Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-25

lurking In the background.
Another circumstance that suggested
the same thought, the knowledge Of
which came to me about this time, was
that the French high commissioner at
Washington, Andre Tardieu, had report
cd difficulty iE persuading Secretary of
War Baker to divert tonnage to send
over Units other than those designated
for our Army.
1t was difficult to construe this move
in any other light than as further evil
dence of the none too well concealed
opposition of the French to our build
ing up an army.
Such methods were, of course, irreg-
ular, but nevertheless similar pressure to
alter our program was repeatedly used
by both allies before the end of the
war. There can be little doubt that both,
especially the French, entertained the
hope that we would provide them not
only with requirements, but with labor
ers and technical troops as well.
U. S. Aviation Primitive.
In looking back over the period i'm
mediately prior to our entry into the
war, the very primitive state of our
aviation still gives me feeling of hui
initiation. The punitive expedition of
1916 went into Mexico with of the
Is antiQuated tactical planes which
constituted our all in aviation.
Those old planes were not in any
sense properly equipped as compared
with planes being used by other nations
even then, and with no adequate facili-
ties for repair work, they were con-
stantly in danger of going to pieces, yet
the services of our aviators in Mexico
stood out strongly as an indication of
what American flyers were to accom-
plish in the World War.
The daring and the courage Of men
like Townsend Dodd, FouloiS, Dargue
and others who were with that expedi-
ton aroused my most enthusiastic adj
miration. While there were many hair
breadth escapes in Mexico, fortunately
all our flyers we're spared to form the
nucleus Of our World War aviation
corps, in which they again served with
distinction.
Although at the date of our entry
into the war more than a year had
elapsed since the beginning of the
Mexican campaign, there were still only
IS trained flyers and about 1000 men
in aviation, with only a few training
planes, none of which we're suitable for
anything else.
An extensive program following ca
bled recommendations from the French
premier after we entered the war seems
to have been adopted at home as the
basis of our efforts. Upon the repre-
Brig Gen. George o. Squier, Congress
made an appropriation of $40, 900, 900
in July, 1917, in an effort to overcome
past negligence.
No Magical Power.
There soon followed many extravagant
claims by prominent civil officials con-
nected with aviation and by the press
as to how we were going to have large
fleets of planes in operation before the
Summer was over and end the war at
once with a preponderance of aviation.
But congressional action, even though
generous, furnished no magical power
to transform our air service from a
mere skeleton into real fighting force
in an instant. Everybody who stopped
a moment to think knew that time
would be necessary and that 1t was
idle to count upon airplaneS from our
own factories within a year, or perhaps
longer
The failure of our Aviation Bureau to
keep abreast of airplane development
in the contending armies cost us serious
delay
With a lack of data at the beginning,
little progress had been made at home
on our aviation program at the end OF
five months. FruitlsSS efforts to de-
scribe mechanical construction and
give definite information concerning
production and otherwise reach de-
cisions by cable prompted Washington
to send a special mission to France, OF
which Maj r. C. Boiling was the head.
Through his ability and expert knoWl-
edge he rendered exceptional service IN
cooperating with those in control OF
a1ffn furnishing
necessary technical information upon
which to base action at home. The In
veStigations made by his mission con-
! firmed the view that our manufacturers
| could not begin to furnish planes before
| the Summer of 1918. At this time 1t
looked as though we should not even
| have sufficient planes for training, ana
much less be able to furnish planes for
our troops as they went into the line
With my mind filled with these i'm
pressions and realizing the vital i'm
portance of aviation, my efforts were
unceasing to overcome the deficiency.
Pershing Orders the Planes.
After inquiry as to French capacity
| to turn out planes made contract
with the air ministry late in August
committing us to an expenditure OF
| $50 ,00O. 900 for 5000 planes and $500
engines to be delivered as rapidly as
possible at intervals before the first of
June, 1918, on condition that We should
provide certain tools and raw materials.
| To make a contract to pay such an
amount appeared somewhat bold, but
under the circumstances some one had
| to take the initiative in providing
planes needed at once for the develop
ment of our air force.
AS aviation was in no sense a logical
branch of the Signal Corps the two
were separated in the A. E. F. as soon
as practicable, and aviation was or.
ganized and maintained as a distinct
force. To coordinate our training with
that at home, Brig. Gen. William l.
Kenly was sent over the latter part OF
August and was appointed chief OF avn
alton in the A. E, F. Col. Mitchell, who
had succeeded Maj. Dodd, the first
chief of aviation, was given jurisdiction
over aviation in the zone of advance
Mai Boiling was placed in charge OF
aviation in the zone of the interior and
soon succeeded In securing better CO.
operation through an Inter-Allied Air
craft Board.
The next essential step was the train
ing of airplane pilots, and accordingly
arrangements were made for our men
to enter flying schools in England
France and italy after they had passed
tnelr preliminary tests at NOME va
cancies were held for us in those
schools, but we were unable to take full
advantage of this opportunity for train
ing because of the delay in sending
over flyers However, we proceeded
with the establishment of our own
training centers. the first of which, To-
Gated at Issoudun, was planned for q
capacity of 900 pilots by Spring.
Another entry from my diary:
| n
1917. Left Paris yesterday morning fol-
Chaumont, stopping at Troyes for lunch
Headquarters offices duly installed here