Evening Star Newspaper, March 6, 1932, Page 52

THE SUNDAY STAR, MARCH 6 PART FOUR. AVIA BY JOSEPH S. EDGERTON. ARINE CORPS AVIATION, flying se! pilots an qu! d 1,000 additional or a total strengt up to required coml ing operations. Marine Corps re: reserve strengt! gency status. service compani 1 and 650 enlisted specialists. Training of the Marine Corps pilots 1s a more exacting and difficult problem than is found either in the Army or Navy aviation units, since the flying Marine must be ready for duty either Wwith the Army or Navy, depending on whether the emergency is ashore or at sea. Marine Corps aviation in actual effect is an integral part of naval aviation, and the mission of the Marine squad- rons is to furnish air forces mecessary for expeditionary duty advanced base operations and the defense of naval bases outside the continental limits of the United States, which always are defended on shore by the Marines.. Marine aviation also must be trained to serve with the Navy as a reserve, and recently a Marine Corps aviation squad- ron has been placed on each of the Navy's first-class aircraft carriers as a part of the aircraft squadrons’ battle force. These two squadrons are gom- manded by Capt. William J. Wallace | and Lieut. William O. Brice. | In addition, there always is the pros- | pect of service with the Army, and Marine flyers are kept in training for sort of service, which is very dif- t from naval requirements. he peace-time training of Marine pilots, both active and Reserve, there- | fore, today includes maneuvers cover- | ing Army and Navy requirements, as | well as that type of work which is| peculiarly adapted to the Marine Corps. | Established Before War. Marine Corps aviation had its begin- ning before the World War. The first Marine officer assigned to aviation duty was Lieut. Alfred A. Cunningham, who became naval aviator No. 5, in 1912. Prior to the war six Marine aviators had been qualified, among them Maj. Roy S. Geiger, now officer in charge of | Marine Corps aviation. On April 6, 1917, the Marine section of naval aviation, composed of five offi- cers and 30 enlisten men, was stationed at the Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Fla., but during the following month was transferred to Philadelphia, where training in land-plane flying began. On October 12, 1917, Marine aviation was divided into the 1st Aviation Squad- ron, composed of 24 officers and 237 en- | listed men, and the 1st Marine Aero- | nautic Company, of 10 cfficers and 93 | enlisten men. Two days later the com- | pany took over the Naval Air Station at Cape May, N. J. After further training at Cape May the company, then composed of 12 offi- cers and 133 enlisted men, was ordered to Ponta Delgada, Azores, and became | the first completely equipped American | aviation unit to leave the United States | for war service. The company operated | an anti-submarine patrol of seaplanes and flying boats throughout the war, returning to the United States in March, 1919. The 1st Aviation Squadron on Octo- ber 17, 1917, was transferred from the | Marine Flying Field at Philadelphia to the Army training field at Mineola, Long Island, and on December 31, 1917, again was transferred, this time to| Gerstner Field, Lake Charles, La., for advanced training. Combat Squadrons Formed. In March, 1918, the Marine flying fleld at Miami, Fla., was established and to this new station the 1st Avia- tion Squadron was transferred as the| nucleus of the Marine aviation training center. Here a headquarters and four | squadrons were organized to operate with land planes under the Navy. This organization sailed from New York July 18, 1918, and served in Northern France as the day wing of the North- ern Bombing Group, under command of the first Marine aviator, now Maj. Cunningham. | When the United States declared war in April, 1917, Marine aviation con- | sisted of six commissioned officers, one warrant officer and 30 enlisted men. At the time the armistice was signed the strength had increased to 250 offi- cers, 32 warrant officers and 2,180 en- | listed men, approximately double its strength today | Marine aviation today is composed of the following units: Aircraft squadrons, East Coast Ex- peditionary Force, Quantico, Va.; Maj. Ralph J. Mitchell, commanding. Aircraft squadrons, West Coast Ex- | peditionary Force, Naval Air Station, San Diego, Calif.; Maj. Ross E. Rowell, | commanding. | Observation Squadron_ 9-M, under command of Maj. James E. Davis, serv- ing on expeditionary duty with the 1st Brigade, Marines, in Haiti. Two squadrons and a service com- pany. under command of Capt. Francis P. Mulcahy, on expeditionary duty in Nicaragua as a part of the 2d Marine Brigade. One squadron avoard the U. S. S. Lexington, under command of Lieut. ‘William O. Brice. u. of 8. S One squadron aboard the Capt Saratoga, under command William J. Wallace. Airmail Probe “Fizzles.” The investigation by the House Com- mittee on Post Offices and Post Roads of the methods employed by the Post Office Department in zdministering the contract airmail systom