Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-31

ONE 1,40o weary officers, flying
cadets and enlisted men Of the
Army Air Corps and National
~ GNard ere finishing up the biggest
military jobs this country has
known since the World War and are
preparing to leave for home in more
than $50 Army planes assembled from
stations in all parts Of the country.
The fact that theirs was peacetinne
task and that the foe they faced was
purely mag narv enemy conjured up by
the general staff did little to ease
the burden they have carried Tor the
past month. Their work could have
reel Wsr.
The 1881 maneuvcrs Of the LIST Air
D.riaion will go into the records as
new chapter In the advancement OF
1 military aviation progress. The results
have been varied and most important
10 those charged with national defense.
There never have been any aviation
marcuvers in which SO many miles have
been flown without accident. When
this was written planes OF the division
had flown a total of nearly 100000
miles without a single fatal accident
and little more than half dozen minor
accidents. despite the fact that virtually
all of the flying was in formation, and
part of it was in the most trying COM
bat maneuvers.
Only Minor Mishaps.
OF the minor accidents one was due
to locked brakes which turned a pur-
suit plane up on its nose; two we're due
to landings on the rough edges of air
ports, due to the space required for for
nation landings and one was forced
landing, due to motor failure. in the
waters Of New York Bay. The pilot,
Lieut.. Alfred L. Jewett made wonder
fully good landing, without damaging
even the landing gear, which almost
invariably Is Shorn off in water land
ings, and he and his passenger, Eddie
Bowling, former Washington newspaper
photographer, escaped with wetting,
being picked up by patrol boat before
the plane sank. The ship later was
f1shed out intact except for the damage
done by its soaking in salt water. There
we're several other minor accidents,
chiefly forced landings due to motor
failures.
Not a single plane was lost or dam
aged In the hazardous crossing of the
Allegheny Mountains, the most danger
Gus flying country in the United States,
all $50 planes making the crossing
within a period Of two or three hours
at a half dozen different points along
the mountain ranges
Every one Of the planes crossed the
IL, Darts
Of which forced landing would be al
most as certainly fatal as a similar
landing in the heart Of Dismal Swamp
or the Florida Everglades.
Cadets and Guard Fly.
The magnificent record of the d.
vision has been a tribute to American
snplanes. motors and men. Though
most Of the pilots were Regular Army
men. there were 50 flying cadets from
Kelly Field, Tex, who have not yet
earned their wings, and 90 of the planes
were from National Guard squadrons,
piloted by National Guard officers,
many Of whom can ny only internit-
tent!y because OF the exigencies of their
civilian lives.
The Air Corps has learned through
these maneuvers that there is not a
single airport in the United States that
can accommodate the number Of planes
assembled, though the total force of
b12 planes was but one-fourth the
strength Of a full air division.
1t found that most large cities will
nave TO be defended from the air in
case OF national emergency by an air
force based in some cases many miles
away. They found that the National
Capital would require for its aerial de-
Tense an air force which would tax
the airportS within an area Of $50 miles
across.
The Air Corps gained invaluable
knowledge upon which to base its flu
cure development Of the aerial arm of
national defense, especially as concerns
the ground personnel and equipment.
IL learned much about the proper
method for distributing spare parts.
Iuel ana supplies in case of the forced
movement OF a large aerial unit.
Contact Nseds Revealed.
One of the highly important res,lts
OF the past two weeks of maneuvers has
been the gathering of knowledge of
COMMUNICATION requirements between
R'ednd points, ground stations and
aerial commanders and between air
unlts when large air force is as
sembled.
1t has found that take-ofrs and
hamper the operation OF a large force
and that even with the force split
among various fields some of the units
VIII DE forced to circle for as much as
an hour and half after completing
tneG missions before being able to land.
Inc lessons OF the maneuvers which
are being concluded today are expected
10 be reflected in a vastly Improved
military air force. the dement's extend-
ing into every part Of the organization.
An Appreciation.
Owing to the unprecedented magni-
tuoe OF the maneuvers and the unusual
interest displayed by newspapers and
Photographic services in all parts of the
country, the division press relations
job was not only heavy, but difficult
1t was handled with the utmost EN-
cheney by a special staff under COM
mand OF Col Ira Longanecker of the
once OF the chief of the Air Corps. The
service elected the most favorable COM
ment from reporters who worked on
the story in cities all along the line.
Col. Lonsanecker took with him
from washington as members of his
stall Maj. 0. w. Griswold of the ARMY
general staff, Lieut.. Arthur /. Ennis
and Lieut.. Roland Birnn. who are in
charge of Photographic and press re-
lationship work for the Air Corps at
Washington.
At New York the staff was aug
mented by Capt. M. e. Gillette of the
Army Pictorial Service, Capt c. D.
carrie. on duty at Governors Island
Ernest r. Dupuy, Army Information
Service, and Lieut.. John G. Gerhart.
Air Corps, post press relations officer
at Mitchell Field.
The splendid service Of these officers
has served to promote the most cordial
relationships between the Army and
the working newspaper men ct all the
points visited by the Air Division, with
beneficial results not only to the War
department and the Air Corps, buS to
the public as well.
Scribes Go Military.
Newspaper men who accompanied
the First Air Division, as we'll as Off
GERS and men of the division, tasted
some Of the rigors of Army life in the
field. At Fairfield Air Depot. Chic,
concentration and training center for