Nogales international. [volume] (Nogales, Ariz.) 1926-1979, 1932-12-10

back pocket. Out of sheer impotence
and soreness at his own stupidity.
Windy gave the sailor SOCK on the
jaw and rushed back up on deck.
A squadron of single-seaters had
taken off already-and ahead Of
Squadron Commander Johnson! In
wardly cursing himself. and Steve
Nelson. Windy held the code book
aloft to let Johnson see he had 1t. AS
he climbed into the rear cockpit,
johnson gave the plane the gas. The
signal bridge officer. watch In hand.
gave the signal and plane No.
TAXED along the deck, rose In the air
as gracefully as gull and began
shooting upward. The motion soothed
Windy's anger, and he was soon his
usual self. intent on the job before
him. He saw the other planes OF. the
squadron taking off In rapid success.
sion as Johnson circled for height.
The Saratoga became gray blur on
the water. the two battleship targets.
but two smaif-scaIe models OF war
ships. The feet was drawn UP In Tine
Of battle. facing it's designated target.
| AAC SthW HNAS Va SAASNC blOkAA WIG OAG
guns OF the feet, then the destroyers
racing at high speed. en1ptying their
guns at the abandoned battleship.
The shots took efect--Windy, could
tell that even from the height at
which johnson was flying. He could
trace. very family. the white line In
! the water made by the torpedoes
launched by the destroyers. as they
| sped straight for their target.
Then he watched squadron Of
heavy bombing planes pass over the
aviation target. dropping bombs from
a height OF $4,000 feet. Leaning over
the cockpit as far as he dared. Windy
| saw a squirt OF smoke and spray shoot
up from the ship az the bombs hit 1t
squarely.
Squadron One reached an altitude
Of 18.0o4 feet. In echelon formation.
The target was almost directly below
them. Duke johnson gave the arm
signal, tipped his wings. switched the
| plane over on It's back and began that
| sickening downward plunge that
seems to make ones internal organs
want to rise up and escape from the
body.
The roar Of the motor increased as
the dive gained in speed. The howl
and scream Of the wind through
the wings and the rigging added to
the bedlam OF noise. Braced against
the front OF the cockpit. Windy
screamed with his mouth wide open
"a necessary scream to overcome the
| effect of the air pressure on the ear
! drums-his cheeks f1uttering in the
| wind like flag whipped about by
! strong gust. His face was distorted.
| his muscles tense. That dive seemed
fall--a fall. out of control. that
would take them plunging down be-
low the deep waters of the green sea,
down to eternity!
At last the signal to release the
bombs: they slid from under the
| wings Of the airplane at chanting
angle. AS johnson brought the plane.
out of the dive. passing beyond the.
target, 1t appeared as though the
bombs would fall we'll of on the far
side Of the abandoned battleship. But
moment later there was a dull thud,
/ A04AOUCA w q tSAAAA4% CAHtS0kOAAI OAA0
crashing and ssplintersng Of wood, the
! rcnding OF iron. as pail OF smoke
enveloped the target and began as
cending upward.
|. Plane after plane Of Squadron One.
made that terrific dive. Embossed its
bombs over the target and came out
Of the dive. Windy could make out.
from the lower height. the great dam
| age that had been inflicted by the
battle feet upon its target; 1t was
slowly sinking. its decks bare Of super
| structure. The aviation target had
suffered greater damage: the bombs
had struck It's deck, quitting the body
Of the ship which had listed and was
sinking. Fascinated. Windy watched
it sink. stern up in the air. going
down rapidly. almost as straight as
| falling bomb. In moment 1t had
disappeared beneath the waves and
| Windy turned his eyes towards the
fleets target. It had turned turtle
and was slowly sinking from sight. In
few minutes it likewise had gone to
its watery grave. ST
But the aviation squadron had won
! in the mimic battle. It had sunk its
target ahead Of the combined guns
Of the mighty ships Of the line and
the buzzing destroyersi A spirit Of
elation came over Windy. He was
prouder than ever OF Squadron One
and his position as leading Chief
Petty Oficer. He could scarcely have
| felt prouder had he sunk the old
battleship by his own unaided hands.
His grudge against Steve Nelson had
| evaporated in the thrill and excite
| rnent OF the mimic battle. II was, q
trifle--an annoyance, yes. but moth.
| Ing to get ones self in stew abouti
Steve was a good man--a good c. P.
O., and smart-too smart with his
tongue. though. It was bound to
make him trouble.
A number Of airplanes had already
landed on. the deck of the Saratoga
when Johnson circled the ship and
brought his own plane to perfect
three-point landing on the deck
Griffin couldn't have done 1t much
better himself. y
Before Windy could climb out of
the cockpit. another plane had landed
on the deck, and still another. A
crew. was at hand to take No. plane
to its position. :
well. SIR" said Windy. proudly to
Lieutenant Commander johnson as