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1-6

September 19, 1924

Panama and Hawaiian Reports on Coordination Between the Coast Artillery and Air Service in Coast Defense. 

Chief of Air Service, Washington, D. C.

With reference to the attached reports of Boards of Officers convened in the Panama and Hawaiian Departments to investigate and consider and report on the powers, limitations and combined training of the Coast Artillery Corps and Air Service in coast defense, the following is submitted: 

1. The questions to which the War Department desired answers as conclusive as possible were as follows: 

a. At what range can bombing aircraft begin economically and efficiently to replace existing large caliber Coast Artillery guns against an enemy fleet or other target? 

b. Within what vertical range can aircraft approach coast defenses armed with the latest existing anti-aircraft devices for the purpose of bombing without being subjected to effective fire? 

c. Can aircraft bombing at an altitude beyond the effective range of existing anti-aircraft devices put out of action coast defenses to the point where they will not be able to function effectively against an enemy fleet? 

2. PANAMA REPORT
In general, the conclusions cited in the report are concurred in. 

Special reference is made to the conclusions arrived at in the last part of paragraph 7, beginning with the sentence, "The Army Air Service has a more varied and intimate relation with the Coast Artillery," and continuing to end of paragraph; and to those contained in paragraph 8, as also the statement in paragraph 10, "Extensive firing under as nearly service conditions as possible at towed targets or miniature gliders, capable of maneuvering, can only approximately determine this."

(The end to this copy.)

[[right margin]] Re McNair Board report - C.A. + A.S. in Coast Defense [/right margin]]