proved more or less of a “dud” so far as exposure of alleged acts of maladministration were concerned. In this connection the gravest charges made were those of Representative Mel- vin J. Maas of Minnesota, licensed pilot and major in the Marine Corps postal airmail well determined king of bids, in re bids have been eliminated Asked whether he thought prospec- tive bidders were purposely excluded in the framing of the bids, Maas replied: | “Well, they are not running a kinder- | garten in the Post Office Department It would be strange indeed if this hap- | pened in every case merely by chance. It is pretty well determined in advance who is to get the contract.” Maas declared that the present system of awarding airmail contracts and ex- tensions of established m: lines is “vicious” and is develop into a monopoly of favored companies in direct opposition to the spirit of the McNar Watres airmail act and the intenti of Congress. The investigation was held to give the committee material upon which to base a decision as to disposition of a bill introduced by Representative James M. Mead of New Y chairman of the committee, which would force the Post- master General to cancel all airmail contracts and rouse certificates awardea by the Post Office Department without public advertising and open bidding and to throw them all into the open market. The committee will go into execu- tive session this week to mull over the testimony and decide whbat to do about the bill. The measure generally was condemned by air transport companies which hold airmail contracts and up- held by the so-called “independent" companies which have been left out of the airmail picture, but which want to get airmail contracts. Naval Reserve Pilots Busy. Naval reserve aviators of the First Aviation Division, VN-6R, stationed at ¢ old the rvices, will need 200 & irements in event of a national emergency, The Marine flying service today has an authorized strength of 129 commissioned officers, 13 warrant officers and 1,050 enlisted men, h of 1,192. The additional officers and men to build bat strength are being provided by reserve train- serve aviation is solidly organized, though the h still is less than half that required to meet its emer- The reserve is organized into 11 squadrons and four | with a total present strength of 100 officer pilots TION youngest of the country’s military ditional commissioned officer enlisted mechanics to meet its re- Anacostia Naval Air Station, are u these days on night formation | fiying and blind fiying and navigation. ‘These are among the more difficult | portions of military training and speak | well for the trainng standards of the | division which rangs well up among the | | the v it is estimated. | COWT DE GRASST AFTER WASHINGTON HAD MADE PLANS FOR TRAPPING CORNWALLIS AT YORKTOWN, HIS EXECUTION WAS SWIFT, ONE PART OF THE BRITISH ARMY WAS KEPT IN NEW YORK WHILE THE OTHER WAS SKILLFULLY LURED TO YORKTOWN ONCE THERE THE BRITISH WERE SURPRISED TO FIND THEM= SELVES SURROUNDED AND THE FRENCH FLEET UNDER DE GRASSE ANCHORED IN THE BAY. SEVERAL YEARS PREVIOUS THE ENGLISH HAD WASHINGTONS ARMY IN PRACTICALLY THE SAME TRAP ON LONG \SLAND, BUT THE REVOLUTIONARY LEADER ESCAPED FROM HIS PREDICAMENT. FATE. PERMAPS ANGRY WITH THE TISH FOR NOT IMPROVING THEIR FARLY OPPORTUNITY PROVIDED NO CHANCE FOR- ESCAPE THIS TIME . RI to the Indian villages where deliveries |the Fall and virtually are cut off from |is clearly illustrated by line drawings naval reserve units. | ™The division has been engaged in regular night flying and instrument or | “blind” ~fiying _operations since last | | October and now is going into advanced training in both these departments. For blind navigational training, the pilots are making use of a triengular | closed course, marked off on the map, with Anacostia as one of the corners Each pilot is required to compute for | himself the compass courses he must | |fly and to estimate the time required on each leg of the flight in crder to cover the course marked off on the map. ) This results in real navigational of supplies were made. | communication with the outside world | or diagrams. Little touches of humor During the two days following con- | for months, except by means of the|make the volume unique and readable stant check was maintained on the | teletypewriter circuits and occasional | even for those who have no expecta- movements of the planes and three difficult trips to the outside. | tion of learning to fly. There is a | of the constant radio contact. of the log entries illustrate the value | ‘They are as follows: “10:24 a.m—Boml plane B-8 turning back, evidently motor trouble. 1:00 a.m.—No. 8 still unheard from. :18 a.m.