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Show AMERICA IN ACTION 1 ; r- TECHNICAL SCHOOL The Army Air Forces Technical school, training radio operator-mechanics in the former Stevens and Congress hotels and the Coliseum of Chicago, is the newest installation of the Technical Training command. It is also the largest radio school in the country and one of a great number of schools operated by this command com-mand from headquarters at Knoll-wood Knoll-wood Field, N. C. It should be explained that the air forces consist of eight commands, each with a definite function to perform per-form in the gigantic task of making our air forces the largest and most effective in the world. Three of these commands are closely related. The first is the Air Service command, which decides on the models of planes to be used by the air forces. By constant research and study and comparison with the equipment of our Allies and enemies, ene-mies, this command provides the air forces with the latest designs and improvements. The Materiel command com-mand has charge of the purchase of planes decided upon by the Air Transport command, and the Proving Prov-ing Ground command tests the planes after delivery to see that they perform according to specification. Three other commands are also closely related: the Air Transport command, which ferries planes, the Troop Carrier command, which ferries fer-ries men, and the First Concentration Concentra-tion command, whose function it is to supervise and complete the organization or-ganization of air echelons, amalgamating amalga-mating them into groups for flight to theaters of war. The remaining two commands are the Flying Training command, which trains pilots, navigators, bombardiers bombar-diers and gunners, and the Technical Techni-cal Training command, which trains all others having to do with airplane operation. Because it takes an estimated ten men on the ground to keep one man aloft in a plane, the Technical Training Train-ing command is by far the largest. It operates a large number of schools all over the United States for machinists, mechanics, propeller propel-ler experts, armorers, welders, parachute par-achute riggers, meteorologists, and radio operators and mechanics. The men studying at the Army Air Forces Technical school will all see combat duty. Every Flying Fortress For-tress has two radio operators in its crew. These men wear wings and are just as indispensible to the efficient effi-cient operation of the plane as are the other members of the crew. Indeed In-deed one of these operators also handles han-dles a port-side machine gun. Other Oth-er soldiers graduated from this school will see duty in flying fields on four continents. For no plane can start a task, proceed on a journey jour-ney or land without the information transmitted by these men, who are the ears and voice of the air forces. |