Merced Army Flying School - Yearbook (Merced, CA)

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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

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