—Bomber No. 8 landed Winslow o. k. Other planes advised.” | “Had Bomber No. 8 not put in an| appearance,” the Department of Com- merce explained, “the other planes would have been notified by radio and would have started a search for it. “The squadron of bombers was on & training, since the pilot, in computing his compass course, must take into con- sideration not only all compass €rrors, | including those caused by change o position of the magnetic center of the plane, but also must allow for wind direction and strength on each leg of the course, as well as true “ground speed” of the plane. The pilot then flies the course “under | the hood,” closed in his cockpit so that | he can see nothing but the instrument panel before him. A “safety pilot” is carried in the rear cockpit but the re- | serve man under the hood must fly the course. The safety pilot in the rear cockpit marks off on a map the course actually flown for comparison with the course designated for the “hooded” pilot to follow. Any errors in naviga- tion or reading of instruments are clearly shown by this comparison. The training now in progress fis| proving exceedingly valuable to all pilots | of the division and the reserve flyers are finding the work most interesting Radio Aids Rescue Flight. Airways radio stations, whose work: ings many have considered an uninter- esting and prosaic, though important, | part of the functioning of the Nation's | air transport system, have proved a de- | cidedly interesting factor in the rescue from starvation of thousands of snow- bound Indians in the vicinity of Win: low, Ariz. | Without interruption to its daily | routine, the Department of Commerce airways radio station at Winslow played an important part in the emergency operations of Army bombardment planes | which carried food and other supplies to the isolated tribe. During the time the bombers were in the air the Winslow station acted as their only connecting link with the outside world, protecting the bomber crews in case of forced | landing and permitting a co-ordination of the whole rescue program. ‘The first entries on the log of the | ‘Winslow station concerned the advance | of the Army rescue planes on Winslow, base of operations during the mission. The log traced the progress of the | | planes as they contacted the airways radio stations en route and finally re- | corded the safe arrival of all ships. The | log for the next day tells in the tersest | possible form the story of the splendid | flights, in the face of severe handicaps, Yow- lo Dicve ONE OF THE REALLY | new phase of aeronautical activity. difficult assignment. It was operating| er sparsely settled territory at a time | when snow covered the ground and a slight mishap might have®had serious results because of the weather condi- tions. However, using the radio station, the craft scattered over a wide area by their individual assignments, were able to be in con stant communication with Winslow.” Keeper's Life No Sinecure. The life of the keepers of Uncle Sam’s airways radio and beacon sta- tions, like the life of the light house keepers along the coasts, is not always one of ease. Many of the stations are far removed from civilization and the r;est lead lives of loneliness and hard- ship The airways weather reporting and radio range stations at Donner Summit, | Calif, is an example. The airways keepers there have a problem that con- tinues throughout the Winter. A re- port recently issued here by the De- partment of Commerce gives an in- sight into the lives of these lonely ardians of the airways that reveals a | | The annual precipitation at Donner Summit, which is on the Western slope | ot the Sierra Nevada Mountains near the Nevada-California boundary line, is heavier than at almost any other point in the United States, it was pointed out. The two stations are located close together at the summit of the Sierr some miles west of Reno and at an elevation of approximately 7.500 1cet. | The stations are in separate buildings on exposed pinnacles of rock 2pproxi- mately 100 yards from a highway. This highway. however, is ordinarily closed by snow throughout the Winter months, the only access to the stations is by skiis or snowshoes. ‘The average annual snowfall record- ed at Norden, two miles away, over the past 40 vears is 420 inches or 35 feet. A maximum fall of 782 inches, or_over 65 feet, was recorded during one Win- ter. Snow commonly lies to a depth of 20 feet on level areas in the vicinity. The highway over the mountain ordi- narily 1s closed after the first heavy snowfall, usually in November, and is not again open to travel until April or May. The airways radio operator and air- ways keepers at Donner, therefore, store away complete Winter supplies early in fot fou GREAT NEW CARS A new adventure—a real new experi- 125 Horsepower 125-In. Wheelbase Magic Comfort Control Automatic Clutch Free Wheeling SilentSynchro-Shift NewRideRegulator Steering Stabilizer lliant New Line: Low, Wide and | Roomy MARMONS8 NEUMEYER Distributors Showroom, 1517 Conn. Ave. N.W. Service Dept., 2021 17th St. NNW. ALL THIS FOR ONLY ence in motor car performance. That's what you'll say after just half an hour behind the wheel of the New Marmon 8-125. This remarkable car is now here for your inspection. It is one of the really great cars of the year. We urge you to see it—to drive it—TODAY. 11395 . 