Merced Army Flying School - Yearbook (Merced, CA)

Page 16 text:

if 1 1 as-ras: -5 W - , .?1'T'?:i'r -5.3, 1 ,xi-4-4 '- -'71 T214 A -, A ltr '39 iiff fl f ff 'bf' - 1- .2, A6 X 99+lm Aero Squadron officers in fronl of planes. Salinsen plane, 9lsl Squaclron. x J -422552-wsi-:sae-:f4.4i,.x. , g3Pi3'. . , 7 32I?SfQiM:j5f'ff' lg! ply, - ' fl.: mflf'-12 lf..- I, A. ,Q ,,., . -' .- 'aria-' ..'f3-477 ,. .0 9 n f -jffklf-' , -. ,. - 4- 3.1,-JL...-nf, -.Lf f , , yr f. .- .5'8af1vr:,,.w--:J rf, f -fy.: .r :a ,,!Yx,.,-,yn .-..3-.-.Q .-X 7,31 .., ,, X, -. x f ' Ll v , ' F h Nw E , :-Lx..q ':'rw.4-X , Arr.-.Q ie 'I .u.,:'.,g-,,-1g-- X ,l g 'V W -4 u C f 3 if A N B' J' .bf 'rr l'w I :Q-Q, M. , 1- s 'G v ,, G ,. -, M:-1.1. 'u1-.- .jf--W--3,f.-,jf:'1'?.:fig f 1 , rw :so ,1 can fuwQ..fsq,fff' :,vf,'f2f::f'1':fr ' .s P . .- ivfjhj-e6',..,-u-4 -'--- rf' .-.ff af f-1 'Elf' Afwfff-'ff',ffl '15'f'2 .fe12f 'Iv V: ,- A1 ' 1 ,A- jg--'DV' -- '3...' -' ,L .i V .fav-5ig?3s6g5.3p,,ffs.f,,f,b+5,bpe' -P ,ffl ,pifg-Qifggfiiifzi-if .. . '. , ,1air.1' . eifsig.-Q,-'Q - -4 ' was?-.:'f'irwfifisgv-?if?1'fgl'5-,'91.kf.-- Figggm E I ...4'53-Q+f4:g5x,-:,'1:-35334pr.:r...'g,,.'y,y'.f '3,,,b.:5, ,-fi . 1- v .- ' Lg,-s,.e:w,.'4 ,A '-5,.,+gr:,g,:f.z'::v1f-ff-.,.-1-:ef F4595 . , WF :Laura-h2:1.f-fr.pf 2-Qwfffgf-':' Q , . . 1-is-. f 'lfzfpnf if 6 'Wy aifgf' Wil 4-f. ':.f . 'fl- -,'3 '- HQ, 951 :Q5.H,.Mig'+Pt-w:cfxZM.':,gqggy,.u4gf, 15,5 5 -1, . , vs 1 y ,A .r .r '.'mr -.v:, vv'.w ,-gt-r-311.1 . 'Q ' .. , ' P- . 32' , ff, , bww 9, ,i-:J,x5q?j4wg?221Y,Wi - ,--if-1--.1'f. , -W' , . -' ' - +31 ss-T,.fif.,,2.-.1'4:1Q,.,M' , ..s a ff - . t , , i.Ag-.wirgfw-:.'x1.f:,'511f.1,- .x ' ff.- :Qu , f ,-f'ff'f.2 pr?-wffafi1:wQQfF?1fvz'-:. ,. 'w,.3,,4,r.2x.1+e9'vPfwA--44'ef'-Y--f-'-. f' ' . . 'kffg-7 machfneg wl+h P. Parmelee and Lleulenanf M. S. Crissy wifh firsf explosive aerial bomb.

Page 15 text:

