Show GIRDS FOR PEACE Spectacular Development of Recalled Recalled at Anniversary Developed from a three-man three divi divi- division sion without an airplane in 1907 into a destructive force unparalleled in history army air forces celebrated its anniversary August 1 with witha a new watchword Air Power Is Peace Power At its wartime peak in March 1944 army air forces had grown to officers and men planes including combat planes which flew hours during four years of war and dropped dr more than tons of bombs in crushing the Axis war machine But the big planes of World War II are on their way out of the air picture and the rap rap- rapidly rapidly rapidly idly is converting to propelled jet-propelled aircraft to defend the security of America Guard Against War Americas Americ s 's best insurance against a future war is an adequate alert air force Commanding Gen Gen- General General General eral Carl Spaatz said in calling on the nearly veterans of air actions all aU over the world and the air force men to ob ob- observe observe ob- ob observe serve the anniversary occasion Some interesting and little known facts about army air forces are that I Every airplane used in Europe I prior to V-E V Day was designed in inthis inthis inthis this country before Pearl Harbor From 1903 to 1940 the U U. S. S built only planes but from 1940 through V-J V Day were con con- For every soldier in the theair theair theair air force there was a civilian work work- working working working ing in an aircraft plant First Bomb in 1911 planes consumed gallons of gasoline during the war In all of 1944 not one aircraft was grounded for lack of fuel Total air power blitz of the during the war Included more than tons of bombs and two atom bombs dropped and bullets fired First bomb was heaved hea ved overboard by hand in 1911 It was an pound 18 blockbuster The army's first airplane con con- contracts contracts contracts tracts specified that the flying ma ma- machine machine machine chine had to be transportable on an army escort wagon to be pulled by gip k ke e I DIRECTS RESERVES Lt Gen George S. S com com- commanding commanding commanding manding general of air defense command one of three peacetime operational commands S ry str HEADS Commanding general of army air forces is Gen Carl Spaatz who directed ar ar- arrangements arrangements as mcm- mcm members bers and nearly veterans of air actions on worldwide battle battle- battlefronts battlefronts fronts noted anniversary of units unit's founding two or four mules They would have havea a difficult task with the RAF's new super-heavy super bomber the B 36 which has a wingspan almost twice the distance flown by the Wright Brothers at N. N C. C Expand Rapidly On August 28 1939 three days before Germany set off World War II by invading Poland the was regularly using 69 bases Fifty months later in January 1944 it had 1400 bases of which were overseas Almost tons of supplies were sent out of the country during the war war enough enough to fill a warehouse 75 feet wide with the th front door in Washington D. D D C. C and the back door in Philadelphia New developments now permit test pilots to check jet planes safely The plane is put through its paces while wl le the pi pilot pi- pi pilot pilot lot stays on the ground The secret is remote control and television The U. U U S. S spent more money developing radar than was spent on the atom bomb More than served in inthe inthe inthe the of whom were over over- overseas overseas overseas seas in 21 different countries 1600 chaplains were on duty in the at all times Of the Congressional al Medals of Honor awarded dur dur- during during during ing the war 34 were won by mem mem- members members members bers of the Compare Records The World War I air force had 35 pilots 1087 enlisted men 55 training planes 7 tactical squadrons with with a balloon school at Fort FortI I Omaha Neb Eight World War I aces are credited with downing 10 or more enemy planes or balloons I 29 World War II aces shot down 18 I or or more planes no balloons First world the trip by an army plane took days in 1924 I It took an air transport command plane hours in 1945 Its It's a small world with the men and planes of the ar air forces a strong bulwark bul bul- bulwark bulwark wark in making m king it a world of peace and guarding Americas America's future |