Mission High School - Mission Yearbook (San Francisco, CA)

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Tun NIISSION 1-4rau um.- X261

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MISWON HIGH SCHOOL 'Eli 063-0 IN THE AIR Our flying field was situated a few kilometers north of the old French city Toul, on the road that led to Pont a Musson. We had three large tent hangars that were camouflaged so that they would resemble a small forest, from an airplane in the sky. Each hangar would hold ten small airplanes. The planes we used on patrol duty were the one hundred and eighty, and the two hundred and twenty horse power French Spad. This was a compact one-man machine with two machine guns placed on the cowl. The guns were timed with the motor so that they would shoot between the propeller blades as it revolved. The steering apparatus of the Spad was a round stick about two and one-half feet long. To this stick were two wires connected to triggers, which when pressed on, released the safety catch of the machine guns. The pilot gripped the stick with his right hand and his first two fingers passed around the triggers. To shoot he would press one trigger or both as he saw fit. The machine guns were stationary, and when aiming at a target the pilot would manipulate the plane, so that the target was within the sights of a small circular sight between the two guns. When he could see the target within the circle, he would pull the triggers and the bullets would fly thick and fast. Every fifth bullet was a tracer so that the pilot could see if his shots were hitting the mark. The tracer bullet left a small stream of smoke in its wake, and observing this trail of smoke the pilot could judge his aim. We had three flights in our squadron, A, B, and C flights. Each flight had a color assigned to it, and the nose and back of the leader's machine were painted their respec- tive colors so that the different flights could follow their leader. A flight was red, B flight was blue, and C flight white. We had three patrols a day, the first patrol was at daybreak, second at 10 a. m., and third at 2 p. m. Each machine had three men working on it to keep it in condition, one man was in charge, generally a Sargeant, with two Privates working under him. The machines were placed in a straight line in front of the hangars. The man in charge would see that it was filled with gasoline, oil and water, test the wires, braces, steering apparatus, and then he would run the motor until it was warm and then give the motor a thorough testing. When he said the machine was O. K., the pilot would climb into the seat and take off into the wind. The leader of the flight would circle the field until he reached the desired altitude. The other machines would follow their leader, and when they were in flight formation CV shapej the leader would then head for the front lines looking for machines of the enemy and all prepared for combat. We had an insignia painted on one side of each machine. Our Captain was a graduate of Princeton University and we used his college insignia, an orange tiger with black spots. When an enemy machine was brought down, we painted the helmet of the enemy under the forepaw of the tiger, signifying that another enemy machine was added to our list. CHARLES ZERLANG,DPC.J26,f-lI5i14ff Squaflron. l 25 l

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MISSION HIGH SCHOOL 'ADI 'Ihr Zin illllvmnriam RAYMOND SUMNER BARTLETT Died Mazrcla, 1926 QHere is an echo of the influence of Omar Khayyam -the famous Persian poet translated into English by Edward Fitzgerald. It comes to us from our former student Mission s poet-laureate-Raymond Sumner Bartlett.J OMAR WRITTEN FOR KKTHE MISSIONl, 1. Though dark the way may be and mailed fears Strike in their passing-if perchance I see Some semblance of thy spirit close to me, Or hear in fancy sounding down the years Thy voice in prayer, though mine unanswered be- I feel that surely, in the distant spheres Where God hath wrought, the message of thy tears Will plead for me until eternity. And while I falter, tremulous and slow Footing the shadows, and if Heaven leans Far off, but fair, still shall I dare and though Death's second self, the darkness, intervenes Perchance my words before the inner shrine Shall worthy seem with that dear prayer of thine. 2. We looked and silent-magic of the vine The pleached garden held-and birds that sang Telling of Iram-and the languid wine Cooler than grapes of jet from which it sprang Were ours who mused-a thousand years in fine Since first the story ran through Islam's halls- How mingled life and love with strange design, In one who sleeps by Naishapur's walls. Not latticed Windows or dark cypresses Are ours tonight-and Jamshyd's rose is fled, But Omar's rhymes still kindle, though long sped, And Shireen's rose still scatters lovelinessg For they who heed, its living bloom appears And love still lords it down the senseless years. RAYMOND S U MN ER BARTI ETT E271