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WW1 USMC Aviator picture


Garth Thompson
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Garth Thompson

Here's one for you wing gurus to ponder. This picture has not been photoshopped or altered in any fashion. It is an original studio portrait found in a pile of old pictures in an antique maill.

Garth

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teufelhunde.ret

Here are further details on the early Aviators from "The Inception Part 2

 

http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:LOoprh...cd=58&gl=us

 

Among sources of information on the role of Marine Aviation in World War I, one document deserves special mention: Quartermaster Sergeant Lee Austin's narration on Marine Aviation World War I, compiled in 1944-45 and first published in the 1st Marine Aviation Force Veterans' Association booklet of 1945.

 

The account does not differentiate between Regulars and Reserves, but tells one rounded story of the team and, according to General Day, "not the most hidebound [team] militarily in this world. Nobody gave a damn and few, if any, knew who were regulars, temporaries, duration reserves, or what have you." In his story, based on personal knowledge as a member of the Northern Bombing Group and on responses to a questionnaire he mailed to all members of the 1st Marine Aviation Force, Austin wrote:

 

The father of Marine Aviation was Lieutenant Alfred Austel Cunningham. He was the first Marine officer to be assigned to the Naval Aviation School at Annapolis. He was followed in order by Lieutenants Smith, McIlvain, Evans, and Geiger. It is quite natural, therefore, that these men individually and collectively did play an important part in Marine Aviation as it grew and expanded in World War I, under the leadership of Alfred Austel Cunningham.

 

The first move to organize and equip Marine Aviation Squadrons for combat in World War I began with the transfer of the small aeronautical detachment from Pensacola, Fla., to League Island, Philadelphia Navy Yard. With this nucleus, the first Marine Aeronautic Squadron was formed with 18 officers and 180 enlisted men under the general command of then Captain Cunningham and under the direct command of Captain McIlvain. Another unit had been organized in the Navy Yard at the same time and, under the command of Captain Evans, had been sent to Cape May for further training and from there to the Azores on overseas duty. The first squadron under Captain McIlvain was ordered to Mineola, Long Island for training with Army Aviation.

 

Those of the original group who served at Mineola remember the tent city in which they lived at the far end of the Army flying field ... they remember, too, the howling winds and rain which swept in from the ocean and seemed to be continually blowing these same tents over about as fast as the ever-present morning, noon, and night detail could "put'em up again" ... they will never forget, either, living in those tents during the bleak, cold, snowy winter of 1917 ... the ever-present hot coffee in the cook tent ... the day Lieutenant Chamberlain's oil stove gave both him and the inside of his tent a complete black soot bath ... the homemade shower bath which was built and used ... the epidemic of colds and pneumonia that swept Camp Mills nearby, where the Rainbow Division was quartered ... but, most of all they remember the snow and cold of that severe winter ... and they remember too when the order was passed to pack up and head South and leave that 17 below zero wind howling in from the Bay.

 

The trip to the next training center, the Army Flying Field at Lake Charles, was rather uneventful until the train was backed into the field at Lake Charles, La. The Army had no quarters for, or orders covering the disposition of, the 1st Marine Squadron. As a result, the group was forced to live in the coaches for 3 days until, finally, sleeping and living quarters were established in one of the Army Cadet Schoolhouses. The Marines quickly took over and in no time were operating the field, and soon enlisted men (some of them fresh from Parris Island) were instructing the Army boys where and how to "oil and gas up" the Curtis Jennys in use there, and how to wait out on the field when the sudden sandstorms hit and get a good hold on the "Jenneys" wings to keep them from turning over.

 

He reported that the 1st Squadron was then ordered to Curtis Field, Miami, for training with the Marine Aeronautic Detachment, formed there previously under Captain Roy S. Geiger. Another squadron, under Captain D. B. Roben, was also organized there. After a period of training together and of further individual instruction, the units were ordered to head North with the ultimate destination France. He continued:

 

The 3 Marine Squadrons arrived in Brest safe and sound. After several days in the rest camp, the trip was continued North to Calais in the French "40 and 8" parlor cars ... with the ultimate destination Oye, France, for Squadrons A and B. Squadron C was based at La Frense, where it was joined by Squadron D on 6 October 1918, the latter squadron having suffered in England the loss of First Lieutenant Donald Cowles. Captain R. A. Presley organized, trained, and took this squadron overseas.

 

With the arrival of the 4 Marine Squadrons, the Northern Bombing Group was complete; being made up of one Night Wing of 4 Naval Squadrons, and one Day Wing of 4 Marine Squadrons. The Marine Day Squadrons used the DH-4, equipped with Liberty motor, and DH-9a's. The first DH-4 arrived from Pauillac 7 September 1918.

 

Meanwhile, training for flight personnel for active work against the enemy continued in aviation schools in England and France... . Final training for pilots was accomplished by placing them with active British Squadrons at the front, operating in the same area in which the Northern Bombing Group contemplated operations. Pilots, observers, and ground personnel were placed through permission from British authorities with ... active British Squadrons.

 

Austin wrote that in addition to carrying out day raids as the Northern Bombing Group, Marine planes made raids with 217 and 218 Squadrons RAF. The first Marine Day Wing Squadron raid was carried out by 7 ships, DH-4's and DH9a's, on 14 October against railway sidings and yards at Thielt. Raids were then continued against railway junctions, yards, canals, and canal docks at Thielt, Steenbrugge, Eecloo, Ghent, Deynze, and Lokeren. During these raids, at least 4 enemyaircraft were believed destroyed and one shot down out of control. He recalled that 1 Marine plane was lost when shot down near the Belgium lines. A second, struck by antiaircraft fire, was able to land safely in Holland. Pilots of the Marine Squadron operated with 218 RAF and were reported to have shot down 2 enemy aircraft.

 

His narration continued:

 

It was also during this period of duty in France that Marine aviators first dropped food and ammunition to a marooned ally. When a French regiment had been cut off by the Germans near Stadenburg in September 1918, Captains F. P. Mulcahy and R. S. Lytle, Lieutenant Frank Nelms, and Gunnery Sergeants Arnie Wieman, H. L. Tallman, and Archie Paschal flew the ships that dropped over a ton of supplies to the marooned Frenchmen. This aid from the air, the first time it had ever been done by Marine aviators, continued 2 days in the face of heavy artillery, machinegun, and rifle fire. During its service in France, the Northern Bombing Group was credited with having dropped 155,998 pounds of bombs and flown on 57 bombing raids.

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Small world made smaller - I have owned this same photo for several years and posted it on the forum last summer!!

 

Neet shot and 100% legit

 

DJ

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Garth Thompson
Small world made smaller - I have owned this same photo for several years and posted it on the forum last summer!!

 

Neet shot and 100% legit

 

DJ

DJ,

I think you got the picture from Bruce Linz (aka chowhound on the forum) who got it from me.

Garth

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