Evening star., 1936-09-27

Under the final reorganization plan
six Air Corps activities are listed
under the jurisdiction Of the Chief
of the Air Corps. They are: THE
office Of the Chief of the Air Corps,
in the War Department here; 2-the
materiel division, Wright Field. Ohio:
3-the Air Corps Technical School,
Chanute Field, Rantoul, ILL.,; +the
Air Corps Training Center. Randolph
and Kelly Fields, Texas; 5-the Air
Corps Tactical School, Maxwell Field,
Montgomery, Ala; and 6-Bolling
Field, in the District of Columbia.
The materiel division, at Wright
Field, is the great proving ground OF
the Air Corps 1t includes not only
the great group of laboratories and
testing apparatus at Wright Field but
also the chain of air depots or MAIN
tenance bases in five States, and the
Air Corps Engineering School, also
at Wright Field. At Wright Field
and at each of the air depots is sta
toned a transport squadron, COM
posed Of cargo airplanes used in the
moving Of airplane engines, parts and
equipment between the tactical posts
and the depots.
The Air Corps Training Center, the
famed West Point of the Air." is one
of the worlds greatest and most mod
ern aviation training outfits. At
quarters for the whole center and
the Primary Flying School, with its
headquarters and headquarters squad
ron. the 18th Air Base Squadron; the
46th. 47th, Sind and 53rd School
Squadrons and the goth Photo Sec
ton. Kelly Field is the home Of the
Advanced Flying School, which in
cludes its own headquarters and head
quarters squadron, 18th Air Base
Squadron; 61st, SD, SD and Gath
School Squadrons and 22d Photo Sec
ton.
14th Base Headquarters.
Boiling Field, under the reorgani-
zation, has become the home of 14th
Base Headquarters, the 14th Air Base
Squadron and the 1st and I'd Staff
Squadrons. From it have disappeared
the old Station Complement, 18th
Bombardment Squadron. 21st Observa-
ton Squadron and Tooth Service
Squadron The Service Squadron was
broken up to provide personnel for
the new 14th Base Headquarters and
Headquarters Squadron. These units
are the equivalent of an Infantry
brigade headquarters and headquar-
ters company. The former Station
Complement has been reorganized
into the new Staff Squadrons, which
are entirely new units in Air Corps
history. The 14th Bombardment
Squadron has been rendered inactive
for the present. after being trans
ferred to Langley Field. Va. The 2lst
Observation Squadron, reconstructed
as the 21st Reconnaissance Squadron,
also has gone to Langley Field for
service in long-range coastal patrol
operations.
Boiling Field, now in the midst
of great construction program, has
gotten rid of its only combat or
ganizations in order to be ready for
its primary wartime function of pro-
viding communications between the
War Department and the combat out
fits in the field. In case of war
military aviation traffic at Boiling
Field probably would increase to 80
times its present volume, it is esti-
mated, and the capacity of the field
will be taxed to the limit to handle
this traffic without the complication
of tactical operations.
Langley Field, Hampton. Va, ITO
miles from Washington, has been de-
veloped as the main air defense base
for the Atlantic seaboard and is the
home of the three wings of the
G. H. @. Air Force.
The three great tactical Wings con-
stitute the G. H. @. Air Force activ-
tiles and they comprise the whole COM
bat strength Of the Army Air Service
within the continental United States.
They are the 1st Wing, with head
quarters at March Field, Calf. = the
End, based at Langley Field, and the
Sd, at Barksdale Field. La. G. H. @.
Air Force headquarters have been es-
tablished at Langley Field.
Units Of 1st Wing.
The 1st Wing is composed of the
18th Attack Group, 7th and 18th Bonn
bardment Groups, the first at Hamil-
ton Field, Calf, and the second at
March Field; the 23d Photo Section,
38th Reconnaissance Squadron and
Cadet Detachment, at March Field:
and the 88th Reconnaissance Squad
ron and Cadet Detachment at Hamil-
ton Field. It also includes the 4th and
5th Base Headquarters.
The ID Wing. to which the great
cities of the Atlantic coast must look
for their air defense, is composed of
organizations at Langley Field,
Mitchell Field, N. Y, and Selfridge
Field. Mich. At Langley Field we find
today the Wing headquarters and
Headquarters Squadron: Base Head
quarters and the 1st Air Base Squad
ron; the I'd Bombardment Group, com-
posed of the crack goth, 49th and S6th
Bombardment Squadrons, all Of World
War fame; the 9th Pursuit Group,
which is made up Of the SD, 35th and
seth Pursuit Squadrons; the 37th At
tack Squadron; I'd Photo Section; 21st
Reconnaissance Squadron, and a
Cadet Detachment. There also Is at
Langley Field, Flight A Of the 10th
Observation Squadron, under control
of the Commanding General, Sd Corps
Area.
Mitchell Field, N. Y, is the home
of Base Headquarters and the I'd Air
Base Squadron, the 9th Bombardment
Group. 9Th Photo Section, Cadet De-
tachment, 14th Photo Section and
97th Observation Squadron
Selfridge Field, long the home Of
the famous 1st Pursuit Group. still
houses that organization and the Base
Headquarters and Sd Air Base Squad
ron and Cadet Detachment.
The Sd Wing, at the new Barks-
dale Field, comprises its own head
quarters and those of the 9Th Air
Base, together with their headquar-
ters squadrons: the Sd Attack Group;
2oth Pursuit Group and 5th Photo
Section.
Air Corps Observation.