Evening star., 1935-01-20
new AIR FORCE
IS TAKING FORM
Lieut.. Col. Andrews Is Per-
fecting Organization at
Boiling Field.

Boiling Field Is playing an 1mpor-
tant part in the organization of the
headquarters units of the new Gen.
eral Headquarters Air Force, the COM
bat unit which Is to weld all the tao
tical squadrons of the Army Air
Corps into a combined striking force
Of 1000 airplanes.
Although March has been set as
the date for completion of organiza-
ton of the new air force, Boiling
Field already is the temporary home
Of the headquarters unit of the new
air force, with IS enlisted men on
duty, and of the Headquarters Squad
ron Of the force, with 1872 enlisted
men.
Boiling Field has loaned three of
its officers to the G. H. @. Air
Force headquarters to command
the Headquarters Squadron, which
has been set up as an actually
functioning unit. Many of the en-
listed men of the squadron and the
headquarters unit were brought here
from Langley Field in anticipation
of the War Department orders of last
month for the actual creation of the
General Headquarters Air Force.
Col. Andrews Commands.
The new headquarters unit at Boil
ing Field is under direct command
of Lieut.. Col Frank M. Andrews, Air
Corps, newly-appointed commander
of the General Headquarters Air
Force. Col. Andrews is scheduled to
become a major general or brigadier
general under the new set-up. His
staff, not yet appointed, is to be COM
posed of a chief of staff, with the
rank Of colonel, and four general staff
officers, with rank of lieutenant
colonel.
The Headquarters Squadron now at
Boiling Field, with present strength
of 135 officers and men, is commanded
by Capt. Francis B. Valentine. Air
Corps, who is assigned to Boiling
Field, but loaned to the air force tenn
porarily. The two other squadron
officers, also Boiling Field personnel,
are First Lieuts. Stewart w. Towle,
jr., and Elwood r. Quesada. Lieut.
Quesada, a native of the District of
Columbia and a graduate of McKin-
1Sy x1lsl1 OS1lOOA, 40 4C6oAaS0 GO OAAS
Of the best instrument flyers in the
service.
On or before March the head
quarters unit and squadron will be
transferred to Langley Field, Va,
which is to be the field headquarters
Of the General Headquarters Air
Force.
Boiling Field, however, is to con-
tinue as an active Air Force post after
the headquarters outfits are moved
out. Under the Air Force organiZa-
ton plans it lis to become the home
Of two squadrons, yet to be created,
one bombardment squadron and the
other a long grange amphibian obser-
vation squadron.
Personnel for the headquarters unit
and squadron now at Boiling Field
came largely from the 1st Bombard-
ment Brigade headquarters and the
28th Communications Section, both
formerly at Langley Field and both of
which were demobilized and the per-
sonnel transferred to the G. H. @.
Air Force.
Enlisted men Of the unit and squad
ron are quartered at Boiling Field and
function there, although Col. Andrews
has established his Office temporarily
IN the State, War and Navy Building
during the period of organization. The
Headquarters Squadron as yet has no
airplane equipment of its own, but is
using Boiling Field ships for squad
ron duties.
Program Pr0blematical.
Time Of organization of the two new
squadrons which are to be stationed
at Boiling Field still is problematical,
it was said at the War Department.
The squadrons, however, may be con-
stituted before airplanes are available
In sufficient numbers to put squadron
formations into the air.
With the creation of these squad
rons, Boiling Field will take on diff
ferent aspect. In the past it never
has been the home of tactical unit
Of the Air Corps The Capital de-
tachment, based at Boiling Field, is
. composite unit, maintaining air.
planes of different types, In large part
for the use of flying officers of the
Air Corps on duty in the Office Of the
chief Of the Air Corps.
The 18th Bombardment Squadron
viii be the first combat unit Of the
Air Corps housed at Boiling Field
since World War days, when some
combat n1ateriel was maintained there
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