Viewing page 17 of 26

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

for the members of this mission were not only afforded every opportunity to see what they wanted to see, but all else was done for them not only in a courteous and cooperative but eager manner. Every person in Italy from the King down co-operated to make the trip an effective mission through Italy. This mission cost the Americans hardly a penny. This was very pleasing to the Army and Navy members of the Bolling Mission, for they were serving a government which had sent them to Europe allowing them, in Europe but seven cents a mile traveling expenses and when not traveling, nothing for expenses. The net result of this was that each member of the Mission who had contacts with the Allies was either "broken or badly bent" before the mission's work was half finished. The personal pocket-books of Raynal C. Bolling and Howard C. Marmon had to be tapped in order that some might eat. Accordingly, the hospitality of the Italians proved not only co-operative from the viewpoint of the war, but also productive of efficient action on the part of the Bolling Mission with their stomachs full and with the assurance of traveling where necessary to do their work properly. The Italians paid the bills and enabled the Americans to travel where they would not have had the cash to go.

The mission returned to Paris on July 27, 1917. When the French heard the glowing tribues paid to Italian and British aviation, they changed their "tunes" and finally got down to business. In a few days the Americans were able to arrive at their personal conclusions as to the value of the various forms of material available in French aeronautics. By the end of July, the mission arrived at a determination of what types of airplanes and engines were best suited to the American Army.

Colonel Bolling then invited to a meeting in Paris on July 31, 1917, the British, French and Italian aviation experts that they might discuss with the Bolling Mission and with each other what material America should buy in Europe and what should be built in the United States. Each of the three overseas nations attended this meeting with its senior commanders both from its home office and from its front lines. There was present the civilian head, the operative military head, the technical head, and the supply head of each of the British, French and Italian Air Forces. Colonel Bolling presented to this gathering of our nations our ideas for the American program. After a full day's discussion, to the amusement of the American delegation and even to the complete surprise of the Allies themselves, all jealousies were laid aside and the meeting adjourned with an

-16-