Il' such as mechanics, but also such aircrew members as the aerial engi- neer and communications officer. 4. The AIR TRANSPORT COMMAND, as discussed previously, is concerned with air transport, for military use all over the world. 5. The AIR SERVICE COMMAND operates air depots, repairs air- craft, and distributes aircraft, equipment, and supplies to air units in the United States. 6, The TROOP TRANSPORT COMMAND transports air-borne troops and equipment, parachute troops and equipment, and tows troop- and cargo-carrying gliders. 7. The PROVING GROUND COMMAND operates proving grounds to test aircraft and equipment. AIR COMBAT It is quite probable that it is entirely too soon to attempt to define the role of the airplane in relation to the other combat forces of a nation. In spite of that fact there has been raging, and indeed still goes on, a debate between those who feel that air power has to a large extent superceded sea power and even land power as the deciding element in modern warfare, and those who feel that this extreme theory has yet to be supported by actual facts. There are mists who argue, like the Russian designer Seversky and the Iian General Douhet, that the day of the surface fleet is over, and that the future wars will be decided by the relative merits of the air forces of the combatants. On the other hand, we have the sure evidence of the failure of bombing alone either to permanently disrupt the war effort of a country or to terrorize its civilians into demands that its government surrender. In neither the Spanish Civil War nor n this war, up until the present, has it been possible for the advocates of air power alone to prove their contentions. At the same time it must be granted that no nation has as yet been able tkmount the type of air attack envisioned by those who hold that it will be air power that will decide the war. It seems likely, however, that this theory will be given a thorough test before the war is done. Certainly it is true that the conception of the airplane has already undergone a remarkable series of changes since the beginning of the World War, when it was regarded not in the light of a combat weapon at all. Indeed the first airplanes used in the World War were almost always of one type, a two-seater designed for reconnaissance work. As the war progressed specialization appeared and a class of air- Wright airplane-First plane in Philippine Islands at Fort McKinley. I9I2-Lieutenant Frank P. Lahm, pilot. ff- f . . L .tae .. ,.. ...1 'k planes designed first for air fighting, then for bombing, appeared, Several nations, prior to the war, had experimented with the arming of aircraft with machine guns, but on the outbreak of the war no plane on the front was so armed. Rifles, carbines, pistols, and hand grenades were carried by the pilot and observer, The tactics of air fighting were rudimentary. The pilots simply flew close to the enemy and when within range the pilot and the observer blazed away with any weapon they happened to have handy. ln the summer of I9l5, belligerents began to mount machine guns in the planes, usually on a swivel bar at the back of the observer's seat. The observer could only fire the gun backwards toward the tail of the plane, firing over the pilot's head, which made for a very restricted zone of fire. This necessitated that in order to fire on an opponent, the plane had to fly away from the enemy, thus making it very difficult to be effective. The British experimented with a type of plane in which the gun was mounted in the front and the motors faced the rear. This type gave the advantage of frontal firing, but was so slow on climbing and flight that it was abandoned within a short time. The first real fighting aircraft to make its appearance was the Ger- man Fokker monoplane. Fast, maneuverable, and of the tractor type, the plane had a machine gun mounted in such a fashion as to syn- chronize with the revolutions of the propeller, thus allowing it to be fired straight ahead. The pilot aimed the gun by aiming the airplane. This plane was so obviously superior to those of the Allies that com- mand of the air passed to the Germans throughout the rest of the year. In l9I6, however, the British were able to challenge the Ger- mans by producing their own type of front-firing plane, although it was not until near the end of I9I6 that the Allies were able to produce machine gun mounted planes of the Fokker type. The success of the Fokker airplane was responsible for the advent of formation flying. Casualties among the French and British had grown so heavily that individual flights were discontinued and flights of three or more planes took their place. The Germans retaliated, and by the end of the war patrols were the accepted form of air tactics. lt early became apparent to air-minded officers that great damage could be inflicted upon the enemy by dropping bombs from aircraft on his troops, ammunition dumps, factories and other military in- stallations, Indeed, many of the early fighters attempted some rudi- mentary bombing flights, using hand grenades. These were usually First plane used by American aviators in France during World War ll9l8l, Morane Roulier airplane.

Page 17 text:

