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MILLING, T. DEWITT, BRIG. GEN USAF - BIOG FILE - FOLDER NO.  ITEM NO.
ARMY'S FIRST AIRMEN IN REUNION 
OAKLAND POST -ENQUIRER
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA
MONDAY, APRIL 21,1930

[[newspaper clipping]]
ARMY'S FIRST AIRMEN IN REUNION

Two pioneers of the "flying machine" days of the United States army air corps, staged an aerial reunion over Greater Oakland, it was revealed here today.

The veterans were Majors Thomas DeWitt Milling and H. H. Arnold, members of the staff of the "blue" army, now based at Mather field, Sacramento.

The flight, made yesterday marked the first time in 19 years they had flown together.

Twenty years ago they were assigned to the task of learning to fly. At that time the army air corps "fleet" consisted of two airplanes.

FIRST PILOT

The Wright brothers, builders of the planes, described to the young officers, the nsecond lieutenants, the mechanism of the contraptions.

One hour and 50 minutes later Major Milling was a full fledged pilot. Major Arnold won his rating in two hours and 20 minutes.

FAST PLANE

Army pilot ratings of today are awarded after the completion of more than a year of training.

The plane used in the reunion flight yesterday was powered with a 500 horsepower engine and had a high speed of 156 miles per hour. The training plane of 1911 had a 24-horsepower engine, which gave the craft a highk speed of 40 miles per hour — under favorable wind conditions.

Planes Over Oakland
After Battle Practice

The guns of its "enemy" silenced, 150 planes of the "blue" army today had returned to Sacramento, leaving in their wake, in Greater Oakland, a fuller realization of the methods and operations of modern warfare.

In perfect battle formation, the combat ships passed over the city yesterday to bring thousands of air-minded Oaklanders to their doors, following the culmination of a two-day demonstration at Mills field, San Francisco.

The exhibition flights called to Mils field thousands of spectators. 

The planes returned to Sacramento to enter the final week of maneuvers at Mather field.

Led by Brig. Gen. William E. Gillmore, a fighting brood of 52 pursuit ships led the legion of the skies over Greater Oakland to provide a thrill surpassing any of the army demonstrations at Mills field yesterday. A power dive directly over the city called thousands of residents to the street to watch the leading squadron fade rapidly into a blue sky, headed northward.
[[/newspaper clipping]]