0. b. factory MOTOR CO.,, Several times during the Winter one of the three men travels om skis to Nor- den or to Truckee, 10 miles awa; mail or fresh supplies. This man must be let down from the station by ropes to a point where the snow lies suffi- ciently level for him to travel unaided. Wwind velocities up to 65 miles an hour are not uncommon on the exposed peaks where the stations stand, but ex- tremely low temperatures are rare, “Although such a station is neces- sarily difficult of operation and mainte- nance,” the Department of Commerce | reported, “its operation is proving thor- oughly justified, inasmuch as it is con- sidered the most important between San Francisco and Reno.” Cellophane Protects Metal. Cellophane, which has made its way into the daily life of the Nation so rap- idly, has found its way into aviation. | In the construction of metal airplane wings it has been customary to use aluminum foil to protect the metal parts from dope used on the fabric wing cov- ering. Lately, however, cellophane has been used for the purpose with good results. The cellophane is cut into strips and coated lightly on one side with varnish When the varnish is tacky, the strips are stuck onto the metal structure. A special gummed cellophane is being de- veloped for this purpose. The advan- tages over aluminum foil are found in lower weight and reduced cost. An Interesting Book. A decidedly interesting new book on the rudiments of flying an_airplane |is that of Assen Jordanoff, Bulgarian war ace, de: and now well an _instructor ner and builder of planes known in America as and writer on student | training. Jordanoff calls his book “Fly- ing and How to Do It" and the book really is Letter than the title. He describes in simple, non-techni- cal language the points every student and pilot must know and each point NEW LOW PRICES. Standard Roadster, $675; Standard Brougham, $695 Standard Coupe with Rumble Seat, $735; Custom Roadster, $775; Standard 4-door Sedan (Model illus- trated at right), $775; Custom 4-door Sedan, $835; ; Custom Conv. Sedan, O. B. Factory. Business Coupe, $695; Custom Conv. Coupe, $845 $975. All prices F. DESOTO MOTOR CORPORATION, foreword by Capt! Prank M. Hawks. | | There are pithy paragraphs scattered through the volume, the tenor of which may be judged by the following, noted | at random: | “When a novice asks, ‘How safe is | flying?’ the answer is, ‘How high is | Both are just what make them.” | ying low and slow is like skating | on thin ice.” | “Altitude, when good judgment calls‘ for it, is like money in the bank in | boom 'vears.” | “There is no such thing as too much | Army and Navy News Navy. In view of the large number of offi- cers now serving on staff duty afloat, in purely administrative status, the Navy Department has decided to re- strict the wearing of aiguillettes to those officers who do, in fact, serve as personal aides, for which service aiguil- lettes were originally intended. Under this new policy, of the officers serving TORREY MOTOR CO. on the staffs of flag officers afloat, only the flag secretary and the flag lieuten- ant will be ordered as aides. They will be ordered to report to a flag officer designated by name, for duty ide on his staff. Officers intended for admin- fstrative duty on a flag officer's staff will be_ordered to report to the desig- nated flag officer by title, for the par- ticular administrative duty assigned. The present practice of ordering offi- cers as aides to flag officers on shore duty will be continued, skill in flying. You need every bit of it | when you meet with an emergency.” “Changing your mind in the midst of a forced landing is like being caught | short in the stock market.” | “A beautiful green field near the water may be like a rotten apple— | nice to ook at but soft inside.” “A novice who tries to fly in a fog is like a person who jumps into deep | | water and finds out™ that he can't | swim!” Ttaly Aids With Credit. Thirteen leutenant commanders of _|the Navy have been ordered detached | Italy's semigovernmental organiza-|eom iheir present duties to their | tion, the Itallan Share Institute, re-| homes, relieved of all active duty, pre- cently established, is granting medium- | paratory to transfer to the retired list term credits to industrial enterprises|Of the Navy on June 30. They are, 5 {with thelr present duty indicated, as | and also investing in a number of un-|f;ljows: Luclen B. Green, 2d, Washing- dertakings. The capital of the insti- ton Navy Yard; Herbert H. Bouson tute is $25,000,000, subscribed half by and Conrad Ridgly, both of the 13th the government savings and loan bank | Naval District: Frank Ubberroth, | and half by a group of private banks. Portsmouth Nav; John H. Holt, It makes loans not to exceed a term m | U. S. S. Utah; Ralph C. Lawder, Navy of 10 years against shares. To raise recruiting station; Willlam H. O'Brien, funds, the institute is authorized to a jr., Naval Academy: Albert R. Mack, issue three types of securities compris- ing shares of stocks and two classes of L. Morgan. jr. bonds. 