1t is
composed of the 20lst, 202d and 203d
Pursuit Squadrons.