Viewing page 45 of 150

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

Page 24: "Before considering the use and capabilities of the Army Air Force, the Navy Air Force and the AIR FORCE."

The author by frequent reference, such as that quoted above, in which he constantly refers to three separate and distinct air forces, one in the Army, one in the Navy and one independent of either, will certainly confuse and mislead the reader. If the author desired to make such a distinction for the purpose of his article, he should clearly bring out the fact that this is not the organization of the Air Service today, nor is it necessarily the opinion of experienced military men that such an organization is desirable or necessary. It would certainly increase the value of the article if the author would be willing to modify the term "AIR FORCE" throughout the paper so as to read, "G. H. Q. Air Force". The G. H. Q. AirnForce, under our present organization, which is well known to the author is capable of performing all the functions laid down by the author for his "AIR FORCE".

Page 25: "Pursuit x x x offers the only definite means of protecting the ground forces and surface fleet elements from serial attack as it has been amply demonstrated under actual conditions of warfare and recently by practical tests that anti-aircraft artillery on land cannot be relied upon for this purpose, x x."

The author here makes and unnecessary and unwarranted slur on the value of anti-aircraft artillery. It would increase the value of the paper considerably if he would state at this point the exact roles of the Air Service and the anti-aircraft artillery in anti-aircraft defense.

Page 27: "It (attack aviation) can be thrown into the fighting on an instant and hostile machine gun nests can be reduced, supports and reserves being brought up to stiffen the line or for the purpose of making a counter attack, can be successfully stopped and it can be used to increase the fire action of the ground troops at any portion of the line. When the enemy is defeated and has begun to retreat, it provides the most effective means, and in fact the only successful means that has existed upmto the present, to complete his destruction."

The author, while correctly depicting the proper objectives for attack aviation, paints a rather optimistic picture of the success which will be attained by this new weapon. It is not at all certain that the defense or ground troops will not be able to cope successfully with attack aviation, and it would improve the article considerably if the author would modify this entire paragraph so as to show the same objectives for attack aviation without claiming, in each case, that the attack would always be effective.