5 3 | Frederick Baltzly, Dahlgren, Md.; Paul M. Bates, Boston, Mass.; Lee C. Crey, 4th_ Naval District; Ralph A. Dennett, Philadelphia Navy Yard, and Ralph G. Risley, U. S. S. Rigel The Empresa Electrica Departmento de Chimaltemango, in Guatemala, ex- pects to complete by Summer its hydro- electric plant and transmission lines to | eight towns which it will serve. | Rear Admiral Walter R. Gherardi, San Francisco receiving ship: Aylmer | Hampton Roads, Va.:| Historically Correct Sketches By CALVIN FADER FOR FOUR DAYS AND NIGHTS THE TWO ARMIES HAMMERED AWAY AT EACH OTHER. AND THEN = ON OCTOBER. 17, 178! FIRING WAS STOPPED &Y THE ROLLING OF A DRUM AND THE RAISING OF A WHITE FLAG, WHAT MUST HAVE BEEN THE FEELINGS IN THE HEARTS OF THE AMERICAN SOLDIERS ON THAT DAY / hydrographer of the Navy, has been|as man designated chairman of the delegation|400 to be furnished mostly by officers to represent the United States at the |applying for retirement. It is a belief meeting of the International Hydro-|that many officers have been re graphic Bureau at Monaco, beginning | as physically unfit for fleld duty, and April 12. Comdr. James G. B. Gromer, | the impression prevails at the Capitol now on duty as navigator of the Sara- |that departmental policy has been, and toga, will come to duty after May 1 in|1s, to refrain from retiring officers on the Bureau of Navigation, Navy De- |these grounds, on the theory that such partment. Comdr. Sherman S. Ken- ‘ officers are still qualified to render cer- | nedy, now on duty at Cavite, P. I, will| tain duties in time of peace, provided come to duty at the Navy Department | such service is not too exa and in the Bureau of Engineering. Comdr. |thereby retain the advantage of their Willlam S. Farber, now on duty as usefulness and experience. executive officer of the New Mexico, Many officers confronted by retire- and Lieut. Comdr. Paul Hendren, now‘men! for physical disability have been at the Naval War College, will attend |reluctant to be transferred from the the next course at the Army Industrial active list, an unwillingness that would College, this city. | probably be removed were they per- Lieut. Comdr. Walter A. Hicks, now |mitted to go on the retired list with on duty as gunnery officer of the U.|three-fourths of their joint base pay 8. S. Trenton, will come to duty, after | and allowances. Those familiar with | June 1. in the Bureau of Navigation.|the reports on file descriptive of the Lieut. Comdr. Ralph G. Pennoyer, now | state of health of Army officers, as re- on duty on the Texas, will come to duty | vealed by this recent physical examina- | at the Navy Department in the office of | tion, feel that thers is an altogether ex- |the Judge Advocate General of the |aggerated notion of the number of offi- Navy, while Lieut. Comdr. Fred D. Kirt- | cers who are awaiting retirement for Jand, now serving on the Salt Lake City, | physical disability. It is estimated by will come to the Navy Department|one conservative authority that there about June 12 for duty in the Bureau |are not more than 200 officers who may of Engineering. be so transferred from the active list, allowing for the maximum percenf The following lieutenant commanders | of disqualifying disability. The difi- of the Navy have been detached from | culty has been, and may continue to be, fheir present dutles and are assigned | the personal ‘element that inevitably to duty in connection with fitting out | enters into such a proposition. Officers and to command the vessels indicated |naturally at this time are reluctant to | When commissioned: Herbert R. Sobel, | retire, mainly on account of the exist- from U. 8. S. Badger to U. S. S. Sands; | ing depression in the industry, which | John N. Walton, from U. S. S. Berna- diminishes their chances of | dou to U. S. S. Fox: William W. War- | employment in civil pursuits. lick. from U. S. S. Jacob Jones to U. S. | 8 Brooks: Harry W. von Hasseln, from | Four or five commissioned vacancies S B S King to U. 5. 8. Dahlgren, and | Wil exist in the Ordnance t | George D. Hall, from U. S. S. William within the next six or seven months. | B. Preston to the Naval Academy. These vacancies will be available to | B lieutenants desiring a four-year detail. The type of officer desired is one that ?u cgrgplebed at ‘llmt two years' serv- | ice with troops, has a good efficiency | report, and who stood in the first third of his class at the educational institu- tion he attended. as 600 leaving the remaining Army. | To accomplish the officer reduction of 1,000 of the commissioned personnel of the Army, the hope has been ex- pressed that the greater proportion of | this number would be supplied by offi- cers_eligible for retirement for physical disability. It has been estimated that Commodit; ces in France are lower than in 191{” W DESOTO THRILLS Y_FASHION EDITORS SPECIAL FEATURES. Floating Power, pat. ented and protected, ends all driving vibration. Auto- matic Clutch, with Silent Gear Selector, only $8.00 extra, Free Wheeling, perfected by DeSoto. Hydrau- lic Brakes, the finest in the world. Safety Steel Body, for security and silence. 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