Evening star., 1932-03-06

RESERVE SI1CIlSlll oCAAA Az A~
gency status. The reserve is ore
service companies, with a total +
and $50 enlisted specialists.
Training of the Marine Corps pilots
Is more eXacting and difficult problem
than is found either in the Army OF
NAVY aviation units, since the f1ylne
Marine must be ready for duty either
with the Army or Navy, depending on
whether the emergency Is ashore OF al
sea.
Marine Corps aviation in actual effect
is an integral part OF naval aVlatlon
and the mission of the Marine squao-
rons is to furnish air forces necessary
for eXpeditionary duty advanced base
operationS and the defense OF naval
bases outside the continental limits OF
the United States, which always are
defended on shore by the Marines.
Marine aviation also must be trained
to serve with the Navy as a reserve ano
recently Marine Corps aviation squad
ron has been placed on each OF tne
Navy's first-class aircraft carriers as
part of the aircraft squadrons' battle
force. These two sQuadrons are COM
manded by Capt. William j. Wallace
and Lieut. William o. Brice.
In addition, there always Is the pros,
pect of service with the Army ano
Marine flyers are kept in training tor
this sort of service, which Is very oll-
ferent from naval requirements.
The ace-time training OF Marine
pilots, both active and Reserve, there
fore, today includes maneuvers cover
ing Army and Navy requirements, as
we'll as that type of work which is
peculiarly adapted to the Marine Corps.
Established Before War.
Marine Corps aviation had its begin
ming before the World War. The first
Marine officer assigned to aviation duty
was Lieut.. Alfred A. Cunningham, who
became naval aviator No. 5, IN 1917
Prior to the war six Marine av1ators
had been qualified, among them Maj:
Roy S. Geiger, now officer In charge OF
Marine Corps aviation.
On April 6, 1917, the Marine section
of naval aviation, composed of five Off
GERS and 80 enlisten men, was stationed
at the Naval Air Station, Pensacola,
Fla, but during the following month
was transferred to Philadelphia, where
training in land-plane flying began.
On october II, 1917, Marine aviation
was divided into the 1St Aviation Squad
ron, composed of "a officers and 237 en-
listed men, and the 1st Marine Aero
nautic Company, of 10 officers and 80
enlisten men. Two days later the COM
pany took over the Naval Air Station
at Cape May, N. j.
After further training at Cape May
the company, then composed of II off,
GERS and 1873 enlisted men, was ordered
to Ponta Delgada, Azores, and became
the first completely equipped American
aviation unit to leave the United States
e. nnorofoH
an anti-submarine patrol of SeaplaneS
and flying boats throughout the war,
returning to the United States in March,
1919.
The 1st Aviation Squadron on Octo-
ber IT, 1917, was transferred from the
Marine Flying Field at Philadelphia to
the Army training field at Mineola,
Long Island, and on December 81, 1917,
again was transferred this time to
Gerstner Field, Lake Charles, La, for
advanced training.
Combat Squadrons Formed.
In March, 1918, the Marine flying
field at Miami, Fla, was established
and to this new station the 1st Avia-
ton Squadron was transferred as the
nucleus of the Marine aviation training
center. Here a headquarters and fouI
with land planes under the Navy. Thi!
organization sailed from New Yorl
July 18, 1918. and served in Northern
France as the day wing of the North,
ern Bombing Group, under command
of the first Marine aviator, now Maj
Cunningham
When the United States declared wal
in April, 1917. Marine aviation con-
sisted of six commissioned officers, one
warrant officer and 80 enlisted men
At the time the armistice was signed
the strength had increased to $50 Off
GERS, 80 warrant officers and 2,180 en-
listed men, approximately double Its
strength today.
Marine aviation today is composed o1
the following units:
Aircraft squadrons, East Coast Ex'
peditionary Force, Quantico, Va; Maj
Ralph J. Mitchell, commanding.
Aircraft Squadrons, West Coast Ex'
peditionary Force, Naval Air Station
San Diego, Calf; Maj. Ross E. Rowell
commanding.
Observation Squadron 9-M. under
command of Maj. James E. Davis. serv.
ing on expeditionary duty with the Isl
Brigade, Marines, in Haiti.
Two squaorons and a service COM
pany. under command of Capt. Francis
P. Mulcahy, on expeditionary duty ir
Nicaragua as a part of the I'd Marine
Brigade.
One squadron ABOARD the U. S. S
Lexington, under command OF Lieut.
William o. Brice.
One squadron aboard the U. S. S
Saratoga, under command of Capt
William J. Wallace.
Airmail Probe "Fizzles."
The investigation by the House Com.
mittee on Post Offices and Post Road'
of the methods employed by the Pos
Office Department in administering the
contract airmail system proved more ol
less of a "dud" SO far as exposure o.
alleged acts Of maladministration were
concerned.
In this connection the gravest charge.
made were those Of Representative Mel
win J. Mas OF Minnesota, licensed
pilot and major in the Marine Corp;
Aviation Reserve. that postal airmai
contracts are pretty well determined
in advance of the asking of bids, il
those few cases where bids have beer
asked at all.
The Postmaster General or his re.
spCnsible subordinatss have been ablt
to devise specifications in each case 81
that all but the favored bidder art
eliminated Mas told the committee
Asked whether he thought prospec'
tive bidders were purposely excluded il
the framing Of the bids, Mas replied
well, they are not running a kinder.
garten in the Post Office Department
1t would be strange indeed if this hap
pened in every case merely by chance
1t is pretty well determined in advanc,
who is to get the contract
Mas declared that the present system
of awarding airmail contracts and ex
tensions of established mail lines i
vicious" and is developing into
monopoly of favored companies in direc
opposition to the spirit of the McNary
Watres airmail act and the intention