ineffecfive excepf in rare insfances. Bombs were fhen devised which could be dropped from fhe plane. ln early bombing raids fhe bombs were carried in fhe coclcpif of ordinary fighrer planes and heaved over fhe side by fhe observer whenever he iudged himself fo be in a posifion fo hif his fargef. This was a clumsy, inaccurafe syslem, how- ever, fhaf soon lead fo fha design of an enfirely differenf crafl made for bombing alone, and equipped wifh machine guns for profecfion. These planes, which were growing larger and larger as fhe war progressed, were equipped wifh bomb raclrs conlrolled by mechanisms wifhin fhe bomber, and carried crews of from fhree fo six men. They were ufilized af firsf as lone raiders, depending on sfealfh and surprise fo accomplish fheir faslis, buf by I9l7 fhere had evolved fhe syslem of formafion alfaclxs by squadrons of bombers escorfed by fighfer planes as a profecfive screen. The Germans used fhis sysfem firsf fo greaf advanfage, and by concenfrafing very large flighfs were able nof only fo concenlrafe fhe power of fhe bombing assaulf, buf have enough fighfers fo sweep fhe slries of fhe opposifion. ln addifion fo fhe dufies of Reconnaissance, fhe original role of fhe airplane, had been added fha dufy of pafrol, sfraffing and bombing, wifh 'lhe Bombardmenf arm always fending lo become more and more imporlanf. Affer fhe war fhe Air Services of all counlries began fo experimenf more and more wilh fhe developmenf of bombing planes of in- creased power and desfrucfive abilify. lf was realized fhaf if was increasingly possible for planes fo inflicf very heavy damage on 'lhe enemy from fhe air. The developmenf' of bombsighfs by all fhe maior powers was lo a large degree responsible for fhis. The American bombsighf was rec- ognized as being probably fhe mosf accurale of any developed in fhis period. Accuracy in hiffing a predefermined larger was coupled wifh increased alfifude which made fhe planes more safe from enemy fighfers and anfiaircraff affaclc, Increased speed and range of fhe planes has developed down unfil fhe presenf fime, when every belligerenf possesses bombers capable of flying immense disfances wifh heavy bomb loads. The Unifed Sfafes was among fhe firsf fo develop fhe arf of dive bombing, wherein fhe plane is poinfed downward af fhe 'largel and releases ifs bomb very low, depending upon fhe fremendous speed of fhe dive for profecfion. The dive bomber is very accurale inasmuch as fhe pilof has fhe fargef before him on fhe way down and does nof release his bombs unfil iusf above if. lf remained for fhe Germans fo develop fhis fo fhe highesf, and if was employed wifh greaf success in fhe baffle of France. Many milifary experfs say fhaf fhe Sfulra dive bomber is fhe greafesl' single confribufion of fhe war fo air combaf. The Germans also experimenfed wifh and developed fhe use of air- borne soldiers, ufilizing fhe parachufe, originally a safefy device, as an insfrumenf for fhe dropping of offensive men behind fhe enemy lines. The Russians also have used fhis exfensively, and paralroops are now a parf of every belligerenf Army. Troop fransporfs capable of carrying many men, supplies and equipmenf have also been de- veloped, and in fhe baffle of Crefe fhe Germans used air-borne froops fo carry fhe brunf of fhe baffle. The Japanese and fhe Brifish have bofh added chapfers fo fhe developmenl' of air combaf by fhe use of fhe lorpedo-carrying planes as an effeclive weapon wifh which fo affaclc enemy warcraff which are nof heavily profecfed by fighfer planes. The English al' Taranlo and fhe Japanese al Pearl Harbor and off Malaya demonsfrafed lhaf un- profecfed warships can be sunk wifh relafive ease by planes of fhis fype unless fhey are in furn profecled by fighfer planes based eifher on land or on accompanying aircraff carriers. The day of fhe specfacular individual air ace has apparenfly closed, as pilofs are faughf' more and more fo fly and fo fighf in absolufe formafion. Formafions are increasing in size as fhe sfrenglh of fhe warring nafions in fhe air confinues fo grow. There has been a growing belief on fhe parf of milifary men fhaf fhe day of air power in combaf is only begun, and fhaf fhis war will produce innovafions and changes equally as greaf as fhose produced in fhe World War. lf is cerfain fhaf each day, all over America, more and more fighfers, bombardiers, navigafors, observers, gunners, me- chanics and fechnicians are being frained for whafever role shall be assigned fhem in America's growing air armada. CHIEFS OF THE AIR CORPS lNow Army Air Forcesl During fha World War, Army Aviafion was divided info fhe Bureau of Mililary Aeronaufics, direcfed by Maior General William L, Kenly, and fhe Bureau of Aircraff Producfion, direcfed by Mr. John D. Ryan, the copper magnafe. Wifh fhe advenf of peace, fhese bureaus were consolidaled under one fifle-Air Service-under fhe command of Maior General Charles T. Menoher, who had commanded fhe 42nd lRainbowl Division overseas. On Oclober 4, l92I, General Menoher was succeeded by Major General Mason M. Pafriclr. He remained in command unfil his re- firemenf on December I3, l927, and was succeeded by Maior General James E. Fechef, who served unfil his refiremenf in l93l. Maior General Beniamin D. Foulois served for four years, unfil December, l935, when he was succeeded by Major General Oscar Weslover, who served unlil his deafh in a flying accidenf in l938. Al' fhaf fime Maier General lnow Lieufenanf Generall H. H. Arnold fook over, and fo him has fallen fhe immense faslr of direcfing 'lhe Air Forces fhrough 'lhe presenf period of war. 96fh Aero Squadron officers lLieufenanf Samuel Lunf, fourfh from righfl. Y ,f- Y ,.,. ,, ,.c,.--f-A' J' ,f